Trials of the Blood Dragon

64%
Game Brain Score Based on 136 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Trials of the Blood Dragon Game Cover
It’s hard to imagine RedLynx’s Trials Fusion and UbiSoft Montreal’s Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon getting jiggy with it, but indeed they have, and the result was stealth released during UbiSoft’s E3 2016 presentation.
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"Trials of the Blood Dragon" is a motorcycle action platformer game set in a futuristic, retro-style world. Players control Rex Power Colt, a cyber-commando with a mission to uncover a conspiracy. The game combines fast-paced motorcycle trials with on-foot shooting and platforming sequences, all set to a synth-wave soundtrack. It's a unique blend of genres that offers a refreshing take on the Trials franchise.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

64%
Audience ScoreBased on 136 reviews
story28 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • The game features a vibrant 80s aesthetic and a fantastic soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
  • The continuation of the Blood Dragon storyline is entertaining and filled with over-the-top humor, appealing to fans of the original.
  • The bike levels are fun and capture the essence of the Trials gameplay, providing a thrilling experience for players.
  • The game heavily features on-foot and platforming segments that feel clunky and detract from the core Trials experience.
  • Many players found the controls and physics to be frustrating, particularly in the jetpack and platforming sections.
  • The game is relatively short, with a campaign that can be completed in just a few hours, leading to concerns about its overall value.
  • story74 mentions

    The story is a continuation of the over-the-top Blood Dragon narrative, filled with humor and wild twists, though it may feel toned down for a younger audience. While many players find the story entertaining and a highlight of the game, some criticize its execution as disjointed and lacking depth, with certain missions feeling tedious. Overall, the narrative is appreciated for its absurdity and retro charm, but opinions vary on its effectiveness and engagement.

    • “The story is pretty entertaining and is probably the best part along with the graphics and presentation.”
    • “The game itself was extremely fun with an interactive storyline, good voice acting, and funny cutscenes.”
    • “The theme and plot are compelling and gameplay is solid.”
    • “The writing and story are pretty terrible, but that's what the skip button is for!”
    • “The story is just not believable, not even to a 10-year-old kid.”
    • “However, the execution of this story was awful.”
  • gameplay43 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with some players enjoying the variety of mechanics such as biking, shooting, and jetpacking, while others find the on-foot segments and certain vehicle controls to be clunky and frustrating. The game features a catchy soundtrack and a fun aesthetic, but many reviewers feel that the gameplay lacks consistency and polish, particularly in the platforming sections. Overall, while there are enjoyable moments, the gameplay is often seen as the weakest aspect of the experience.

    • “Great aesthetics, wacky story, changes up the gameplay a lot (various vehicles, on foot, jetpack, with guns, highly varied environments, some with a twist) to keep things fresh.”
    • “The perfect run is elusive yet the gameplay and controls are so fundamentally simple that it's addicting.”
    • “In addition to the new look, Trials of the Blood Dragon adds new gameplay mechanics such as shooting from your bike and on foot segments.”
    • “The gameplay is probably the worst aspect of this game; the only good levels are the ones that actually play like a Trials game (you know, with a motorcycle).”
    • “A lot of the levels have these side-scroller shooter parts with the most barebones gameplay and floaty controls, along with some other gimmicky vehicles that are nowhere near as fun.”
    • “The more I played, the more I got frustrated by the blatant lack of actual Trials gameplay, most of them replaced by annoying platforming levels with terrible controls.”
  • music30 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its fantastic soundtrack, particularly highlighting its retro and synthwave influences. While the gameplay mechanics may be lacking, the soundtrack is often described as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience, making it a key reason to engage with the game. Overall, the music is considered a major highlight, appealing especially to fans of 1980s aesthetics and synth music.

    • “The soundtrack is just fantastic.”
    • “I definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a refreshing experience and for a pretty game with amazing artwork, animation, and music!”
    • “The game features another excellent soundtrack from Power Glove which really compliments the exaggerated 80s style of the game.”
    • “Just buy the soundtrack.”
    • “It was nice to be able to play the game just to see what it was like, but more than likely the only thing related to it that I will be revisiting is the soundtrack on YouTube.”
    • “The aesthetic and soundtrack are fine, but controls for jetpacks are unbearable, and for the standard player, probably a put-off.”
  • graphics28 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received praise for their vibrant colors, particularly the retro vaporwave aesthetic that evokes a strong 80s vibe. Many reviewers highlighted the excellent art style, animation, and overall visual presentation, though some noted that it diverges from the original Blood Dragon's aesthetic. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.

    • “Purple and pink are the two primary colors, and I have to say that I absolutely loved how vibrant all of the environments looked; my 80's aesthetic love has been pleased.”
    • “I definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a refreshing experience and for a pretty game with amazing artwork, animation, and music!”
    • “The graphics are 10/10; great job on the amazing backgrounds.”
    • “The art style doesn't match the original Blood Dragon at all.”
    • “Most of the time they got the art style quite wrong too; some flashy lights and hiring Perturbator to make music doesn't make you retro.”
    • “The aesthetic and soundtrack are fine, but controls for jetpacks are unbearable, and for the standard player, probably a put-off.”
  • humor17 mentions

    The humor in "Trials of the Blood Dragon" is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its over-the-top parody and satire reminiscent of the original "Blood Dragon," while others find it childish and lacking in genuine laughs. Although there are moments of humor that may elicit chuckles, many reviews suggest that the jokes often fall flat and rely on randomness rather than cohesive wit. Overall, the game retains a humorous vibe but struggles to deliver consistently funny content, leaving fans divided on its comedic effectiveness.

    • “The intro is hilarious and the game is full of parody and satire, perhaps more so than the Far Cry game.”
    • “Yo dawg... I heard you like spinoffs, so I put a spinoff of a spinoff in a spinoff, so now you can spin while you're spinning on the floor laughing your ass off.”
    • “The game itself was extremely fun with an interactive storyline, good voice acting, and funny cutscenes.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players enjoy leaderboard challenges and find moderate replay value, others criticize its short length and lack of features like multiplayer or a track editor, leading to limited incentive for repeated play.

    • “Leaderboards also allow for near-endless replayability.”
    • “It's really fun and has some decent replay value.”
    • “It is a very fun 3-4 hour game with moderate replay value down the road.”
    • “Had fun out of the few hours I got, but besides just grinding A+ on all the tracks, there's not much replay value. There should really be multiplayer and a track editor again.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    Reviews indicate that while the gameplay is enjoyable and the story is decent, there are notable performance issues that detract from the overall experience. Users express hope for future patches to enhance optimization and improve performance.

    • “The goal is to navigate around the obstacles and get to the finish line in the shortest amount of time possible, after which you get graded on your performance.”
    • “Will update if they patch it to improve performance as the story is alright and gameplay, while infuriating, is fun.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some enjoy the initial hours of gameplay, they note a lack of replay value and tedious sections, particularly in new on-foot segments. Many feel that the game would benefit from additional features like multiplayer and a track editor to enhance long-term engagement.

    • “Had fun out of the few hours I got, but besides just grinding A+ on all the tracks, there's not much replay value. There should really be multiplayer and a track editor again.”
    • “There are a few tedious sections here and there, but you will be able to get over it and enjoy the game for what it is.”
    • “Some new additions, such as on-foot segments, can be tedious.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is generally well-received, with users appreciating its unique art style and engaging sound design. While some prefer the atmospheric elements of previous titles, the current game's ambiance is still considered enjoyable and effective.

    • “I really loved Blood Dragon from Far Cry 3; it's a very nice game with a sick art style and great atmosphere.”
    • “While I prefer the more atmospheric sounds of FC3BD, this still certainly is by no means bad.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Overall, users report that while there are occasional bugs and glitches, they are infrequent and do not significantly impact the overall stability of the game.

    • “Sometimes bugs and glitches occur, but they are relatively rare.”
    • “The game crashes frequently, making it frustrating to play.”
    • “I experienced several stability issues that disrupted my gameplay.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

50% average critic score

Buy Trials of the Blood Dragon

Play time

4hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
3-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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