Blade (video game)
Blade is an action game based on the 1998 film Blade and a prequel to it. It was developed by HammerHead for the PlayStation in 2000, and by HAL Laboratory and Avit Inc. for the Game Boy Color. The game was published by Activision, and follows the adventure of Blade with help of his mentor and friend Abraham Whistler. Reviews were mixed, with criticism of the graphics, camera, controls, and voice acting.
Blade | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | HammerHead (PlayStation) HAL Corporation (Game Boy Color) Avit Inc. (Game Boy Color) |
Publisher(s) | Activision |
Director(s) | Paul Hunter (PlayStation) Andy Ingram (PlayStation) Chris Stanforth (PlayStation) |
Designer(s) | Raoul Barnett (PlayStation) Hiroyuki Sekimoto (Game Boy Color) |
Composer(s) | Kazuo Sawa (Game Boy Color) |
Platform(s) | Game Boy Color, PlayStation |
Release | Game Boy Color PlayStation |
Genre(s) | Action |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Gameplay
The player takes control of Blade as he makes his way through various vampire-infested locations in order to defeat the head vampire menace. The player ventures through warehouses, sewers, museums, city streets, and nightclubs dispatching numerous types of enemies ranging from familiars (humans that do a vampire's bidding), vampires, zombies, monsters, killer dogs, and other creatures of the night. Blade has a small arsenal of weapons to arm himself with courtesy of Whistler. Blade has his sword but can use his fists as well as a variety of firearms including pistols, shotguns, and machine pistols. Each firearm has three different types of ammunition: standard, explosive, and silver, each with its own effect on different enemies. Blade is equipped with a "multi-launcher" that can shoot all sorts of things to kill vampires, like silver glaives and UV grenades.
Reception
Aggregator | Score | |
---|---|---|
GBC | PS | |
GameRankings | 72%[2] | 48%[3] |
Metacritic | N/A | 51/100[4] |
Publication | Score | |
---|---|---|
GBC | PS | |
AllGame | [5] | [6] |
Electronic Gaming Monthly | N/A | 4.67/10[7] |
Game Informer | N/A | 4/10[8] |
GamePro | N/A | [9] |
GameRevolution | N/A | D+[10] |
GameSpot | N/A | 4.6/10[11] |
IGN | 7/10[12] | 3.5/10[13] |
Next Generation | N/A | [14] |
Nintendo Power | 7.2/10[15] | N/A |
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine | N/A | [16] |
The PlayStation version of Blade received mixed reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[4] David Smith of IGN called it "Much too little much too late. There might have been a good game here once, but not anymore."[13] Samuel Bass of NextGen said, "With the actual film available on DVD for half the price, why waste your time with this inferior spin-off?"[14]
The Game Boy version received more positive reviews. Marc Nix of IGN called it "Violent, visceral, bloody action on the Game Boy Color, just how you like it."[12]
See also
References
- "Activision : Corporate Info : Press Releases : ACTIVISION SHIPS BLADE". 2001-02-04. Archived from the original on 2001-02-04. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
- "Blade for Game Boy Color". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on April 8, 2019. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
- "Blade for PlayStation". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 20, 2019. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
- "Blade for PlayStation Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on August 27, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
- Thompson, Jon. "Blade (GBC) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on December 11, 2014. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
- Woods, Nick. "Blade (PS) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
- EGM staff (February 2001). "Blade (PS)". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 139. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on February 11, 2001. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
- Helgeson, Matt (January 2001). "Blade (PS)". Game Informer. No. 93. FuncoLand. p. 103.
- Major Mike (December 12, 2000). "Blade Review for PlayStation on GamePro.com". GamePro. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 9, 2005. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
- Nash, Joe (January 2001). "Blade Review (PS)". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 9, 2015. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
- Fielder, Joe (November 27, 2000). "Blade Review (PS)". GameSpot. Red Ventures. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
- Nix, Marc (November 29, 2000). "Blade (GBC)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
- Smith, David (November 28, 2000). "Blade (PS)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
- Bass, Samuel (March 2001). "Blade (PS)". NextGen. No. 75. Imagine Media. p. 87. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
- "Blade". Nintendo Power. Vol. 139. Nintendo of America. December 2000.
- Baker, Chris (February 2001). "Blade (PS)". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. No. 41. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on April 18, 2001. Retrieved December 21, 2016.