Black Dawn is a helicopter-combat simulation, published by Virgin Interactive Entertainment. It was released on the Sony PlayStation and the Sega Saturn in 1996.

The Story Behind Black Dawn

Lead programmer Will Botti cited Choplifter as an inspiration for the game. The game uses the same engine as Agile Warrior, Black Ops Entertainment's previous game. Set in 1998, the player controls a helicopter ace recruited into a black ops counterterrorism strike force named Operation Black Dawn.

The player pilots the agile AH-69 Mohawk, an advanced combat helicopter with a powerful arsenal of weaponry. Black Dawn is a helicopter-combat simulation, published by Virgin Interactive Entertainment. It was released on the Sony PlayStation and the Sega Saturn in 1996.

How Black Dawn Plays

Black Dawn is a helicopter-combat simulation, published by Virgin Interactive Entertainment. The player pilots the agile AH-69 Mohawk, an advanced combat helicopter with a powerful arsenal of weaponry. Set in 1998, the player controls a helicopter ace recruited into a black ops counterterrorism strike force named Operation Black Dawn.

However, Black Dawn resembles an arcade game rather than a typical simulator, not least because various power-ups are obtained from destroyed enemies. It was released on the Sony PlayStation and the Sega Saturn in 1996. A two-player deathmatch mode is included, but can only be accessed via a cheat code.

Why Players Still Load It Up

GamePro called the Saturn version "an impressive, exact port of the PlayStation game", but went on to say that the graphics are not as clean and the control configuration is not as intuitive. Black Dawn is a helicopter-combat simulation, published by Virgin Interactive Entertainment. Black Dawn received generally positive reviews.

However, nearly all were left with an overall positive impression; GameSpot assessed it as "what loud, engaging gameplay is all about", Next Generation called it "a pleasing combination of excellent graphics and dead-on game play", Sega Saturn Magazine summarized it as "A top 3D shoot 'em up that's initially difficult to get to grips with, but ultimately is a very fine game indeed", and GamePro concluded, "A few flaws aside, Black Dawn is a well-rounded game that delivers riveting, adrenaline-packed combat." Electronic Gaming Monthly named it a runner-up for Flying Game of the Year (behind Pilotwings 64). It was released on the Sony PlayStation and the Sega Saturn in 1996. Critics praised the intense gameplay with numerous targets, the orchestral music, and the clean, detailed graphics, though some criticized the heavy use of distance fog and the blocky ground textures.

Black Dawn — Frequently Asked Questions