''Battlemorph'' is a 1995
shooter
Shooting is the act or process of discharging a projectile from a ranged weapon (such as a gun, bow, crossbow, slingshot, or blowpipe). Even the acts of launching flame, artillery, darts, harpoons, grenades, rockets, and guided missiles can b ...
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device to gener ...
developed by
Attention to Detail
Attention to Detail Ltd (ATD) was a British video game developer based in Hatton. Founded by University of Birmingham graduates in September 1988, it was acquired by Kaboom Studios in January 1997. The studio shut down in August 2003 due to f ...
and published by
Atari Corporation
Atari Corporation was an American manufacturer of computers and video game consoles. It was founded by Jack Tramiel on May 17, 1984, as Tramel Technology, Ltd., but then took on the Atari name less than two months later when Warner Communica ...
for the
Atari Jaguar CD. It is the sequel to ''
Cybermorph
''Cybermorph'' is a shooter video game developed by Attention to Detail and published by Atari Corporation for the Atari Jaguar first in North America on November 23, 1993, where it was included as the pack-in game for the console when it launche ...
'' (1993), a
pack-in game
This list includes terms used in video games and the video game industry, as well as slang used by players.
0–9
A
...
for the
Atari Jaguar
The Atari Jaguar is a home video game console developed by Atari Corporation and released in North America in November 1993. Part of the fifth generation of video game consoles, it competed with the 16-bit Sega Genesis, the Super NES and t ...
. Taking place 30 years after the events of the original game, the player pilots the morphing infiltration fighter War Griffon in an extermination mission against the Pernitia empire, who plans to launch a full-scale invasion to eradicate humanity and take over the galaxy after being pushed back into their home planet. The player is tasked with various objectives, while fighting against enemies and bosses, across eight galaxy clusters in order to liberate them from control of the empire.
''Battlemorph'' was pitched by Attention to Detail to Atari after the launch of ''Cybermorph'', being announced in 1994 as one of the first upcoming titles for the Jaguar CD add-on. The team wanted to make a sequel and implement ideas that they were not able to include, while also using techniques learned late during development of the first game to improve the experience. The game received generally favorable reception from critics; praise was given to the sountrack, ability to traverse across any terrain, and overall improvements made over ''Cybermorph'', though some felt mixed regarding its presentation, visuals, and controls. Retrospective commentary has been equally favorable and is cited as one of the best games for the platform.
Gameplay
Like its
predecessor, ''Battlemorph'' is a three-dimensional shooter game that is primarily played from a
third-person perspective
Narration is the use of a written or spoken commentary to convey a story to an audience. Narration is conveyed by a narrator: a specific person, or unspecified literary voice, developed by the creator of the story to deliver information to the ...
.
The plot takes place 30 years after the events occurred in ''Cybermorph''; the Pernitia empire was pushed back into their home planet after defeat by the resistance but at the cost of human colonies. The Earth Defense Council decided not to risk another invasion, building interstellar battle cruisers to patrol colonies. There were initially no signs of irregularity, but cruisers near the Perseus star cluster began disappearing, while other fleets reported signs of Pernitian activity across eight galaxies before their disappearance. The Council deployed the Sutherland cruiser carrying the morphing infiltration fighter War Griffon, a variant of the TransmoGriffon (T-Griffon), into the Perseus cluster but runs out of plasma energy after using its warp drive systems.
The main objective of the game is to collect plasma energy held off by Pernitian generals on each galaxy and reach the Pernish cluster to exterminate the empire, before they launch a full-scale invasion to eradicate humanity and take over the galaxy.
The player can select a planet, each one showing a mission briefing, and load the War Griffon with up to four special weapons to use before being launched into the location.
Each galaxy cluster consists of six planets that can be played in any order, with a
boss
Boss may refer to:
Occupations
* Supervisor, often referred to as boss
* Air boss, more formally, air officer, the person in charge of aircraft operations on an aircraft carrier
* Crime boss, the head of a criminal organization
* Fire boss, a p ...
on the sixth planet before moving into the next cluster.
There are three difficulty levels the player can select when starting the game. The player can also access the options screen to change configurations such as controls and other settings. The game features support for the
ProController.
The player pilots the War Griffon, capable of traversing through the main planetary surface as well as underwater and tunnel areas. Various types of mission objectives such as retrieval of data pods, activation of detonators in military outposts, and elimination of enemy headquarters, must be completed in order to clear a planet.
There are only two special weapons are available to choose from at the beginning of the game, but new weapons can be obtained by finding four fragments to expand the War Griffon's arsenal. However, ammunition for special weapons must be picked up during gameplay, as they are not refilled after clearing a planet, while their overall capacity is increased by finding hidden expansions.
Other upgrades for the War Griffon are also found through the planets.
When flying through the tunnel sections, the perspective changes from third-person to
first-person and the player can only rotate left and right, while blocked doors can be opened by pressing switches inside these sections. Some bodies of water can also either benefit or harm the player, while more enemies and obstacles are introduced in later areas.
Returning from ''Cybermorph'' is the on-board artificial intelligence Skylar, now more helpful to the player, transmitting important information during gameplay such as nearby objectives.
A new addition are capsule-shaped energy pods, allowing the player to recover a small amount of energy for the War Griffon, while full recovery can be done by finding an energizing ring in the area.
Like the previous game, the player has a set number of lives at the start and if all of them are lost, the
game is over, though extra lives can be found hidden in the levels.
Progress is automatically saved if a
Memory Track cartridge is present, otherwise players can play through the game without saving.
Development and release
''Battlemorph'' was developed by British studio
Attention to Detail
Attention to Detail Ltd (ATD) was a British video game developer based in Hatton. Founded by University of Birmingham graduates in September 1988, it was acquired by Kaboom Studios in January 1997. The studio shut down in August 2003 due to f ...
(ATD), which previously worked on ''
Cybermorph
''Cybermorph'' is a shooter video game developed by Attention to Detail and published by Atari Corporation for the Atari Jaguar first in North America on November 23, 1993, where it was included as the pack-in game for the console when it launche ...
'' (1993) for
Atari Jaguar
The Atari Jaguar is a home video game console developed by Atari Corporation and released in North America in November 1993. Part of the fifth generation of video game consoles, it competed with the 16-bit Sega Genesis, the Super NES and t ...
and ''
Blue Lightning'' (1995) for the
Jaguar CD.
It was produced by Sean Patten of
Atari Corporation
Atari Corporation was an American manufacturer of computers and video game consoles. It was founded by Jack Tramiel on May 17, 1984, as Tramel Technology, Ltd., but then took on the Atari name less than two months later when Warner Communica ...
.
The coding work was handled by a programmer under the pseudonym "Sadge", with technical director Fred Gill (one of the original five founding members of ATD), Andrew Holtom, and Peter Long providing additional support, while Andrew Howe was in charge of optimizations.
The game's levels were co-designed by Jim McPhail and Stuart Tilley, who also worked on ''Cybermorph'' and ''Blue Lightning''.
David West, Ian G. Harling, and Joanne Surman were responsible for the artwork and 3D models.
Surman was also responsible for the full-motion video cutscenes alongside Jon Baker and Vince Shaw-Morton.
The soundtrack was composed by Will Davis, and features the voice work of comedian
Rob Brydon
Robert Brydon Jones (; born 3 May 1965) is a Welsh actor, comedian, impressionist, presenter, singer and writer. He played Dr Paul Hamilton in the Australian/British comedy series '' Supernova'', Bryn West in the BBC sitcom '' Gavin & Stacey'' ...
and Vicky Lowe, who reprises her role as Skylar from the original game.
Several staff members within Attention to Detail and Atari also collaborated in the game's development process.
Gill, as well as ATD co-founder and managing director Chris Gibbs, recounted the project's creation and history in interviews.

According to Gill, a sequel to ''Cybermorph'' was pitched by ATD to Atari after the first game was finished and released to the market.
Gill stated that the staff wanted to make a follow-up and implement ideas that were not able to include in the original game.
The team also used techniques they learned late during development of ''Cybermorph'' to improve the overall experience.
Both Gill and Gibbs recalled that Sam and Leonard Tramiel demanded the team to implement texture mapping into the title in response to ''
Total Eclipse
An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object or spacecraft is temporarily obscured, by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer. This alignment of three ce ...
'' (1994) on the
3DO.
However, Gill stated that "we steered away from that battle" to keep the game's frame rate between 15-20 frames per second.
Internal documentation from Atari showed that development of the game was completed by December 11, 1995.
Gill has since retrospectively commented that he would have liked to improve the performance but expressed being proud of ''Battlemorph''.
''Battlemorph'' was announced along with ''Blue Lightning'' in 1994 as one of the first upcoming games for the Jaguar CD add-on.
It was first showcased at the 1994
Summer Consumer Electronics Show
CES (; formerly an initialism for Consumer Electronics Show) is an annual trade show organized by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). Held in January at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Winchester, Nevada, United States, the event ty ...
and originally slated for a December launch.
The title was then featured in a non-playable state at the 1995
Winter CES where it was initially announced to be a
pack-in game
This list includes terms used in video games and the video game industry, as well as slang used by players.
0–9
A
...
with the Jaguar CD,
and also showcased in an early playable state at
E3 1995
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 1995, commonly known as E3 1995, was the first Electronic Entertainment Expo held. The event took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center from May 11–13, 1995, with 50,000 total attendees. Highlights of the ...
and slated for an August release.
It was covered by the press that were invited to Atari,
featured in a promotional recording sent by Atari to video game retail stores on October 9,
and showcased during an event hosted by Atari dubbed "Fun 'n' Games Day".
The game was published in North America and Europe on December 1995.
After finishing their contractual work with the Jaguar platform, Attention to Detail would go on to develop ''
Blast Chamber
''Blast Chamber'' is a 1996 action puzzle video game developed by Attention to Detail and published by Activision for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn. It was the first non-sports four-player game for the PlayStation and Saturn. A demo was relea ...
'' (1996) for the
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a di ...
and
Sega Saturn
The is a home video game console developed by Sega and released on November 22, 1994, in Japan, May 11, 1995, in North America, and July 8, 1995, in Europe. Part of the fifth generation of video game consoles, it was the successor to the succ ...
.
In 2020, independent publisher Songbird Productions acquired the rights to ''Battlemorph'' and announced a limited reprint of the game alongside a soundtrack album, which were released in 2021.
Songbird Productions also announced a potential catridge version of the game.
Reception
''Battlemorph'' garnered generally favorable reception from critics.
''
Game Players
''Game Players'' is a defunct monthly video game magazine founded by Robert C. Lock in 1989 and originally published by Signal Research in Greensboro, North Carolina.
The original publication began as ''Game Players Strategy to Nintendo Games'' ...
''s Patrick Baggatta lauded its graphical prowess, gameplay depth, innovative environment design, and the ability to fly in any direction and travel underwater, but found the above-ground navigation problematic due to the draw distance and the aircraft's control initially difficult.
''
GameFan
''GameFan'' (originally known as ''Diehard GameFan'') was a publication started by Tim Lindquist, Greg Off, George Weising. and Dave Halverson in September 1992 that provided coverage of domestic and import video games. It was notable for its ex ...
''s
Dave Halverson and Casey Loe praised the
ambient techno
Ambient techno is a subgenre of techno that incorporates the atmospheric textures of ambient music with the rhythmic elements and production of techno. It was pioneered by 1990s electronic artists such as Aphex Twin, Carl Craig, the Black Dog, P ...
-style music, larger worlds, varied mission objectives, and overall improvements made over ''
Cybermorph
''Cybermorph'' is a shooter video game developed by Attention to Detail and published by Atari Corporation for the Atari Jaguar first in North America on November 23, 1993, where it was included as the pack-in game for the console when it launche ...
''. Halverson called it "one of the Jag's brightest lights", though Loe acknowledged that "it won't blow anyone away with its 3-D capabilities".
''
VideoGames
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This feedbac ...
'' magazine commented that the game looked and played better compared to ''Cybermorph'', citing the variety of enemies, controls, and fast-pacing.
''
Next Generation
Next Generation or Next-Generation may refer to:
Publications and literature
* ''Next Generation'' (magazine), video game magazine that was made by the now defunct Imagine Media publishing company
* Next Generation poets (2004), list of young ...
'' regarded it as "a truly innovative action game and a must-have for
Jaguar
The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus ''Panthera'' native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the largest cat species in the Americas and the thi ...
owners." They commented mainly on the graphics, contending that while they have little detail and short draw distance, they carry a strong sense of style and suspense, particularly in the effective use of underwater sections. They further admitted that the full motion video cutscenes have some value, while concurring with Baggatta that the controls are imperfect but said they become easier with practice.
''Game Zero Magazine''s two reviewers noted the ability to dive into bodies of water and commended the game's soundtrack, diverse objectives, and controls, but criticized its limited texture mapping, intermissions, and the announcer voice.
''
GamePro
Gamepro.com is an international multiplatform video game magazine media company that covers the video game industry, video game hardware and video game software in countries such as Germany and France. The publication, GamePro, was originally la ...
''s brief review, however, argued that "''Battlemorph'' provides below-average terrain-skimming shooting in a typical polygon environment and features really poor control. While the tunnel and underwater areas refresh this tedious game, the dismal one-color landscapes are the same as those in half of the Jaguar games out there."
German publication ''ST-Computer'' noted the
diegetic music
Diegetic music or source music is music in a drama (e.g., film or video game) that is part of the fictional setting and so, presumably, is heard by the characters. The term refers to diegesis, a style of storytelling.
The opposite of source m ...
and frame rate, but felt that it was graphically limited.
Marc Abramson of the French ''ST Magazine'' disagreed with other reviewers regarding the usage of texture mapping for objects and enemies, finding it to be an improvement over ''Cybermorph'', while praising the scenery, intermission cutscenes, complex missions, and overall longevity.
''Fun Generation''s Martin Weidner and Stephan Girlich gave positive remarks to the audiovisual presentation and gameplay.
''MAN!AC'' Oliver Ehrle commended the different missions and controls, but ultimately opined that the game played identical to its predecessor.
''
ST Format''s Frank Charlton echoed similar thoughts as other critics praising the game, lauding its appealing visuals, atmospheric music, varied missions, and lack of slowdown.
''Atari Gaming Headquarters'' Brian C. Bessemer regarded it as "an excellent sequel to ''Cybermorph''", highlighting its replayability, audio, and lack of loading times, but did not concurred with Charlton about the visuals, stating that they "just don't mix all too well."
Retrospective coverage
Retrospective commentary for ''Battlemorph'' has been equally favorable.
''The Atari Times'' Gregory D. George found it to be "a remarkable upgrade over ''Cybermorph''", noting the audiovisual presentation and controls.
Author Andy Slaven also highlighted the improved visuals, soundtrack, and mission variety.
''
AllGame
RhythmOne , previously known as Blinkx, and also known as RhythmOne Group, is an American digital advertising technology company that owns and operates the web properties AllMusic, AllMovie, and SideReel.
Blinkx was founded in 2004, went publ ...
''s Kyle Knight commented, "If you had to choose one game to demonstrate how great the
Jaguar CD add-on could have been, ''Battlemorph'' would be a likely candidate." Knight referred it as one of the best games released for the Jaguar CD, lauding the graphics, the music, and the way it offers the player a variety of options for responding to attacks, achieving objectives, and exploring environments.
In 2013, ''
HobbyConsolas
''HobbyConsolas'' is a Spanish video game magazine founded in 1991 by Hobby Press and published by Axel Springer SE. The first issue appeared in October 1990. The monthly magazine offers information about games for all consoles, and since 2012 ha ...
'' identified ''Battlemorph'' as one of the twenty best games for the platform.
Christian Roth of German website ''neXGam'' also gave the title a positive retrospective outlook.
References
External links
*
''Battlemorph''at
AtariAge
AtariAge is a website focusing on classic Atari video games. The site features gaming news, historical archives, discussion forums, and an online store. It was founded in 1998.
Taking its name from the 1982–84 '' Atari Age'' magazine, the sit ...
''Battlemorph''at
GameFAQs
GameFAQs is a website that hosts FAQs and walkthroughs for video games. It was created in November 1995 by Jeff Veasey and was bought by CNET Networks in May 2003. It is currently owned by Fandom, Inc. since October 2022. The site has a databas ...
''Battlemorph''at
MobyGames
MobyGames is a commercial website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes nearly 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms. The site is supported by banner ads and a small ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Battlemorph
1995 video games
Atari games
Atari Jaguar CD games
Atari Jaguar-only games
Attention to Detail games
Science fiction video games
Shooter video games
Single-player video games
Video game sequels
Video games developed in the United Kingdom
Video games set in outer space
Video games set in the future
Video games with underwater settings