Blazing Dragons (video game)

Illusions Gaming Company

Industry	Video game development
Products	Blazing Dragons

Blazing Dragons is a point-and-click adventure game released in 1996, developed by Illusions Gaming Company and published by Crystal Dynamics for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn. Based on the television series sharing its title, the game centers on Flicker, an anthropomorphic dragon striving to achieve knighthood to win the affection of Princess Flame. The narrative and comedic style are heavily inspired by Monty Python, featuring voice talent such as Terry Jones.

Synopsis

In this game, players assume the role of Flicker, engaging in item collection and interacting with both dragons and humans to solve various puzzles. The ultimate objective is to become a dragon knight, triumph in the grand tournament, and earn Princess Flame’s love. Along the journey, players unveil a sinister human conspiracy aimed at overthrowing the kingdom through the kidnapping of the princess.

Plot

The antagonists Sir George and his wizard Mervin seek to dominate Camelhot and eradicate dragons. Following an unsuccessful assault, Sir George supports the Black Dragon, a mechanical beast designed to win a tournament whose champion will wed Princess Flame. Flicker, a young inventor denied knighthood, discovers and disables the Black Dragon. His squire, Sir Loungealot, takes credit for this victory, prompting Princess Flame to depart and subsequently be abducted by Sir George.

Meanwhile, the King's Chancellor—secretly collaborating with Sir George—steals Flicker’s invention to create Black Dragon II. To mask Princess Flame’s disappearance, Flicker arranges for the court jester to impersonate her. Disguised as Sir George, Flicker rescues Flame and destroys Black Dragon II. Upon returning, Flicker’s deception is uncovered; he must then earn respect from the King’s knights by rescuing them.

Flicker attains knighthood at the Cave of Dilemma and advances to the tournament finale, where he defeats Sir Loungealot. Sir George and Mervin launch an assault with Black Dragon III; Flicker once again destroys it. After Sir George merges with the machine, swallowing Flicker, Mervin, and King All-Fire, Flicker disables its power source, restoring Sir George to human form. The King subsequently grants Flicker permission to marry Princess Flame, fulfilling his long-held ambition.

Development

Originally announced in 1995 under the title Dragons of the Square Table with plans for release that year, the game was later reworked to align with the Canadian TV series of the same name. It ultimately launched on PlayStation and Sega Saturn platforms in late 1996. The script and humor were heavily influenced by Monty Python, featuring Terry Jones alongside voice actors such as Cheech Marin, Harry Shearer, Jim Cummings, Jeff Bennett, Kath Soucie, B. J. Ward, Roger Rose, Michael Bell, Brian George, Rob Paulsen, Robert Ridgely, Jess Harnell, Gregg Berger, and Charlie Adler.

Reception

The PlayStation edition received an 8/10 rating from Electronic Gaming Monthly, which praised its "side-splitting" comedy and challenging puzzles while noting that its integrated hint system enhanced accessibility. GamePro commended the animation quality and distinctive voice acting accents but criticized its difficulty level and similarities to Discworld. Next Generation found it generally enjoyable and highlighted performances by Cheech Marin and Harry Shearer despite frequent loading times that impacted gameplay on consoles.

The Sega Saturn version garnered mixed feedback: GameSpot regarded it as entertaining with obscure puzzles and eccentric characters but overall unimpressive. In contrast, Sega Saturn Magazine delivered harsh criticism targeting its humor, storyline, user interface, visuals, and voice performances. Additional reviews from outlets like AllGame and Computer and Video Games ranged from moderate to low scores.