the sincere hyper stylisation makes for a sharper criticism of the ps3/360 era middle-eastern shooter than Spec Ops the Line's preachiness. additionally, blood on the sand's maximalism serves as a send up of its combat inspiration, Gears of War, by simply not being as dreary to look at. it also sort of feels like the underside of the rock that is Uncharted. Uncharted, a series that presents itself as a sparking gem to everyone who passes by, but if you stopped to lift it over, you'd see an ugliness that is basically blood in the sand.

this is the kind of game they don't make any more. licensed AAA shooting games starring rappers, for one. this kind of trashy hyper stylisation and linear gaminess is maybe really only seen in Devil May Cry and Bayonetta today too. it kind of reminded me of famed music video director, Hype Williams' lone feature film, Belly. I am waiting to see contemporary cinema and hip hop culture to converge in such a spectacular fashion again but it seems like it promises never to be. blood on the sand, likewise, feels like a once a lifetime piece of culture.