Blue Lightning (1995 video game)

Blue Lightning is a 1995 combat flight simulator video game developed by Attention to Detail and published by Atari Corporation for the Atari Jaguar CD. It is a conversion of Epyx's 1989 Atari Lynx title of the same name, and one of the pack-in games for the Jaguar CD. In the game, the player assumes the role of a rookie fighter pilot from the Blue Lightning squadron, taking control of multiple military aircraft across various missions to stop general Drako, who betrayed the United Nations and gained power of military organizations through corruption to expand his organized crime empire all over the world.

Blue Lightning was announced in 1994 as one of the first upcoming titles for the Jaguar CD add-on, being advertised as a sequel to the Lynx original, but went through a troubled development cycle. Attention to Detail faced problems when making the game at the same time the Jaguar CD hardware was being finalized, with the staff not understanding how gameplay from the original game worked when recreating it for Jaguar. The game garnered a mixed reception from critics and retrospective commentators; most felt divided regarding the audiovisual presentation while criticism was geared towards its gameplay, which was compared unfavorably with the original game, After Burner (1987), and Air Combat (1995).

Gameplay

Blue Lightning is an arcade-style combat flight simulator game played from a third-person perspective

Development

Blue Lightning for the Atari Jaguar CD is a conversion of Epyx's 1989 Atari Lynx title of the same name.[2] It was developed by British studio Attention to Detail (ATD), which previously worked on Cybermorph (1993) for the Jaguar.[3][4][5][6] It was produced by Sean Patten of Atari Corporation, with John Skruch acting as assistant producer.[5][7] The coding work was handled by Andrew Howe and Jon Howard, with technical director Fred Gill (one of the original five founding members of ATD), Peter Long, and a programmer under the pseudonym "Sadge" providing additional support.[4][7][8] The game's levels were co-designed by a member credited under the nickname "Mac" and Stuart "F. B." Tilley, who also worked on Cybermorph.[6][7] David West, Ian G. Harling, Joanne Surman, and Kristi-Louise Herd were responsible for the artwork, while the full-motion video cutscenes were handled by Jon Baker and Vince Shaw-Morton.[7] Herd previously worked at Imagitec Design on conversions for microcomputers, before departing to join ATD and work as graphic artist on the game.[9][10][11] The soundtrack was scored by Ian Sharp, with Will Davis composing additional music.[7] It features the voice work of comedian Rob Brydon, lead tester Hank Cappa and Carrie Tahquechi, who portrayed some of the in-game radio transmissions at Atari's in-house audio department.[7][12][13] The cover art was illustrated by Steve Lang.[14]

Gill stated the team underestimated how much work the project would bring to them while ATD expanded into multiple teams, as they had many problems when developing Blue Lightning at the same time the Jaguar CD hardware was being finished and not understanding how gameplay from the original game worked when recreating it for Jaguar.[5][8] Tilley recalled building the levels using MS-DOS, drawing them by typing a letter on the keyboard in a pattern that equated to objects such as large rocks and tanks.[6] Herd claimed that ATD hired both an aircraft and a flight suit for a photo shoot, where the game's staff dressed as fighter pilots and used photos from the session as portraits for the pilot selection screen.[9] Herd also stated that the background graphics were digitized images while sprites were produced from pre-rendered 3D models, which caused her discontent with both ATD and the project, calling the scanned backgrounds "awful" and left the company as a result.[9][11] Herd has since retrospectively referred the game's development as "the one which gave me the most headaches", but also as one of the titles she would like to rework.

Reception

Blue Lightning on the Atari Jaguar CD garnered a mixed reception from critics.[42][45] Game Players' Jeff Lundrigan commended the variety of terrains, Top Gun-inspired soundtrack, and number of planes to choose from, but faulted its "blocky" bitmap visuals and repetitive gameplay, which was compared with After Burner. Lundrigan also expressed that outside of the pre-rendered cutscnenes and soundtrack "there's really nothing to distinguish this as a CD-ROM game."[39] GameFan's three reviewers highlighted its introduction sequence, missions, and garage rock-style music, but criticized the "chunky" graphics and compared it unfavorably with Air Combat (1995).[40] Next Generation also compared it with After Burner but noted its variety of selectable planes and fast action.[43]

Game Zero Magazine's two reviewers commended the cinematics but found its gameplay too linear and similar to the Lynx original. They agreed with Lundrigan, commenting "there was nothing in this game justifying CD-ROM, and nothing graphically impressive."[47] GamePro's Lawrence Neves regarded it as a mediocre title, faulting the background visuals and clunky controls. Neves also felt its gameplay was slow compared to After Burner and Starblade.[50] In contrast, VideoGames Jim Loftus found the graphics admirable though not near to Sega Saturn or PlayStation standards, the hard rock soundtrack fitting but muffled, and its playability addictive.[49] Fusions John Wesley Hardin disagreed with Loftus, stating that "it just doesn't make a good game for a CD system in 1995."[46]

Electronic Gaming Monthly's four writers echoed similar thoughts, criticizing the audiovisual presentation, slow gameplay, choppy technical performance, and controls. While the different style of aircraft were seen as an appealing addition, they recommended the original Lynx game instead.[38] Marc Abramson of the French ST Magazine commended its animated sequences and digitized sound, but ultimately found the game average.[48] MAN!ACs Robert Bannert lambasted the game's audio and visuals.[41] AllGames Kyle Knight shared a similar opinion as other reviewers, criticizing the graphical presentation for its poor use of sprite scaling and low frame rate, as well as the repetitive soundtrack, voice acting, controls, and poor gameplay.[37] Atari Gaming Headquarters' Keita Iida concurred with Knight, writing that "Blue Lightning for the JagCD is neither the hardware showcase that its portable wonder was, nor does it possess half the gameplay that Lynx BL offered."[44]

Retrospective coverage

Retrospective commentary for Blue Lightning on Jaguar CD has been equally mixed.[51] Author Andy Slaven wrote that the game "looks, sounds, and plays just like a bad 16-bit cart." Slaven also questioned Atari for choosing it as a pack-in game with the peripheral, commenting that Battlemorph would have been a better choice.[52] The Atari Times' Dan Loosen found its gameplay fun but underwhelming and the soundtrack fitting, but gave negative comments towards the visuals. Loosen also agreed with Slaven, stating that Battlemorph should have been a pack-in game with the Jaguar CD.[53] Nils of the German website neXGam gave the title a very mixed retrospective outlook.[54]

title	Blue Lightning
developer	Attention to Detail
publisher	Atari Corporation
producer	Sean Patten
designer	Stuart Tilley
programmer	Andrew Howe Jon Howard
artist	David West Ian G. Harling Joanne Surman Kristi-Louise Herd
composer	Ian Sharp Will Davis
platforms	Atari Jaguar CD
released	NA/EU: September 21, 1995
genre	Combat flight simulator, shoot 'em up
modes	Single-player

Blue Lightning (1995 video game)

Gameplay

Development

Release

Reception

Retrospective coverage

External links

References