Blade Kitten

Last updated
Blade Kitten
Blade kitten box art.jpg
Developer(s) Krome Studios
Publisher(s) Atari (formerly), Krome Studios
Engine Merkury Engine
Platform(s) Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Release
  • NA: September 21, 2010 (PS3)
  • WW: September 22, 2010
  • WW: Episode 2: March 16, 2015 (Steam)
Genre(s) Action-platform
Mode(s) Single-player

Blade Kitten is an episodic 2.5D action-platform video game series developed by Krome Studios. It is based on the webcomic of the same name about a female half human, half cat bounty hunter named Kit Ballard. The game was released on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in September 2010, with Episode 2 released as DLC in March 2015 on Steam. It features a type of anime-style, cell shaded graphics.

Contents

Plot and gameplay

Blade Kitten is a video game adaptation of the anime-styled webcomic series by Steve Stamatiadis, the game's director. Blade Kitten01.jpg
Blade Kitten is a video game adaptation of the anime-styled webcomic series by Steve Stamatiadis, the game's director.

Blade Kitten is a 2.5D platforming action adventure game set three years before the comic book series [1] on an artificial alien planetoid known as Hollow Wish. The game begins with Kit tracking down a local troublemaker called Terra-Li but on her way to doing so, Kit uncovers a dark and evil secret about Hollow Wish and its inhabitants. Soon after arriving at the planetoid, Kit runs into fellow bounty hunter Justice Kreel who destroys her ship and steals her breaker key which contains all the information she needs to track down and capture Terra-Li. While the only playable character is Kit, the game does boast a large array of alternate costumes that change either Kits clothing or to a completely different person.

The game also includes Kit's alien sidekick Skiffy and her floating sword called a Darque Blade. She is able to swing her sword at close range or send it flying over a larger distance to attack enemies and hit inaccessible switches. While progressing through the game, the sword can be upgraded and changed to four different types of blade that can deal either higher amounts of damage, faster attack speed or auto lock-on. She can also ride dinosaur style animals called Noots over the plains of Hollow Wish.

The game features different types of collectible items that are picked up while progressing through the game or a hidden inside treasure chests which themselves are hidden somewhere in each level. These items act as both a score booster and the games currency, which can be used to buy upgrades like more health and stamina for Kit Ballard, costume changes and blade upgrades. The Krome Studios mascot, Ty the Tasmanian Tiger also makes an appearance as one of the unlockable costumes. The game consists of nineteen levels and three boss battles.

Characters

Development

The game was first announced to the public via the Blade Kitten official websites blog in April 2009 and was created by Krome Studios Creative Director, Steve Stamatiadis [2] who is also the creator and writer of the Blade Kitten comics series. Once he had finished working on Star Wars: The Force Unleashed , he returned to working on Blade Kitten, [3] which had been a project he had wanted to do for some time. "Blade Kitten is a brain child of mine that originated as a comic series," said Stamatiadis. "Bringing Kit's anime-inspired universe to life is a milestone for us, and we're excited to open her world up to gamers." [4]

Around four hundred eighty people auditioned for the voice roles of the game's seven of the main characters. [5] The voice actress Kelly Fuller was chosen to be the voice of Kit Ballard. The game was showcased at many events, to help promote it during the run up to its release, such as the PAX Seattle and the Supanova Pop Culture Expo.

On June 2, 2010, Atari announced that they had acquired the rights to publish the game. [6] At the same time it was announced that the PlayStation Network game would also be coming to Xbox Live Arcade. [6]

On May 22, 2014 Krome Studios announced they had obtained the rights for Blade Kitten back from Atari and were re-publishing the game. [7]

On March 16, 2015, Episode 2 was released on Steam. [8]

Reception

Blade Kitten received "mixed" reviews on all platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. [9] [10] [11]

Most reviewers criticize the game's level design, lack of difficulty and high price but praising the game's graphical style and in game cutscenes. IGN said that the game "relies too heavily on its anime-style charm, which doesn't translate to other areas of the title." [20] 1Up.com gave the Xbox 360 version a more favorable review and said that "Kit Ballard's first outing may be flawed, but it's never really terrible either." [24] GameSpot claimed that the "clumsy action platformer is often far too easy, and the action doesn't generate much excitement." [17] [18] Cheat Code Central stated that "what I got was a game with bad mechanics, repetitive level design, and little incentive to keep playing past the first few levels." [25]

Eurogamer gave the game a much more favourable review, claiming that "If Blade Kitten is a signal of intent for Atari's on going digital reinvention, then the future looks bright for all concerned." [14] The gaming site NowGamer said that Blade Kitten "somehow manages to hold onto just enough quality and semi-inspired design to offer it a certain amount of credibility", despite the game's shortcomings causing "minor motion sickness". [26]

Related Research Articles

<i>Enchanted Arms</i> 2006 video game

Enchanted Arms is a 2006 role-playing video game developed by FromSoftware and published by Ubisoft. It was released for the Xbox 360 in 2006 and for the PlayStation 3 in 2007.

<i>Alone in the Dark</i> (2008 video game) 2008 video game

Alone in the Dark is a survival horror video game published by Atari Interactive and is the fifth installment of the series under the same name. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360 and Wii in Europe, North America, and Australia in June 2008. The PlayStation 3 version, titled Alone in the Dark: Inferno, was released in November 2008 and includes several enhancements from the other versions. The Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions were released by Electronic Arts in Japan on December 25, 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krome Studios</span> Australian video game company

Krome Studios Pty Ltd. is an Australian video game company. Its headquarters were in Brisbane and it previously had offices in Adelaide and Melbourne. Krome Studios is best known for their Ty the Tasmanian Tiger games and for their reboot of the Spyro the Dragon series. Krome has created games for the Xbox, GameCube, Wii, Game Boy Advance, Dreamcast, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Macintosh and PC. Krome has also developed for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Windows Phone 7 and iOS.

<i>The Saboteur</i> 2009 video game

The Saboteur is an action-adventure video game developed by Pandemic Studios and published by Electronic Arts. It was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in December 2009. A mobile version of the game was developed and released by Hands-On Mobile for BlackBerry on January 21, 2010, and for iOS on March 24, 2010. The game is set in German-occupied France during World War II, and follows Sean Devlin, an Irish race car driver and mechanic, who joins the French Resistance to liberate Paris after his best friend is killed by Nazi forces.

<i>Bionic Commando</i> (2009 video game) 2009 video game

Bionic Commando is a 2009 action-adventure video game, part of the Bionic Commando series. The game was developed by Swedish developer Grin and published by Capcom. The game is a sequel to the 1988 NES game Bionic Commando, with certain storyline elements taken from its 2008 remake Bionic Commando Rearmed. The game runs on Grin's Diesel engine.

<i>Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit</i> 2008 video game

Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit is a fighting video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 based on the anime Dragon Ball Z. The game was developed by Dimps and published in North America and Australia by Atari, and in Japan and Europe by Namco Bandai under the Bandai label. It was released in Japan on June 5, 2008, in Europe on June 6, 2008, North America on June 10, 2008, and in Australia on July 3, 2008.

<i>UEFA Euro 2008</i> (video game) 2008 video game

UEFA Euro 2008 is the official video game of the Euro 2008 football tournament, published by EA Sports. It was developed collaboratively by EA Canada and HB Studios and was released in Europe and North America on 18 April 2008 and 19 May 2008 respectively. The commentary was provided by Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend.

<i>X-Blades</i> 2007 video game

X-Blades is an action-adventure game for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. The player assumes the role of Ayumi who wields two pistol-blades. The game was developed by Gaijin Entertainment and was published by SouthPeak Games and TopWare Interactive. It was later released for macOS and Linux on 20 January 2017. The game was originally released in November 2007 by 1C Company in the Russian language for Microsoft Windows, under the title Oniblade (Ониблэйд).

<i>Splatterhouse</i> (2010 video game) 2010 video game

Splatterhouse is a horror-themed beat 'em up hack and slash video game developed and published by Namco Bandai Games in 2010 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is a reimagining and a reboot of the original Splatterhouse which was released in 1988.

<i>Aliens vs. Predator</i> (2010 video game) 2010 video game

Aliens vs. Predator is a 2010 first-person shooter video game developed by Rebellion Developments, the team behind the 1994 Atari Jaguar game and the 1999 Microsoft Windows game and published by Sega for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game is not a sequel to the previous game Aliens versus Predator 2, but a reboot based on the Alien vs. Predator franchise, a combination of the characters and creatures of the Alien franchise and the Predator franchise.

<i>Tron: Evolution</i> 2010 video game

Tron: Evolution is a 2010 action-adventure game published by Disney Interactive Studios. It serves as a tie-in to the 2010 film Tron: Legacy, with its game taking place before the events of the film. It was announced at the 2009 Spike Video Game Awards and was released for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Portable. It was released on November 25, 2010, in Australia, November 26, 2010, in Europe, and December 7, 2010, in North America and Asia.

<i>Madden NFL 11</i> 2010 American football video game

Madden NFL 11 is an American football video game based on the National Football League, published by EA Sports and developed by EA Tiburon. It is the 22nd annual installment in the bestselling Madden NFL video game franchise. It was released in 2010 for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable, BlackBerry, and iOS platforms. The PS3 and Xbox 360 demos were released July 27, 2010.

<i>Vanquish</i> (video game) 2010 video game

Vanquish is an action third-person shooter video game developed by PlatinumGames and published by Sega for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 video game consoles. It began development in 2007 and was released worldwide in October 2010. A Windows port was released on May 25, 2017. A compilation called Bayonetta & Vanquish 10th Anniversary Bundle that includes remastered versions of PlatinumGames' Vanquish and Bayonetta was released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on February 18, 2020.

<i>Pro Evolution Soccer 2011</i> 2010 video game

Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 is an association football video game in the Pro Evolution Soccer series developed and published by Konami. It was released in 2010–2011. The UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League are featured within the game, and for the first time in the series, UEFA Super Cup and CONMEBOL's Copa Libertadores are fully licensed. PES 2011 was succeeded by Pro Evolution Soccer 2012.

<i>Costume Quest</i> 2010 action role-playing video game

Costume Quest is a party-based role-playing video game developed by Double Fine Productions and published by THQ on October 20, 2010. In the game, the player controls a child who is trick-or-treating with their twin on Halloween night when they encounter a monster that kidnaps their sibling. The player must travel around the local neighborhood collecting items for their costume, candy, and fellow children as companions in order to face the leader of the monsters and rescue their sibling. The costume aspects are used in turn-based battle segments, where the player character and companions are transformed into whatever they are dressed as to fight other monsters; the costume aspects are also used for abilities outside of battles.

<i>Top Spin 4</i> 2011 video game

Top Spin 4 is a tennis video game developed by 2K Czech and published by 2K released on the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 consoles. It was the last game to be released for the franchise. The game features licensed professional players, venues and equipment. The game was released on March 15, 2011 in America, and was released on March 18 in the PAL region. The PS3 version supports the PlayStation Move and is also compatible in 3D. The Xbox 360 version does not support the Kinect but is 3D compatible.

<i>Anarchy Reigns</i> 2012 video game

Anarchy Reigns, known in Japan as Max Anarchy, is an open world beat 'em up video game developed by PlatinumGames and published by Sega. It is the spiritual successor to the Wii video game MadWorld (2009), and was released in Japan on July 5, 2012, in North America on January 8, 2013, in Australia on January 10, and in Europe on January 11.

<i>Burnout Crash!</i> 2011 video game

Burnout Crash! is a downloadable action racing video game in the Burnout series. It is developed by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, iOS via PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, and iTunes App Store.

<i>Blades of Time</i> 2012 video game

Blades of Time is an action-adventure hack-and-slash video game developed by Gaijin Entertainment and published by Konami and Iceberg Interactive for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Mac OS X. The game is a reboot/sequel to Gaijin Entertainment's past work, X-Blades. Blades of Time was released in North America on March 6, 2012, in Japan and Australia on March 8, 2012, and in Europe on March 16, 2012. The Windows and OS X versions were announced at a later date, originally for April 18, before the release date was pushed back to April 20, 2012. A Nintendo Switch version was released in Europe and North America on May 14, 2019. In the English version, the lead character is voiced by Miranda Raison.

<i>BloodRayne: Betrayal</i> 2011 video game

BloodRayne: Betrayal is a 2D side-scrolling platform game released in 2011. Arc System Works published the PlayStation 3 version in Japan under the name BloodRayne: Crimson Slayer on May 1, 2014.

References

  1. ↑ Stamatiadis, Steve (June 3, 2010). "ATARI TO PUBLISH BLADE KITTEN FOR XBOX LIVE ARCADE, PLAYSTATION NETWORK AND WINDOWS PC DOWNLOAD". Blade Kitten. Retrieved October 1, 2010.
  2. ↑ Stamatiadis, Steve (April 21, 2009). "Special Preview". Blade Kitten. Retrieved September 28, 2010.
  3. ↑ JazzKing2001 (August 19, 2010). "Blade Kitten Interview". Neocrisis. Retrieved September 27, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ↑ Fahey, Mike (February 18, 2010). "Blade Kitten Takes A Stab At PSN This Spring". Kotaku . Gawker Media . Retrieved October 6, 2010.
  5. ↑ Stamatiadis, Steve (August 29, 2009). "Steve posts!". Blade Kitten. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
  6. 1 2 Fahey, Mike (June 2, 2010). "Blade Kitten Trades Delay For Multiplatform Release". Kotaku. Gawker Media. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Blade Kitten is back!". Steam . Valve. May 22, 2014. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Blade Kitten: Episode 2 on Steam". store.steampowered.com. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  9. 1 2 "Blade Kitten for PC Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
  10. 1 2 "Blade Kitten for PlayStation 3 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
  11. 1 2 "Blade Kitten for Xbox 360 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
  12. ↑ Williams, Christian (October 4, 2010). "Blade Kitten (X360)". The A.V. Club . The Onion. Archived from the original on October 7, 2010. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  13. ↑ Sterling, Jim (October 4, 2010). "Review: Blade Kitten (PS3)". Destructoid . Enthusiast Gaming. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Reed, Kristan (September 24, 2010). "Download Games Roundup (Page 3)". Eurogamer . Gamer Network. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
  15. 1 2 Marchiafava, Jeff (September 22, 2010). "Blade Kitten (PS3, X360): Floaty Physics Mar A Stylish Adventure". Game Informer . GameStop . Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  16. 1 2 3 Morse, Blake (October 1, 2010). "Blade Kitten Review". Game Revolution . CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  17. 1 2 Ramsay, Randolph (October 1, 2010). "Blade Kitten Review (PC)". GameSpot . CBS Interactive . Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  18. 1 2 3 Ramsay, Randolph (September 27, 2010). "Blade Kitten Review (PS3, X360)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  19. 1 2 Raychul (October 6, 2010). "Blade Kitten review (PS3, X360)". GameZone. Archived from the original on April 24, 2011. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  20. 1 2 3 4 Steimer, Kristine (September 24, 2010). "Blade Kitten Review". IGN . Ziff Davis . Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  21. ↑ Matulef, Jeffrey (September 27, 2010). "Blade Kitten review: Not just for furries anymore (PS3)". Engadget (Joystiq). Oath Inc. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Blade Kitten". Official Xbox Magazine . Future US. November 2010. p. 83.
  23. ↑ "Review: Blade Kitten". PlayStation: The Official Magazine . No. 39. Future plc. December 2010.
  24. ↑ Leonard, Joe (September 24, 2010). "Blade Kitten Review (XBOX 360)". 1Up.com . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on March 9, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  25. ↑ Kondolojy, Amanda L. (September 2010). "Blade Kitten Review (X360)". Cheat Code Central. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  26. ↑ Gothard, Peter (September 21, 2010). "Blade Kitten (X360)". NowGamer. Imagine Publishing. Archived from the original on May 10, 2018. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.