Blackthorne (Blackhawk in some European countries) is a video game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. It is a 2D platform game similar in style to Flashback and Prince of Persia.

Storyline

Years before the game begins, Stonefist, the capital of the kingdom of Androth, was attacked by an army of monsters. They were the Ka'dra'suul's army, monsters from the neighbor kingdom to the south. King Vlaros was killed by Sarlac, the leader of the Ka'dra'suul, but Kyle, his son and the game's protagonist, survived the attacks, having been sent to Earth by Galadril. There, Kyle grew and became a top-military soldier. He was also given the lightstone, for without it, there was no hope to overcome Sarlac. Many years later, he was contacted by Galadril, who told him his story and brought him back to the world of Tuul. At this point, the game takes place.

The main character is Kyle Blackthorne, an eponymous protagonist with a pump-action shotgun. The gameplay alternates between jumping or climbing between platforms, searching through a maze, and gunfights with a variety of monsters. The game contains sixteen levels in four different settings: Androth mines, Karellian Swamps, the desert wastelands, and the Sarlac Keep. The difficulty grows linearly throughout the game; as Kyle gets stronger and better armed, the enemies also get smarter, tougher, and faster.

Gameplay

One of the game's characteristic elements, quoted to this day, is Blackthorne's unique ability to fire behind him, over-the-shoulder. This subtle element, though rarely useful, adds a lot of attitude and edge to the character.