Need something to tear you away from post-election social media today? Ubisoft delivers. As part of its ongoing 30th anniversary celebration, the company is giving away its latest monthly freebie—the neon-soaked Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon.
You can head here to get your copy, though you’ll need a Uplay account. That bitter pill aside, I recommend you grab it even if you’re a bit tired of Far Cry. Blood Dragon sticks to the same formula Ubisoft’s run into the ground since Far Cry 3, but it’s a bit more linear and cranks the “Dumb” meter to 11. Oh, and it ditches the realistic aesthetic of most Far Cry games for one that lifts from straight-to-VHS 1980s action films.
Here’s the quick-and-dirty Steam description:
“The year is 2007 and you are Sargent Rex Colt, a Mark IV Cyber Commando. Your mission: get the girl, kill the baddies, and save the world. Experience every cliché of a VHS era vision of a nuclear future, where cyborgs, blood dragons, mutants, and Michael Biehn (Terminator, Aliens, Navy Seals) collide.”
Yes, Michael “Kyle Reese” Biehn voices your character. It’s excellent.
The writing doesn’t quite mask the well-trod Far Cry formula and the gimmick slightly wears out its welcome before Blood Dragon’s explosive end, but I still think it’s one of the boldest moves Ubisoft’s ever taken with Far Cry, right up there with the classic (and incredibly frustrating) Far Cry 2. Grab it while it’s free, drink a beer, shoot some lasers, and save the world.