lost
02-24-2009, 02:43 AM
Title: 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand
Platform: PS3/360
Platform Reviewed: PS3
Developer: Swordfish Studios (http://www.codemasters.co.uk/)
Publisher: THQ (http://www.thq.com/territory.php)
MSRP: $59.99, £39.99, €59.99
Writer: Martin 'lost' Perry
50 Cent: Blood on the Sand Review
Blap blap! 50 Cent stars in his second game where it's all about that muthafuckin skull. What results is one of the best surprises I've had in a long time.
The first 50 Cent game, 50 Cent: Bulletproof, was not particularly well received by gamers or critics. It was a frustrating and dull game that took itself too seriously. It was released at what was arguably the peak of the rapper's career and felt more like ego service than an attempt to make a decent game. Fortunately, such po-faced difficulty and drabness has been thrown out of the window for this second game. “50 Cent Goes to Baghdad” ends up being far better than it has any right to be.
I think it's important first to quell the fears of those who might have seen the potential for disrespect within the trailers. The game takes part in an unknown city and in an unknown country. Yes, it all has a distinctly Eastern look but feels more like a degenerate Arabian Nights than the remnants of shock and awe. Placing the game is such a locale actually serves to make the title feel a little less morally bankrupt than it's predecessor. The concept of a well-known rapper, an idol to many, blasting his way through half of humanity is tricky to deal with. Just as well then that Blood on the Sand embraces a level of blockbuster absurdity that makes it an extremely fun game to play.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/LostGames/50bots1.jpg
This third-person shooter does almost everything right. For a start your character is a something of a super-man. 50 can soak up bullets at a rate that even he would find impressive. With many competitors successfully putting you under significant pressure this empowerment feels very refreshing. Being able to duck and roll even recalls these other titles but feels less like a desperate maneuver and more like action movie dramatics. Diving around, strafing enemies and popping plenty of caps in plenty of asses – all of this has been designed with significant flair. Blood on the Sand takes the best of the best and molds that into something that while obviously traditional is also relatively unique.
The strong character and tight control scheme are backed up by the games impressive selection of weapons. Broken into four color coded categories they range from pistols, semi-automatic machine guns, heavy machine guns and the big boys like RPGs and cluster bomb launchers. You unlock them in a similar way as to Army of Two, a game which provides obvious inspiration, but oddly can't “pimp” them in the same way. The cash needed to unlock these new weapons is accrued through the crates upon crates of glittery bling scattered around the levels. It's a pretty preposterous notion that in a war-torn city you would find diamond encrusted watches piled up on street corners but it's exemplary of the games entire attitude.
It's not hard to find further evidence of this outlook. If you blast away your opponents in a particularly gleeful manner the game rewards you by filling up a Gangsta Time meter. Despite it's ridiculous name there is no doubt that slowing down time to squeeze out a few headshots adds to the fun. 50 is also capable of close-range attacks which require a series of timed presses of the circle/B button. They are actually one of the game's few let-downs. The primary blows feel meaty but often the finishing strike doesn't quite live up to the preceding brutality. Often it's just a knee to the jaw to finish an opponent who could withstand several bullet shaped holes being pumped into his chest.
Further depth is added to the unlock system by allowing you to purchase additional close-range attacks. If only to further ensure you don't take things too seriously it is even possible to upgrade the insults and quips that 50 Cent spouts at long enough intervals to remain funny. If all this blockbuster brashness sounds like it won't have an awful lot to it you would be sorely mistaken. Taking ahint from another successful shooter the game sports a points system similar to The Club. As you duck from pillar to post the game pushes you to try more outlandish tactics by rewarding combo kills and the completion of numerous timed mini-tasks. So rather than just being a simple run-and-gun affair the player will began to formulate new strategies to maximize their score and level end rating.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/LostGames/50bots2.jpg
Bonus targets and posters may litter the level but one particular element is most important to your high-score mission. A member of G Unit provides back-up in firefights and will help you with a boost or lend a helping hand lifting a surprisingly heavy shutter door. If you play with an AI partner they provide adequate support without being a hindrance. Sure, you might have to pick him up a few times but for the majority he will draw away fire and take out a few enemies. This is far more natural than Army of Two's often contrived aggro system. The moments when you rely on the strength of your partner to help you surmount an obstacle act merely as meeting points as opposed to pseudo-cinematic quick-time events.
These meetings points serve to highlight what a co-op focused game this is. The entire campaign can be played with a friend online with one of you taking the place 50's G Unit comrade. A couple of vehicle levels feature and it is here you will especially feel the absence of a friend should you choose to go it alone. In the driving levels the Hummer's turret becomes entirely AI controlled and during a helicopter mission you won't be able to work together to cause as much destruction as is possible. No surprise then that these levels, and all others, are especially enjoyable when you team up with a buddy. The lack of competitive online play is a definite bugbear; the game seems particularly suited to team deathmatch and capture the flag modes.
The levels themselves are tightly designed myriads of gunfire. Battle damaged buildings provide interesting cover options and multiple points of entry for enemies. These battlefields are particularly innovative and avoid any sense of linearity. A quick “danger” message warns you of incoming enemies and your given time to reposition yourself at a strategically advantageous location. Again, it's all about style and being able to overcome your opponents with considerable (if entirely manufactured) prowess. You'll even cover surprisingly varied ground on your mission of revenge. Mansions, city streets, shopping malls and theaters crumble before you. It's all so incredibly well thought out and put together than it's difficult to believe that such a loud mouth graces the cover.
His influence pervades the entire product but is never obtrusive or offensive. If you don't enjoy his particular body of work the pumping hip-hop that, for me, adds to the sense of empowerment can, instead, be replaced by a more orchestral soundtrack. The story, a twisting tale of subterfuge surrounding a priceless diamond encrusted skull, is told well with attractive CGI cutscenes and a lot of tongue in cheek. The dialog is far from obnoxious and often funny in it's absurdity. The games eight missions are broken down into smaller, score rated chunks and quick back-and-forths between the games characters often follow your gold, silver or bronze rating. Swordfish Studios have actually managed not only to put together an interesting story concept but have also achieved the tricky feat of telling it in an interesting way.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/LostGames/50bots3.jpg
The game's visuals aren't particularly impressive in the first few levels. They break free at some indiscernible point and the city which you plow through becomes an interesting and detailed place. The usual Unreal issues are here; level of detail pops in and out when levels start up and lighting is occasionally a little blank. Once cars begin to barrel through walls and helicopters crash into buildings it all becomes far more fun to look at. The character models aren't too bad either although 50 Cent apparently has far more poppy-out eyes than I thought.
There will be plenty of people who will read this review and not quite believe that a game bearing the likeness of a pop artist could ever surpass even the lowest of expectations. The truth is that I haven't had this much fun in a while. Swordfish Studios have taken time and care to interpret this license into something that can be enjoyed by the masses. Tightly designed and multi-layered the game also offers significant replay value after you breeze through your first seven hour run on normal difficulty. For high score junkies and shooter fans it's a brilliant combination and the co-op focus really adds infinitely to the bargain. Lack of competitive multiplayer is a real bugbear though. Fire in the muthafuckin' hole!
Score: 4 out of 5
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/LostGames/e4.jpg
The Good
The cover system is simple yet fun to use and using it feels natural.
Good presentation with strong art direction with new and classic tunes from the titular star.
The firefights are fantastic fun and the vehicle levels well planned out.
Online co-op is a blast.
The Bad
The weapons don't really open up until the very end when it's pretty likely you'll have already saved up for the best.
The hand-to-hand attacks all have pretty weak finales.
In single-player your sidekick feels like he is that and little more.
The Ugly
No competitive online? For shame!
Platform: PS3/360
Platform Reviewed: PS3
Developer: Swordfish Studios (http://www.codemasters.co.uk/)
Publisher: THQ (http://www.thq.com/territory.php)
MSRP: $59.99, £39.99, €59.99
Writer: Martin 'lost' Perry
50 Cent: Blood on the Sand Review
Blap blap! 50 Cent stars in his second game where it's all about that muthafuckin skull. What results is one of the best surprises I've had in a long time.
The first 50 Cent game, 50 Cent: Bulletproof, was not particularly well received by gamers or critics. It was a frustrating and dull game that took itself too seriously. It was released at what was arguably the peak of the rapper's career and felt more like ego service than an attempt to make a decent game. Fortunately, such po-faced difficulty and drabness has been thrown out of the window for this second game. “50 Cent Goes to Baghdad” ends up being far better than it has any right to be.
I think it's important first to quell the fears of those who might have seen the potential for disrespect within the trailers. The game takes part in an unknown city and in an unknown country. Yes, it all has a distinctly Eastern look but feels more like a degenerate Arabian Nights than the remnants of shock and awe. Placing the game is such a locale actually serves to make the title feel a little less morally bankrupt than it's predecessor. The concept of a well-known rapper, an idol to many, blasting his way through half of humanity is tricky to deal with. Just as well then that Blood on the Sand embraces a level of blockbuster absurdity that makes it an extremely fun game to play.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/LostGames/50bots1.jpg
This third-person shooter does almost everything right. For a start your character is a something of a super-man. 50 can soak up bullets at a rate that even he would find impressive. With many competitors successfully putting you under significant pressure this empowerment feels very refreshing. Being able to duck and roll even recalls these other titles but feels less like a desperate maneuver and more like action movie dramatics. Diving around, strafing enemies and popping plenty of caps in plenty of asses – all of this has been designed with significant flair. Blood on the Sand takes the best of the best and molds that into something that while obviously traditional is also relatively unique.
The strong character and tight control scheme are backed up by the games impressive selection of weapons. Broken into four color coded categories they range from pistols, semi-automatic machine guns, heavy machine guns and the big boys like RPGs and cluster bomb launchers. You unlock them in a similar way as to Army of Two, a game which provides obvious inspiration, but oddly can't “pimp” them in the same way. The cash needed to unlock these new weapons is accrued through the crates upon crates of glittery bling scattered around the levels. It's a pretty preposterous notion that in a war-torn city you would find diamond encrusted watches piled up on street corners but it's exemplary of the games entire attitude.
It's not hard to find further evidence of this outlook. If you blast away your opponents in a particularly gleeful manner the game rewards you by filling up a Gangsta Time meter. Despite it's ridiculous name there is no doubt that slowing down time to squeeze out a few headshots adds to the fun. 50 is also capable of close-range attacks which require a series of timed presses of the circle/B button. They are actually one of the game's few let-downs. The primary blows feel meaty but often the finishing strike doesn't quite live up to the preceding brutality. Often it's just a knee to the jaw to finish an opponent who could withstand several bullet shaped holes being pumped into his chest.
Further depth is added to the unlock system by allowing you to purchase additional close-range attacks. If only to further ensure you don't take things too seriously it is even possible to upgrade the insults and quips that 50 Cent spouts at long enough intervals to remain funny. If all this blockbuster brashness sounds like it won't have an awful lot to it you would be sorely mistaken. Taking ahint from another successful shooter the game sports a points system similar to The Club. As you duck from pillar to post the game pushes you to try more outlandish tactics by rewarding combo kills and the completion of numerous timed mini-tasks. So rather than just being a simple run-and-gun affair the player will began to formulate new strategies to maximize their score and level end rating.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/LostGames/50bots2.jpg
Bonus targets and posters may litter the level but one particular element is most important to your high-score mission. A member of G Unit provides back-up in firefights and will help you with a boost or lend a helping hand lifting a surprisingly heavy shutter door. If you play with an AI partner they provide adequate support without being a hindrance. Sure, you might have to pick him up a few times but for the majority he will draw away fire and take out a few enemies. This is far more natural than Army of Two's often contrived aggro system. The moments when you rely on the strength of your partner to help you surmount an obstacle act merely as meeting points as opposed to pseudo-cinematic quick-time events.
These meetings points serve to highlight what a co-op focused game this is. The entire campaign can be played with a friend online with one of you taking the place 50's G Unit comrade. A couple of vehicle levels feature and it is here you will especially feel the absence of a friend should you choose to go it alone. In the driving levels the Hummer's turret becomes entirely AI controlled and during a helicopter mission you won't be able to work together to cause as much destruction as is possible. No surprise then that these levels, and all others, are especially enjoyable when you team up with a buddy. The lack of competitive online play is a definite bugbear; the game seems particularly suited to team deathmatch and capture the flag modes.
The levels themselves are tightly designed myriads of gunfire. Battle damaged buildings provide interesting cover options and multiple points of entry for enemies. These battlefields are particularly innovative and avoid any sense of linearity. A quick “danger” message warns you of incoming enemies and your given time to reposition yourself at a strategically advantageous location. Again, it's all about style and being able to overcome your opponents with considerable (if entirely manufactured) prowess. You'll even cover surprisingly varied ground on your mission of revenge. Mansions, city streets, shopping malls and theaters crumble before you. It's all so incredibly well thought out and put together than it's difficult to believe that such a loud mouth graces the cover.
His influence pervades the entire product but is never obtrusive or offensive. If you don't enjoy his particular body of work the pumping hip-hop that, for me, adds to the sense of empowerment can, instead, be replaced by a more orchestral soundtrack. The story, a twisting tale of subterfuge surrounding a priceless diamond encrusted skull, is told well with attractive CGI cutscenes and a lot of tongue in cheek. The dialog is far from obnoxious and often funny in it's absurdity. The games eight missions are broken down into smaller, score rated chunks and quick back-and-forths between the games characters often follow your gold, silver or bronze rating. Swordfish Studios have actually managed not only to put together an interesting story concept but have also achieved the tricky feat of telling it in an interesting way.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/LostGames/50bots3.jpg
The game's visuals aren't particularly impressive in the first few levels. They break free at some indiscernible point and the city which you plow through becomes an interesting and detailed place. The usual Unreal issues are here; level of detail pops in and out when levels start up and lighting is occasionally a little blank. Once cars begin to barrel through walls and helicopters crash into buildings it all becomes far more fun to look at. The character models aren't too bad either although 50 Cent apparently has far more poppy-out eyes than I thought.
There will be plenty of people who will read this review and not quite believe that a game bearing the likeness of a pop artist could ever surpass even the lowest of expectations. The truth is that I haven't had this much fun in a while. Swordfish Studios have taken time and care to interpret this license into something that can be enjoyed by the masses. Tightly designed and multi-layered the game also offers significant replay value after you breeze through your first seven hour run on normal difficulty. For high score junkies and shooter fans it's a brilliant combination and the co-op focus really adds infinitely to the bargain. Lack of competitive multiplayer is a real bugbear though. Fire in the muthafuckin' hole!
Score: 4 out of 5
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/LostGames/e4.jpg
The Good
The cover system is simple yet fun to use and using it feels natural.
Good presentation with strong art direction with new and classic tunes from the titular star.
The firefights are fantastic fun and the vehicle levels well planned out.
Online co-op is a blast.
The Bad
The weapons don't really open up until the very end when it's pretty likely you'll have already saved up for the best.
The hand-to-hand attacks all have pretty weak finales.
In single-player your sidekick feels like he is that and little more.
The Ugly
No competitive online? For shame!