50 Cent: Blood on the Sand (PlayStation 3)

50 Cent: Blood on the Sand Hands-On

Hilary Goldstein
He makes a one-eight-seven look easy.
Nov 13th, 2008 - It's been three years since the momentous release of 50 Cent: Bulletproof. The Vivendi title marked entrepreneurial rapper 50 Cent's entry into the videogame world. But Fiddy's first foray into gaming was anything but bulletproof. A critical failure, Bulletproof still managed to rake in the cash. A sequel was inevitable. In January, 50 Cent returns to his virtual gangsta ways with Blood on the Sand, an over-the-top utterly ridiculous and (surprisingly) fun shooter.Set in the Middle East, Fiddy is on the hunt for a bejeweled skull that's owed to him as payment for a concert."Where's my skull?!"Mr. Cent demands in what is certain to be a classic voice over performance. Because his skull has been stolen, Fiddy and crew (Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, and DJ Whoo Kid) do the reasonable thing -- they brandish guns and blow the $#^@ out of the Middle East.Developed by Swordfish, Blood on the Sand may be 2009's guilty pleasure. You know, the kind of game you feel guilty for loving. The game is designed similarly to Gears of War. Each level is packed with cover, which you'll want to take to avoid being pummeled with enemy fire. You can blindfire from cover or pop and shoot. Though Blood on the Sand is a stop-and-pop shooter, the pacing is quick. Enemy AI isn't meant to challenge you -- they are there to die.The levels I played went by in a flash. There's no sense of sedentary gameplay. Blood on the Sand moves quickly with a full-throttle pace that only slows when the story interrupts the bloodshed. At the end of each level, you're graded on your killing prowess and the number of secrets found (there are five posters and five hidden targets in each level). You're given a bronze, silver or gold award, which helps unlock cheats and other goodies.Points are tallied throughout each level. You get multiplier bonuses for landing a series of kills in a short period of time. But, more importantly, you get bonus points for taunting while killing someone. There are numerous taunts in the game, all accessible with a click of the Left Thumbstick. If you don't know how to talk trash, Mr. Cent will teach you.At your disposal are 21 weapons, though you can only equip four at a time. You can choose a pistol (and can go double-fisted), a long-range weapon (such as a sniper rifle), a close-ranged weapon (shotgun or submachine gun), and a heavy weapon. The guns of Blood on the Sand are a bit like ice creamflavors. All of them are good and have more or less the same effectiveness, but some will prefer chocolate over vanilla (or shotgun over SMG). Whatever you arm Fiddy with, he's going to be able to kill people. Don't you worry.For those who prefer doing their kills up close and personal, you can unlock 20 Counter Kill moves. A Counter Kill is really just an extended melee attack. Get close to an enemy and initiate the move with the counter button. You'll have to successfully complete a short quick time event to execute the move. Fiddy will break necks, smash in faces, or slice fools up with his machete. Murder with a flourish. What a delight.Of course, 50 Cent is aware of the age old question: If a rapper shoots up the Middle East and none of his crew are around, will the explosions make a sound? Not to worry. Online co-op play allows a buddy to take on the role of Lloyd Banks, Yayo, or DJ Whoo Kid. Even when playing alone, you will get to pick an AI crew member. They add some bullets to the fray and team up with Fiddy for co-op platforming moves.

Blood on the Sand isn't just about shooting. To mix things up, there are a number of driving levels. In one level, you hop into an armored Humvee and protect a caravan. Fiddy gets to drive, with either your AI teammate or co-op partner controlling the guns. While driving, you'll have to dodge numerous explosive barrels, bash into enemy cars, and speed boost off ramps for some sweet jumps. I would prefer to have the option of choosing to either drive or be on the turret, but even Fiddy's world isn't perfect.The musical accompaniment to the fierce fighting is 42 tracks, 18 of which are exclusive. And if you could care less about spilling blood on the sand, you can kick on the music player and just listen to 50 Cent and G-Unit songs.

There are a number of things that Swordfish needs to work on beforeBlood on the Sand's January release. Fiddy feels a bit clunky out in the open, the driving mission could be a bit more intense, and the difficulty could stand to be kicked up a notch. Even if Swordfish can't tighten up 50 Cent: Blood in the Sand, it still has the potential to be 2009's game you can't help but play (even if you're ashamed to do so).
Watch the latest 50 Cent trailer in HD.

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