Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon Original Soundtrack Review

uncaptionedWhen it comes to tapping glorious, nostalgia-fueled rhythms, Power Glove is one of the best. Which is why it is appropriate that they provided the soundtrack for Ubisoft's love letter to the greatest decade ever,* "Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon."

Power Glove have committed themselves to the tone and theme of the time and the result is nothing short of wonderful. Channeling the sounds that made Jan Hammer and Giorgio Moroder so successful, "Blood Dragon" hits all the right synth rhythms.

The majority of the tracks conjure up ambient tones similar to to Health's work on "Max Payne 3" last year. Power Glove has managed to create a sound and musical narrative entirely unique to "Blood Dragon" while still calling to mind the type of music that flows like wine through classic action fare. Some of the best tracks include a sublime mix of synth and power guitar riffs, but while it flirts with cheese, it never crosses over -- it's not Wang Chung's "To Live and Die in L.A." type of 1980s.

The "Blood Dragon Theme," perfectly sets the tone for the soundtrack with a pulsating synth sound that creates an undeniably catchy beat. "Rex Colt" and "Katana" are more mellow, but still in the same vein. There's a certain ethereal sound to them that calls to mind the likes of Kavinsky and the "Drive" soundtrack.

"Sloan's Assault" sounds like something right out of an 80s thriller, with fast-paced discotheque beats coupled with the dark, sci-fi tone that carries throughout the soundtrack. "Rex's Escape" has a similar sound, but with a more frantic rhythm that never lets up through the track.

One track deserves a quick, special note: "Love Theme." It's the type of slow, percussion-based piece which calls to mind the love theme from Brad Fiedel's "The Terminator." When the saxaphone-esque tones come in, mixed with jazzy guitar, it's as if you condensed every love scene into a single song. Yes, it's brilliant.

In-game, the music is the perfect accompaniment to the over-the-top style Ubisoft strove for. But out of game is where the soundtrack can best be appreciated. It's highly accessible and not the least bit dependent upon the game, with several tracks standing out as their own unique single-type offerings.

Bottom line: If you were a child of the '80s, or just a fan of the decade's sound and decadence, "Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon" is going to get you right in your nostalgia spot. It rivals last year's "Max Payne 3" on my "must have" list and proves to be yet another pleasant surprise this year. You can hear a few samples on Power Glove's Soundcloud but be prepared to buy shortly after -- it's that good.

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon

Artist: Power Glove

Released: April 30, 2013

Price: $9.99

Rating: 10/10

*This may be up for debate and I may be biased.
