Deathbringer (1991 video game)
| Industry | Video game development |
|---|---|
| Founded | February 1991 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Deathbringer |
Deathbringer is a 1991 side-scrolling action title created by Oxford Digital Enterprises and released by Empire for the Amiga, DOS, and Atari ST systems.
Plot
A group of malevolent sorcerers seeks to dominate the world but faces opposition from Karn the Barbarian. These wizards craft a mystical blade named Deathbringer by performing a sacrificial ritual that binds a demon's essence to the sword. Karn acquires this weapon and turns its power against its creators. The demon trapped within requires souls to sustain itself; consequently, Karn must slay monsters to nourish the sword while ultimately aiming to defeat the evil wizards.
Gameplay
Players assume control of Karn, armed with Deathbringer, exploring nonlinear stages that begin partway through, allowing movement in both directions toward boss encounters. Defeating these bosses unlocks advancement across 30 levels. A distinctive feature is the sword’s soul meter, which gradually diminishes and must be replenished by defeating enemies; failure to do so results in health depletion and possible temporary loss of player control due to the sword’s influence. The game includes 36 levels enhanced by parallax scrolling, though its visual presentation received mixed critiques.
Development
The Amiga edition of Deathbringer was developed by Oxford Digital Enterprises and published by Empire. Development started in February 1991, with the game launching in September of the same year. British gaming publication The One provided a preview in September 1991. Each level showcases backgrounds featuring 36 layers of parallax scrolling, accomplished using wedge-shaped tiles instead of traditional squares, creating a dynamic visual effect. The cave stage employs curved segments to simulate tubular walls. The graphics were produced externally by freelance artist Colin Swinbourne and converted into sprites via Deluxe Paint III. Initial placeholder sound effects were replaced with over 116 sampled sounds crafted by Skinnybone Productions. Indoor environments incorporate reverb effects to mimic echoing acoustics. Due to the extensive sound effects library, the game contains only one music track composed by Angus Murray after submitting a demo to Oxford Digital.
In 1992, the DOS version retailed for roughly 90 Deutschmark, while the Amiga version was priced around 79 Deutschmarks and distributed on two floppy disks.
Reception
ST Format assigned a score of 72% to the Atari ST version, praising its advanced parallax graphics but criticizing repetitive gameplay centered on defeating enemies to progress through levels. The review noted limited difficulty variation and shallow gameplay depth.
German magazine Power Play rated the DOS version at 61%, commending its "fantastic" soundtrack, fast parallax scrolling, and vibrant visuals but faulted its uninspired gameplay, minimal enemy diversity, and reliance on button mashing. The publication recognized the title as technically proficient and lauded the soul meter mechanic.
Amiga Joker gave the Amiga edition a low rating of 37%, describing it as brief and lacking substance with deteriorating color quality throughout. The review criticized unstable parallax scrolling, unimpressive audio limited to a single music track, and overall considered it a budget alternative to Beast II.
PC Joker awarded the DOS version 41%, unfavorably comparing it to Wrath of the Demon due to an emphasis on graphics over gameplay quality. Controls were described as sluggish and combat as reliant on chance rather than strategy, with gameplay deemed simplistic and insufficiently engaging beyond an average experience. While some bosses and sprites received praise for animation quality, level design was faulted for lacking visual variety.
The One for ST Games gave an 80% rating to the Atari ST release, praising its "superb" graphics and detailed sprites along with some of the best parallax scrolling available on the platform. However, it highlighted unoriginal gameplay and inconsistent difficulty—bosses are nearly impossible until their patterns are mastered but become too easy afterward. The soul meter system and nonlinear map layout were commended, although absence of visible damage effects reduced atmospheric impact.