Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon Review

The dangerous blood dragon creatures, namesake for this cyber-reskin, play a key role in the action. Dragons are spread around the island and react to any noise within earshot. Their bioluminescent skin changes color from green to red when they become hostile. Although they are blind, they react aggressively to cyber-hearts. Cyber-hearts are torn from deceased cyborgs and can be thrown to distract or lure dragons. Every garrison is surrounded by a shield that prevents dragon infiltration. If you are clever, you can disable this shield and watch a dragons rip enemies apart. Dragons produce player controlled mayhem, similar to when a tiger randomly ventured into an outpost in FC3. However, dragons are so sparse that it’s rare to accidentally stumble upon them, let alone use them against enemies.

Fighting fire with fire doesn't work on blood dragons

Dragons bleed, so you can kill them. Bullets barely penetrate through their tough skin, but their chest is a weak spot if your aim is true. They are like mini bosses that you can avoid. Taking on a dragon in the open requires agility because they charge and shoot explosive flames from their eyes. If you are near man-made structures, you can cheat by moving somewhere the dragon cannot access. Here you are free to unload bullets, as you are protected from the dragon’s melee attacks. Dragons explode when their health reaches zero and you only receive XP for their demise. The dragons serve as a compressed version of animal encounters from FC3 and fit nicely within the setting.

The game has an interesting visual style, but it has a negative impact on the exterior environment. It is difficult to make out detail in the distance because of perpetual darkness. Red fog, blue tint and subtle scan lines reduce visibility even further. Because of this impedance, points of interest disappear into the landscape. Enemies are surrounded by a colored cloud so they stand out from the indistinct background. Some isolated environmental lights provide splashes of color, but there are not nearly enough. Underground facilities and garrisons produce colourful treats by comparison, thanks to their retro consoles and better lighting systems. The game engine can produce the best panoramas in the business, so masking detail behind a visual style is a shame.

Never bring a jeep to a bow fight!

Blood Dragon is a clever reskin that demonstrates how mechanically sound Far Cry 3 is. It feels like a new experience, even though most elements have transferred without change. Stealth is a vital component and taking over garrisons is delightful. The injection of humour and automatic skill upgrades make it a lighter version of FC3 without a reduction in gameplay depth. Dragons add chaos to the mix, but you aren’t always forced to fight them. Despite some visual blandness, this game is consistently enjoyable until you have exhausted all tasks. Blood Dragon is a worthy standalone cyber-shooter and should not be missed if you loved Far Cry 3.