Going back to the future with neon, and guns.
Presentation: 10/10 You are Rex Power Colt, cyber commando and veteran of Vietnam War II. You are the ultimate badass and it's your job to liberate an island from the control of rogue soldier Colonel Sloan before he carries out his plan for world domination. If that sounds like something you would read on the back of a cheesy 80's action movie VHS sleeve that's because Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is exactly that. An R-rated, interactive 80's action movie. An excellent adventure with countless nods to all things 80's action that shouldn't be missed by anyone with a soft spot for that particular by-gone era of action entertainment.
Gameplay: 9/10 The controls are standard. If you have played Far Cry 3 or any modern shooters you should feel right at home. The bulk of the game is free-roaming a huge island, liberating garrisons, releasing hostages, and hunting animals while slowly gaining skills and weapon upgrades that make you more powerful. By the end of the game you are the "ultimate badass" and nearly invincible as long as you aren't too wreckless. This may break the game for some but being the so over powered in a sandbox is something lacking in today's world that strives for the hyper-realistic experience. A few old-school cheat codes would have been welcome.
Graphics: 8/10 Blood Dragon is a solid game. Despite constant flashes of neon, lasers, and explosions, all going on at once I never experienced a dip in frame-rate. Speaking of neon, the game is filled with it and it brings a unique, electric feel to the game. It's constantly night due to the fact that "the apocalypse has had an apocalypse" so the world of Blood Dragon has a constant dust cloud to keep the sun out. This is all for the better though. It allows for some of the coolest fire fights I've ever seen in a video game. When the action heats up with lasers and explosions contrasting the dark red sky makes for a sight unique to Blood Dragon and one not to miss.
Sound: 10/10 From Rocky, to Rambo, to Blade Runner, to Terminator all these classics are represented in the soundtrack and they only add to the feeling that you are participating in the plot an 80's action movie. The soudtrack is awesome! The voice acting is great too. The quality is what you would expect but the script is what stands out. Rex Power Colt could easily be the new king of one-liners. I know he's at least giving Duke Nukem a run for his money. I dare you not to at least smile, if not laugh out loud multiple times during the story. It's cheesy good humor.
Value: 6/10 If you are a fan of the 80's action scene then you won't feel the $15 price tag. It's a fair price for the quality of the game your getting. If you aren't a fan, then pass for now. I think everyone should experience this game but all but die hard fans of the subject material should wait for a price drop. It's a short experience, but open-ended, you can't miss any achievements and to 100% the entire game can take just under 6 hours if you rush it. I urge you not to though. This is a game I suggest either crawling through to soak in all the 80's nostalgia it has to offer or replaying a few times to replay the games best parts. With this much service to fun-loving fans of all things 80's this game is about as good as it gets. By the time you hit 100% you'll have seen all Blood Dragon has to offer. A multiplayer or co-op option would have been nice, but maybe just a longer story and more things to do or unlock would have sufficed.
For some, the best way to describe this game would be to say it's Far Cry 3, scaled down, reskinned, then turned up to 11. Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is a simple, stupid, shallow good time. It's not out to impress anyone with technical prowess, deep story, or innovative gameplay. All of these things come naturally enough for Blood Dragon. In an industry that has been spoiled with oscar worthy stories destined to sit on the same shelf as bargain bin shovelware, all for the same $60 asking price, Blood Dragon is one of the most pleasant surprises in a long time. Ubisoft has proved all that is old and boring can be new and exciting again. Here's to hoping development on Blood Dragon 2: Back for Blood gets underway in the near future.
I give it an 8/10.