Blood Money (video game)

The player's ship (left) shooting at two large enemies.

Blood Money is a 2D side-scrolling shooter. The player moves through four stages on the planet, taking control of a different vehicle in each level: a helicopter in the metal world, a submarine in a water world, a spacesuit in an ice world, and a fighter jet in a fire world. Each vehicle features unique weaponry, which the player uses to attack all advancing enemies. The player can upgrade their vehicle with power-ups, which grant them additional weapons and upgrades, such as support missiles and neutron bombs.[1]

The vehicles' energy acts as the player's health, and is depleted when the vehicle makes contact with enemies and walls. When all energy is lost, the player lose a life; three lives are provided at the beginning of the game, and additional lives can be bought in a shop at certain points in the levels. Money for the shop can be collected when destroying enemies. When all three lives are lost, the game ends and the player are sent to a score result screen.[2] The first two levels may be selected from the beginning of the game; after one level is complete, the player can select any remaining world without restrictions. At the end of each level, the player must defeat a boss.[1]

Following the successful release of Menace in 1988, David Jones began developing Blood Money on 4 January 1989, on the 25 MHz 386-DX computer that publisher Psygnosis granted him, alongside a personal development system.[3] Jones saw Blood Money as a continuation of the concept used in Menace.[4] Jones was heavily inspired by the "cuteness" of Mr. Heli (1987) during the development of Blood Money.[3] The game's cover art was designed by British artist Peter Andrew Jones for the novel Protector (1973) by Larry Niven, and was adapted for the game's cover.[5]

With Blood Money, Jones was determined to use the full colour range of the Amiga, opting to use the blitter as opposed to the hardware scrolling; the blitter allowed graphics to be drawn quickly. Tony Smith, who had worked on Menace, produced the graphics for Blood Money, while Jones began work on a new scrolling system. While developing his own game, Talisman, Mike Dailly created a compact method to move enemies on-screen, which Jones incorporated into Blood Money.[3] The game's animations fascinated Jones' friend Gary Timmons, who then began experimenting with Deluxe Paint; his work on the program led to his employment at DMA Design, and inspired some of the animations used in DMA's next game, Walker (1993).[6] The game's introduction required a star field, which Jones took from a quick demonstration that Dailly had been working on.[7]

The game was ported to the PC by Tim Ansell of Creative Assembly,[8] and to Atari ST by Jones' friend Wayne Smithson,[9] while Dailly began porting the game to the Commodore 64 following the Personal Computer World Show in September 1989.[6] Dailly used the code from the Talisman demo, and wrote a new sprite system. He also re-worked the multi-directional scrolling,[10] and wrote his own tape loading routines, wanting one that allowed the player to play a simple game while Blood Money loaded.[11] Smith designed the graphics for the port, and became confused by the limitations of the hardware: he had to draw double pixels in Deluxe Paint, and was limited to sixteen colours.[10] Dailly finished developing the Commodore 64 version of Blood Money on 12 March 1990.[9] Video game musician Matt Furniss claimed that a conversion for the Sega Mega Drive was in development with its music complete, but it was never released.[12]

Blood Money received mostly positive reviews from critics upon release, particularly for its gameplay, graphical design, and sound. Gary Barrett of ST/Amiga Format wrote that the game is the best shoot 'em up game on the Amiga.[19] Zzap!64 listed Blood Money as the best Amiga game of the 1980s,[21] and ST Format named it the second-best shoot 'em up game of 1990.[22] The game sold 40,000 copies, which is double the sales of Menace.[23]

Stuart Wynne of Zzap!64 found the game convenient, while Robin Hogg of the same publication wrote that it equals to the game's detailed graphics.[20] The One viewed the game as among the more difficult and technologically sophisticated shoot 'em ups,[17] while ACE called it "compelling".[14] Conversely, Mike Pattenden of CU Amiga criticised the difficulty, noting its lack of rewards.[15]

Critics praised the game's graphical qualities. Paul Glancey of Computer and Video Games lauded the game's opening sequence, and called the sprites among "the best designed and most fluidly animated" in an Amiga game.[1] The Games Machine believed the graphics were very advanced,[16] and Barrett of ST/Amiga Format wrote that the game is "in a class of its own", praising the sprite animations.[19] Zzap!64's Hogg commended the animation and backgrounds.[20] Conversely, CU Amiga's Pattenden felt that the graphics lack depth.[15]

The game's use of sound received positive reactions. Phil King of Zzap!64 was impressed by the soundtrack, particularly praising the introductory music.[20] The Games Machine echoed similar remarks, writing that the game features "excellent" audio,[16] and Glancey of Computer and Video Games wrote that the sound chip was heavily utilised.[1] Barrett of ST/Amiga Format preferred the sound effects over the music, though felt that they were inferior to those in Menace.[19] Pattenden of CU Amiga felt that the sound is "a poor tune and some average effects",[15] while ACE called it "a little weedy".[14]