Review
Developed by Ubisoft Montreal, Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon lets players get the girl, kill the bad guys and save the world in a VHS-era vision of the future.
Packed with entertaining action and hysterical writing, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is an '80s-inspired blast.
The Good
Hysterical dialogue and collectibles Lots of smart references to 1980s pop culture Taking on blood dragons is always a delight Smart levels and missions make for rewarding stealth A lot of terrific open-ended action for a great value.
The Bad
A few enemy behavior quirks Some crass jokes land with a thud.
Great 1980s movie montages featured plucky underdogs, perhaps played by Sylvester Stallone, or maybe Ralph Macchio, demonstrating their determination to triumph over the forces of communism, bullying, or stodgy adults who don't believe in the power of young love. They were accompanied by properly cheesy pop hits, possibly performed by Joe Esposito, or maybe Deniece Williams, creating a wonderful audiovisual time capsule that could have only originated in that fabulous decade. Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon understands the power of the '80s. When its inevitable montage comes, you probably won't know the music, but you'll know the type. It's the kind that would have been sung by Michael Sembello, or Kenny Loggins, or Foreigner. If you're a child of the decade, you'll be glad that Blood Dragon knows you so well.
“Welcome to an 80’s VHS vision of the future. The year is 2007 and you are Sargent Rex Colt, a Mark IV Cyber Commando who’s fighting against a cyborg army gone rogue. Your mission: get the girl, kill the baddies, and save the world.
“Experience every cliché of a VHS era vision of a nuclear future, where cyborgs, blood dragons, mutants, and Michael Biehn (Terminator, Aliens, Navy Seals) collide.
Oddly, nearly all the information we have for Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon has come from leaks. The only official recognition we’ve had from publisher Ubisoft is a set of achievements, a website and a teaser trailer.
We’d love a proper expansion for Far Cry 3, but in the meantime this looks like a pleasingly bizarre alternative.
