Bloodwych

Lore & Background

Bloodwych began development on the Commodore 64 during Anthony Taglione's time at university in Reading, where he gained a keen interest in Dungeons & Dragons. Friend Pete James drew initial screens for a first-person 'chess-like' game. After further inspiration from playing FTL's Dungeon Master, Tag, Pete, and Philip Taglione suggested a C64 version to Mirrorsoft, but without rights being obtained, this developed into a two-player split-screen game titled The Crystal Maze, later renamed Bloodwych to avoid confusion with the Channel 4 television programme of the same name. Development screens were demonstrated to Mirrorsoft, who agreed to fund the game on the basis of lead versions being pushed to the 16-bit platforms Atari ST and Commodore Amiga. Tag took the lead on these 68000 machines, while his brother Philip developed the z80 8-bit versions for the Amstrad and ZX Spectrum, and the C64 version followed with help from Tag. Renowned fantasy artist Chris Achilleos was approached to create the box artwork; his painting of a 'crystal guardian' was done with complete creative freedom, and the creature was then incorporated into the game itself as The Lord of Entropy (later referred to in documentation as 'The Entity') located in the final level of Zendik's tower. The IBM PC conversion was created away from the original team by Walking Circles and included in-game music by David Whittaker, but also included a number of bugs rendering the game unable to be completed.

Reader's Guide

Bloodwych holds a place in the history of dungeon crawlers as a title that expanded on the formula of games like Dungeon Master while introducing its own quirks, such as a two-player split-screen mode and a conversation system allowing players to interact with traders, other champions, and even enemies during combat using stock pseudo-medieval phrases. The game's four character classes (Warrior, Mage, Adventurer, Thief) and four color-coded magical alignments (Red, Blue, Green, Yellow) provided a structured system for spellcasting and item use. Its development story—beginning as a C64 project inspired by Dungeons & Dragons and Dungeon Master, then shifting to 16-bit platforms—reflects the transitional period in home computer gaming. The inclusion of Chris Achilleos's box art, which later influenced the game's final boss, added a distinctive visual identity. The IBM PC version's bugs, which prevented completion, and the expansion pack requiring imported saved games, are notable aspects of its release history. Reception was mixed: Computer Gaming World criticized the IBM version's graphics but praised its gameplay, while CU Amiga-64 gave the game a CU Screen Star and stated it had even more varied gameplay than Dungeon Master. Bloodwych was followed in 1994 by Hexx: Heresy of the Wizard, a similar dungeon-navigating game with updated graphics but without the grid-based walking system.

Did You Know?

• The game was originally titled The Crystal Maze and was renamed to Bloodwych to avoid confusion with the Channel 4 television programme of the same name.
• Chris Achilleos's box art painting of a 'crystal guardian' was created with complete creative freedom and later incorporated into the game as The Lord of Entropy.
• The IBM PC conversion, created by Walking Circles, included in-game music by David Whittaker but contained bugs that made the game impossible to complete.
• A modified map of the first level was produced as a demonstration level and featured on the coverdisk of issue 1 of ST Format magazine.

From University Hobby to Multi-Platform Release

Bloodwych began as a passion project during Anthony Taglione's university years in Reading, where his fascination with Dungeons & Dragons sparked the initial concept. A friend, Pete James, sketched early screens for what was envisioned as a first-person, chess-like game. After the team played FTL's Dungeon Master, they pitched a C64 version to Mirrorsoft. However, without securing the necessary rights, the project pivoted into a two-player split-screen game called The Crystal Maze. The name was later changed to Bloodwych after a Channel 4 television programme of the same name launched. Mirrorsoft funded the project on the condition that lead versions would target the Atari ST and Commodore Amiga. Anthony took charge of the 68000-based platforms, while his brother Philip handled the 8-bit z80 versions for the Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum, with the C64 port following with Anthony's assistance. The IBM PC conversion was outsourced to Walking Circles, who added in-game music by David Whittaker but shipped a build riddled with bugs that made the game impossible to complete.

A World Built on Four Colours

Bloodwych organizes its entire world around a four-color thematic framework that permeates character design, spellcasting, and item interactions. The four champion classes—Warrior, Mage, Adventurer, and Thief (called "cutpurse" in-game)—each offer four characters distinguished by Red, Blue, Green, or Yellow alignment. Green aligns with the Serpent, governing physical matters; Blue with the Moon, covering mind and illusion; Red with the Dragon, commanding fire and energy; and Yellow with Chaos, manipulating magic and entropy itself. This color logic extends to the four Towers players must navigate, the Crystals collected from each, and the colored wands used to amplify spell effects. Rings that permit free casting and certain weapons also carry color associations. The system creates a consistent, interlocking design philosophy where every mechanical choice reinforces the same visual and thematic language, making the game's internal logic remarkably cohesive for its era.

The Artwork That Became the Final Boss

One of Bloodwych's most striking creative decisions involved renowned fantasy painter Chris Achilleos. Mirrorsoft approached him to create the box artwork, and he was granted complete creative freedom in the process. The result was a painting of a "crystal guardian" that was so compelling that the development team decided to incorporate the creature directly into the game itself. Achilleos' creation became The Lord of Entropy—later referred to in documentation as "The Entity"—who resides at the apex of Zendik's tower in the final level. This meant the game's ultimate antagonist was literally born from a piece of marketing art rather than the other way around, an unusual inversion of the typical workflow. The player's central quest is to recruit up to three fellow champions of Trazere, battle through dungeons and mazes, find and destroy the evil Zendick, and ultimately banish this Lord of Entropy. The integration of Achilleos' work gave the game a visual identity that extended far beyond its box sleeve, embedding the artist's vision into the narrative climax itself.

Reception, Expansion, and the Road to Hexx

Bloodwych's influence extended well beyond its initial release. In 1994, Psygnosis released Hexx: Heresy of the Wizard (working title Wizard), which carried forward the dungeon-navigating formula with updated graphics, a slightly revised champion roster, and a substantially expanded magic system, though it abandoned the grid-based blobber movement that defined its predecessor. The original game also received an add-on pack, Bloodwych: Data Disks Vol 1 (also known as The Extended Levels), for the Atari ST and Amiga. This expansion required players to import a saved game from the base title, recommended a minimum experience level of 14, and introduced the ability to persuade enemy creatures to join the player's band. It also featured tougher opponents and included a free hints-and-tips booklet. Critically, CU Amiga-64 awarded the game a CU Screen Star, noting its gameplay was even more varied than Dungeon Master and praising its logic-based puzzles. Computer Gaming World, while criticizing the IBM port's weak graphics, still recommended it seriously to dungeon enthusiasts.