Poor Fiddy. Not only has he been refused payment of $10 million for his recently completed tour of the Middle East and had to settle for a diamond encrusted human skull as compensation, he was ambushed on the way to the airport and robbed of his valuable property. What's a star to do but assemble his crew and retrieve what was wrongfully taken away from him?  With curses aplenty and enough firepower to supply a small army, 50 Cent has made his way onto the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles with 50Cent: Blood on the Sand.



50 Cent and I haven't had the most successful of video game relationships (see Bulletproof) so I was certain of my expectations and approached this title with as little excitement as possible. Given the ridiculous (or ridiculously awesome depending on who you ask) premise, I was surprised to learn that 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand is a solid gaming experience, enjoyable even.

The most important thing to remember is not to take this game too seriously.  Fiddy will drop an obscene amount of F-Bombs and colorful expletives and members of G-Unit will incessantly remind you to kill as many people as humanely possible.   At 50 Cent's side at all times is one of the three members of G-Unit: Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo or DJ Whoo Kid.  One character won't offer any distinct advantage over the other so don't sweat the decision.   Gameplay is pretty standard for this third-person action title.



The controls have borrowed heavily from the Gears of War franchise and work extremely well for 50 Cent and his crew. Killing enemies awards the player with points. And while shooting an enemy point blank in the face is fun, it isn't very creative.  That's why the developers at Swordfish made it possible for players to earn greater points by doing more than just filling their enemies with insane amounts of lead. Chaining kills is a good way to keep your points on the rise, as well as taunting your opponents and seeking out fun ways to dispose of them, like aiming for a well placed explosive barrel.  It won't take long for the chaos to peak and the body count to rise because Blood on the Sand's AI is set somewhere between incompetent and suicidal.  It is so mindless that enemy guards will ceaselessly march toward their own demise.

Frequently, but not frequently enough, the game offers challenges for the player to complete. Ranging from collecting items in a set amount of time to disposing of certain enemies, these side games reward players with bonus items and extra points upon their completion.  Posters and hidden targets are also scattered in each level for those trying to maximize their points.  Players looking to get more out of Blood on the Sand can put their killing skills to the test and try to earn badges by racking up as many points as they can. Badges come in bronze, silver and gold, and even the most veteran action gamers will have a hard time acquiring them all without some frustration.  There are also unlockable videos to keep you entertained after you've had your fill of violence.



The presentation is an accomplishment worth mentioning as the team over at Swordfish has clearly outdone themselves. The graphics are impressive and the details on the character models for 50 Cent and G-Unit are incredibly accurate.  Explosions are plentiful and just as satisfying to witness as they are to be responsible for. The environments are very well rendered and varied enough to keep the game from feeling monotonous.  Also, because Blood on the Sand is both endorsed by and stars 50 Cent, fans of the artist will undoubtedly enjoy the game's soundtrack.  With over 40 songs, almost half of which are original, Blood on the Sand's musical score is a perfect match for the game's explosive gameplay.  The voice work is exceptional, featuring all of the members of G-Unit.  The fans will surely appreciate the authenticity and listening to some of the exchanges between these characters is laugh out loud funny.
 
Even though Blood on the Sand is fun, it does have a few annoying quirks.  The game never evolves past the first few levels, giving a repetitive feel to the overall gameplay.  Co-op Mode could have been handled better as well.  The lack of offline co-op play makes for some disappointed faces when visiting friends anxiously want to get in on the action.


 
This is a straight up action title with no real substance and it's not at all ashamed about it. Fans of 50 Cent will enjoy this title to no end, blowing up stuff and gunning down all–too-eager-to-die soldiers. Those who don't share the same devotion to Fiddy would  be better off renting this title.  That said, fans of the action genre owe it to themselves to give Blood on the Sand a shot. 

Fun Factor: Grab your weapon of choice and go to town on your enemy as rap sensation 50 Cent. I think that pretty much speaks for itself.

Difficulty: Challenges aside, there is very little difficulty to be found here.

Game Length: A bit on the short side. Can be finished in a few hours.

On the Negative Side: No local co-op. Gameplay can become repetitive.

Bang for your Buck: There isn't much incentive to play after you've finished the game. A few extra difficulty settings, unlockable videos and medals await those who wish to continue playing.