After replaying 50 Cent Bulletproof and failing to see what grabbed me in my youth I was a little nervous to go back and play 50 Cent Blood on the Sand. This game did release in 2009 so I was in my 20s and an adult hopefully, I was right when I remember loving this game. n

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Reviewed on PlayStation 3

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This game is not as good as I remember it, it’s better. I actually completed the game twice before writing this review. Once was not enough it was just too much fun. This game redeems Bulletproof and does so much more.

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You again play as 50 Cent and have to choose one of three companions. I picked Banks every time, he was always my favorite. You and your sidekick are going to war with terrorists and a paramilitary group trying to get back what was stolen from you. It’s a quick and violent campaign that doesn’t suffer from any missions that break your momentum. For most missions, you will be on foot running around and shooting but some missions have you behind the wheel and driving actually feels good so it was a welcome addition. n

The actual run and gun gameplay is phenomenal and holds up perfectly. It’s a cover shooter and taking cover and firing looked and felt great. I was able to hit the targets I wanted and take cover where I want without issues. The cover system in the first game never worked well. The shooting never felt good. The movement never felt natural. They fixed all my problems from Bulletproof. n

Playing this game in 2022 I am blown away by how it looks. The character modules and environments are all high in detail and look great. Look at the below screenshot, 50 is sweating while taking cover.

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The soundtrack added to so much of my enjoyment. 50 Cent has a lot of music that goes great with guns and explosions, so that’s what they did. The entire time you are playing you are just listening to 50 Cents hits. There was something special when you are playing as 50 Cent, firing a gun, and hearing the song in the background of 50 rapping about his gun going off. n

The only aspect of this game missing were boss battles. I don’t think every game needs them but this game clearly wanted them but missed the mark. You have to square off against a helicopter multiple times in the game and these play as your traditional boss fights. They are all the same and did lose some of their specialty by the last time you are doing it. n

Verdict

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50 Cent Blood on the Sand is a redemption story from 50 Cent Bulletproof. This game is still amazing by today’s standards. The shooting feels great, the movement is natural, taking cover works, and the soundtrack is perfect. Repetitive fights with helicopters are the only aspect of this game that brings it down a bit. n

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Final score 9/10