Far Cry 3 is quite a good game and a lot of fun. It’s just that Blood Dragon actually improves on the original game quite a bit in a few key respects.
It’s Better Written
One of the key problems of Far Cry 3 is best stated by the joke that the best ending of the game is you turn it off after the shmucks you’re supposed to care about get kidnapped. And unfortunately, it’s true: The game’s plot and characterization is so miserable the lead writer was claiming it was really a satire, honest.
There are no such problems here. True, the game is trying for deliberate cheese, and it succeeds admirably, but it’s often very, very funny and it has a smart-assed comedic tone that the original game only rarely hit on, usually in its odd, short-story-like side-missions. For example, the opening tutorials are a prank pulled on you by your AI sidekick, written in the most hilariously condescending way possible: The first one asks you to press X to prove you can read.
It’s Faster-Paced
The original game had a fairly slow pace, at least as first, as you had to acquire literally everything to shape yourself into an enormous bad-ass. Here, the game kits you out with a full complement of guns and skills right from the start, and has more aggressive enemy AI. You’ll still want to complete side missions and clear outposts, but if you want to kick ass from screen one, this is the superior game.
Michael Biehn Is A Far Better Actor
That’s not to knock the original game’s voice cast, which is arguably quite good, but Michael Biehn has years of experience and can deliver even the most insane and ridiculous line with aplomb.
It’s Far Cry 3 But… Condensed
The bones and combat of Far Cry 3 are here, but they’re stripped down to their essence; wipe out outposts, finish objectives, fear no man. It makes a lot of sense and frankly, it’s a hell of a lot of fun.
In short, if you want a fast-paced but meaty shooter, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon fits the bill.