Clive Barker's Jericho
A squad-based horror shooter with supernatural abilities and a dark Clive Barker narrative.
Clive Barker's Jericho is a horror first-person shooter released in 2007 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. MercurySteam and Alchemic Productions handled development, with Codemasters publishing and Clive Barker serving as producer.
The player controls a seven-person squad called Jericho, switching between members at specific points. Each character has distinct strengths, weaknesses, and a unique supernatural ability—such as a psychic healer who can revive fallen teammates, a fire demon summoner, a time-slowing power, a guided bullet, or life-leeching from enemies. Quick time events require pressing on-screen buttons to survive. Primary and secondary attacks vary per character, from alternate fire modes like grenade launchers to dual-wielded swords or pistols. While the game is a first-person shooter, the squad-switching mechanic adds a tactical layer, though certain characters become unplayable during specific sections.
The plot centers on the Firstborn, a being created by God before Adam and Eve but abandoned and banished to the Abyss. Too powerful to contain permanently, the Firstborn has made seven escape attempts, each time dragging a piece of Earth into its domain. These fragments form layered time-and-space pockets around the city Al Khali, trapping historical eras from Sumer to World War II. The Department of Occult Warfare (DOW), founded in the 1930s to counter supernatural threats and Nazi paranormal research, recruited Arnold Leach in 1962. His unethical behavior led to his expulsion and a failed assassination attempt, but he survived. Jericho Squad is sent to Al Khali to stop Leach from opening a breach that would unleash the Firstborn.
The story begins with Leach, contacted by the Firstborn, agreeing to help it escape the Box—a patch of reality where it is imprisoned. Over twenty years, Leach accumulates evil energy to create a breach. The DOW sends Jericho, but leader Captain Devin Ross is killed by Leach, lingering as a ghost who can possess squad members. Unable to seal the breach otherwise, they enter the Box. Inside, they battle past invaders: a Nazi officer, a medieval priest, a Roman governor, and six ancient Sumerian priests who originally banished the Firstborn but fell to its corruption. Jericho receives aid from souls who previously resealed the breach.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Clive Barker's Jericho
- Developer
- MercurySteam / Alchemic Productions
- Publisher
- Codemasters
- Director
- Enric J. Álvarez Benito
- Producer
- Rafael Martínez García / Clive Barker
- Designer
- Luis Miguel Quijada Henares / José Darío Halle Cano / Ignacio Abad Donado-Mazarron
- Programmer
- Carlos Rodríguez Butragueño / José Darío Halle Cano / José Antonio Martín Armayones
- Artist
- Juan Antonio Alcázar Redondo
- Writer
- Clive Barker
- Composer
- Cris Velasco / Allister Brimble / Anthony N. Putson
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows / PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360
- Released
- NA · 23 October 2007 · EU · 26 October 2007 · AU · 7 November 2007 / (PC) · AU · 8 November 2007
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The game's premise draws on ancient scriptures describing a being called the Firstborn, created by God before Adam and Eve but abandoned and banished into the Abyss. The Firstborn made seven attempts to escape, each time taking a piece of earth and being sent back, leaving layers of time and space around the city Al Khali. The Department of Occult Warfare (DOW), formed in the 1930s, recruits Arnold Leach in 1962, but he is expelled and marked for assassination after unscrupulous behavior. The Jericho Squad is sent to Al-Khali to prevent Leach from unleashing the Firstborn.
The story begins with Leach, contacted by the Firstborn, helping it escape the Box. The DOW sends Jericho, whose leader Devin Ross is killed by Leach but lingers as a ghost able to possess squad members. The team enters the Box to close the breach, battling souls of past invaders including a Nazi officer, a fallen Catholic priest, a Roman governor, and six ancient Sumerian priests. Aided by souls who previously resealed the breach, the squad ultimately decides to kill the Firstborn rather than reseal it. They defeat the Firstborn by targeting it when it duplicates their abilities, and Leach drags the Firstborn into a tunnel of light, causing the cavern to collapse. The squad escapes into a vast ocean under an orange sky.
Reader's Guide
Clive Barker's Jericho received mixed reviews on all platforms according to Metacritic. Critics praised the squad-based system, elaborate storyline, Clive Barker's dark style, and soundtrack, but criticized the character AI, linear gameplay, abrupt ending, and difficulty with certain mechanics. Eurogamer noted that Barker's contribution would attract horror fans, while GameSpot highlighted its 'gorgeously creepy visuals and sound.' Official Xbox Magazine praised the choice of characters and tactical switching. However, reviewers complained about poor AI causing frequent teammate deaths, and IGN criticized the shooting mechanics. Jolt Online Gaming noted the maps were too linear and close. GamePro gave the Xbox 360 version a 4.5 out of 5, citing slick style, amazing graphics, and dark atmosphere. The uncut version received an 18+ rating in Germany after being initially denied a rating. In 2010, UGO included the game as #6 in 'The 11 Weirdest Game Endings.' A sequel was announced by Clive Barker in 2007 but never came to fruition.
Did You Know?
- The game features a squad of seven team members, each with unique supernatural abilities such as summoning a fire demon, slowing time, or leeching life from enemies.
- The player originally controls a psychic healer who can fully heal fallen comrades close to death.
- The game's story involves a being called the Firstborn, created by God before Adam and Eve and banished into the Abyss.
More in Dark Fantasy Video Games 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced