0 to Z of Playstation 1 Games - Blood Lines

  

Blood Lines is a 3d action fighting platform game, similar to the Nintendo title Super Smash Bros Melee. The game is set in a post apocalyptic sci-fi future and was developed by Radical Entertainment, the game was published by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe for the Playstation.

The game released exclusively in Europe, with the game releasing on either the 1^st of April or 15^th of April 1999. Prior to the games release the game was known as Tribal, but sometime prior to the games release the title was switched to Blood Lines instead.

 

The game features ten playable characters to choose from and game modes such as Arcade, Challenge, Vs Battle and Party Mode. The game has three difficulty modes and an option to play with big heads. Panic mode is also a feature of the game that can be activated while playing, this mode gives the character the ability to run faster and generate quick and stronger power ups moves at any given time.

 

Basic controls for the game, when playing character movement is done with the D-Pad, you can make your character jump using the X button, to fire your main weapon the square button is used, your characters special ability is activated by pressing the triangle button.

To power up your character the Circle button Is used, your can recharge using the L1 shoulder button, and you can taunt with the L2 button. Neutralise or lockout is handled with the R1 shoulder button, camera controls are does with the R2 shoulder button.

 

When beginning the game with either 2 or up to the maximum of 4 players, either against the CPU or other human players. The aim at the start of the game is to touch the neutral marker in the arena, this marker is coloured green.

The first player to touch the green marker gains control of the game, from this point on the player in control is aiming to touch three more markers around the arena, while the other players attempt to tackle or shoot them and gain control of the marker themselves. Power ups are available around the arena to aid both sides.

 

In addition to the power ups the players will have to deal with several arena altering effects, the games arenas are multi levelled, bounce pads can be used to reach the higher levels more quickly as well as the characters jump ability with the X button.

Certain platforms will however collapse when you jump on them, other platforms that will sink into water, steam jets and teleporters will also affect your progress towards capturing all of the points. Weapons that are used by the characters are key to wrestling control away from another player as these weapons will slow down an opponent and allow you to catch and tackle them, without the weapons the matches can be over very quickly. Special weapons need to be powered up and only work briefly but will stun an opponent.

In the distant future where all distinct cultures and individuality has been banned b the government, a group of rebels punks fight to preserve what is left of their unique cultures, identity and style. This band of outcasts have rediscovered the ancient ritual of combat.

This combat takes the group of outcasts to distant places, battling amongst themselves in a series of abandoned arenas in order to find their champion of champions through a gruelling last man standing battle for the honour of their blood-lines.  

Critically the games was received above averagely by critics with the game peaking at a 70 with the majority of reviews within a 10 point of each other. Another one review fell into the average range, with one further review that fell well below that mark.

As usual we will start with the best of them which comes from Dutch publication Power Unlimited who rated the game at a decent 70, the reviewer finding the game just too difficult due to the games control issues. The review also found that it was impossible to make certain jumps with the zoom in and out system, concluding the review found the games idea okay but the execution sucks.

Absolute Playstation are next up with an above average 69, the reviewer finding that the single player element of the game grew boring very quickly. The reviewer finding that the game may have been designed to be fast and frantic, but the distant camera angles reduce the gameplay to chaotic annoying.

The reviewer found the multiplayer side of the game only offers limited enjoyment, the review spent around an hour with the multiplayer part of the game before going back to a more tried and trusted classic like Worms, Bomberman and Devil Dice.

 

Moving over to Germany for the next review which comes from Mega Fun, who rated the game at an above average 61. Just one point below this we find Bravo Screenfun who found the gameplay to be pretty simple and does not do much, but is still a lot of fun, and is a welcome change to the cute Bomberman.

Also rating the game at a 60 is French publication Jeuxvideo.com who found the game rather disappointing and failed to realize the potential that is there. The review found that the multiplayer to be the only real saving grace for the game, the review concluding do not buy this game if you are playing it alone.

NowGamer are next up with an average rated 59 review, the reviewer praising the games lighting effects calling them impressive, the review also found the panned out four player mode played very smoothly. The review however found the single player element of the game to be pretty woeful, with only the four player mode where things become interesting.

Graphically the review called it pretty sweet and the games arenas have been thoughtfully designed to make most of weapons and strategies. The reviewer concluded however by saying, but there are still at least twenty other multiplayer alternatives that we’d rather play, Blood Lines is repetitive and too hard as a single player challenge.

The final review we head back to Germany and the publication Video Games, with the reviewer finding the games idea has potential. The review found that unfortunately the games implementation of the games main ideas become hectic that every strategic move is nipped in the bud. Concluding the review found that the multiplayer mode saves the game from being a complete crash, too bad, but this game is not recommended.

This is the part of 0 to Z where is visit four online retailers and see what the availability of the title is, and what price you would be looking at if you wanted to pick this title up, the sites that I will be using for this are Amazon.com, eStarland.com, retrogames.co.uk and Gamedude.com I know the last one is very location specific, but from a podcast I listen to, I’ve heard they have a huge stock of older games, Ebay has now been dropped unless the game is unavailable at other retailers.

 

So lets get down to business with Gamedude, where unsurprisingly this European only release is not listed, more surprisingly Retrogames.co.uk don’t have the game available or even listed either. So we will quickly move on to eStarland.com, but sadly the game is not listed either here as well.

Moving on to Amazon.com we don’t find the game listed here either, so we will switch to the co.uk version of the site. We do find the game listed but under Bloodlines rather than Blood Lines, with four copies of the game currently available.

The first copy which is in good condition, but does not state the completeness of the copy, this copy is available for £5.64. From here the prices jump up significantly, the second copy which is price at £21.92 and is the rental copy version of the game and does not come with a manual.

The third copy which Is in very good condition and appears to come in complete condition, this copy will set you back £22.02. the final copy which is in good condition and also comes in a complete condition including the manual and will set you back £26.02.

  

Written by

P J Gibbon