- While not widely known within the franchise, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon was a standalone DLC and the best entry in the franchise.
- The game takes creativity to the next level, offering a more streamlined experience and improving the already solid Far Cry 3 template.
- This spin-off is a rollercoaster full of 1980s pop culture references, making it a nostalgic retro journey that feels modern at the same time.
Far Cry is among the biggest Ubisoft franchises. It has spanned two decades with multiple mainline and spin-off entries, each set in a distinct location and featuring some of the best villains ever in a video game.
There isn’t really any major debate about the best entry in the series since most people will agree that Far Cry 3 is the best. After all, it featured one of gaming’s best antagonists and revitalized the open-world genre.
However, the franchise has another equally impressive entry. While not exactly a famous opinion, I believe Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is the best game from this IP. It was sold as a spin-off but quickly carved out a unique identity.
Why it matters: This IP is way past its prime today. Perhaps Ubisoft can look back upon these creative spin-offs for inspiration and find the spark missing from the latest releases.
Perfect Formula And Unlimited Creativity
I consider Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon a separate game since it was a DLC and a standalone title building off the already great Far Cry 3 template. Blood Dragon, in its mere six hours of gameplay, managed to top the base content.
The gameplay was much smoother, and the weapons were also much cooler. Laser weapons, exploding bows and arrows, and other firearms that could be upgraded through weird but interesting side missions made the game so much fun despite a streamlined and short-lived experience.
Who doesn’t love dragons that shoot lasers out of their eyes? Or comically overpowered weapons that can pull off tricks like firing four dragon-breath rounds at once from a shotgun?
Overall, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon shows what developers are capable of when granted creative control rather than being controlled by publishers and investors. In my opinion, this is a prime example of Ubisoft’s peak. It’s quite sad that we don’t see the same excellence anymore.
Capturing The Essence Of 80s And 90s Pop Culture
The concept of this spin-off was amazing. It pays homage to and imitates some of the best pop culture events from the early 1980s and 1990s. The cheesy dialogue, over-the-top action sequences, and intentional cringe-worthy comedy are all nods to action movies from a bygone era.
At times, the experience feels like a comic book, perfectly encapsulating the theme and archetypes of a typical comic story. Even the cutscene sequences are based on stylized comic book panels.
Moving to the protagonist, Sergeant Rex “Power” Colt is actually a cyber-solider inspired by Terminators. This does make sense since Seargent Rex is played by Michael Biehn, who has also played Kyle Reese, the protagonist of the first movie.
It seems that the creators were big Arnold fans because the game is filled with references from his old movies. Whether it’s the shotgun inspired by Terminator 2 or the infamous handshake between Carl Weathers and Arnold Schwarzenegger from Predator, the game has no shortage of such references.
Aside from being the best in the franchise, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon may also be one of the best DLCs to date. It might not be on par with Shadow of the Erdtree, but the spin-off can certainly hold its own.
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[News Reporter]
Shaheer is currently pursuing a Business degree while also working as a part-time Content Writer. With his deep passion for both writing and video games, he has seamlessly transitioned into a role as a Journalist. Over the past two years, Shaheer has contributed as a freelancer to various websites and landed positions on acclaimed platforms like Gamerant. Currently, his role at Tech4gamers is as a Features Writer, but he also covers News occasionally. Shaheer’s favorite gaming franchises are Assassin’s Creed and the God of War series.
Get In Touch: shaheer@tech4gamers.com
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