GR: Tell us a bit about the taunts, what do they do? How did you pick them? And most importantly, can we hear some examples?
JW: You start the game with 1 taunt pack unlocked - you can buy an additional 5 packs in the shop. Each pack contains a range of taunts you trigger by pressing the left stick. Trigger a taunt at the end of a kill and you get a modifier that increases the score - if you can, it’s always a good idea to fire taunts off at the end of a kill sequence. They were scripted by our Lead Level Designer, taking inspiration from 50 cent interviews and videos, and were then edited in the studio by 50 cent and G-Unit to make sure they were totally authentic.
GR: The first 50 Cent game took place in the city. How does its story connect to that of Blood in the Sand? What is the story premise in Blood on the Sand?
JW:The two stories aren’t connected at all. We very much wanted to position this game in a different space to the 1st game in order to reinforce the idea that this is completely new development by a new team. The story was written by Kamran Pasha (Sleeper Cell, Bionic Woman) in collaboration with the Executive team in the US, incorporating feedback from 50 Cent himself. Basically 50 and G-Unit travel to this fictional country to perform a concert - after being stiffed for their cash they’re paid in kind with a diamond encrusted skull that is subsequently stolen by the local crime-lord’s gang. Cue an all-out battle through the city and out into the heart of darkness to recover the skull.
GR: What was the motive behind this change of scenery?
JW:It was to both differentiate this title from the original Bulletproof and to make the title more appealing to a broader audience. We felt that the original setting had been done-to-death by so many titles, offering something different was essential.
GR: Did you guys listen to 50 Cent before developing the game? How about after? Are there any favorite tracks to listen to while unwinding in the break room?
JW: Of course. We’re method developers.
GR: We’ve heard there will be 42 music tracks in the game. Does that make Blood in the Sand partially a music game?
JW: No. It’s an action game with a huge amount of music content.
