In our ongoing weekly column spotlighting some of the secretly classic, kitschy, overlooked, or downright wack games in the vast Xbox library, we take it to the streets of [insert fictional Middle East city here] to get that damn skull back in the hip-hop flavored shooter 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand. Check out the archives here.

The many facial expresssions of hip-hop videogame superstar 50 Cent. All two of them.

It's hardly shocking that 50 Cent was afforded the opportunity to headline his own ultraviolent shooter in 2005. Back then, the rapper was omnipresent thanks to his radio-friendly hits, which at times alluded to a rugged, pre-celebrity street life and the fact that he survived nine gunshot wounds in a vicious attack. It was perfect fodder for an urban-set game about tracking down the thugs who tried to ice him, but the resulting original Xbox title — 50 Cent: Bulletproof — fell short thanks to sluggish mechanics and uninspired gameplay.

What is surprising is the fact that 50 Cent got another shot to make his mark as a digital gunslinger even as his once-bulging popularity waned, and that the second game proved not only markedly better — but downright weird, to boot.

Released in early 2009 for Xbox 360, 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand isn't an easy game to evaluate by conventional means. On the surface, it's an enjoyably decent — but hardly innovative — take on the Gears of War formula, albeit one that takes a score-centric approach like that of arcade-esque shooter, The Club. As you battle endless scads of generic foes as 50 or a G-Unit comrade in co-op, you'll encounter clunky and linear stage design and misbalanced A.I. (on both the partner and enemy sides), plus the entire game is shot full of 50's music and likeness, making it a tough game to love for anyone not keen on his hard-edged image.

50 Cent and his G-Unit cohort DJ Whoo Kid take on a whole nation of skull-thieving bad guys from behind cover.

But for those of us who crave a little absurdity in our play experiences — especially in a genre so reliant on stone-faced, dead-serious heroes and scenarios — Blood on the Sand is a jewel-encrusted skull in the vast library of Xbox 360 shooters. As hinted in the title, the game takes place in an unidentified Middle Eastern country, in which 50 Cent and his rap crew have just completed a huge show. Decked out in a bulletproof vest adorned with grenades and pistols, 50 drops the mic on the stage; and within seconds, he's shoving a shotgun into the belly of an anxious promoter backstage. Why so testy, Fiddy?

Turns out 50 was promised $10 million in paper upon completion of the gig, but Anwar — whose name is petulantly uttered by the hero throughout the game — lacks the funds. Instead, he serves up a platinum and diamond-covered skull, which 50 reluctantly accepts, but is then stolen from his grasp in an attack by members of a paramilitary group led by the fearsome Kamal. Despite the traumatic experience, 50 Cent's decision isn't to flee the country to count his many existing millions back home, or phone his local U.S. embassy. He's packing heat, and he's going to retrieve that skull, even if it means shooting down several hundred identical thugs as he storms through the battered buildings and dusty streets.

Expectedly, that's exactly what happens across the nine chapters — playable solo with an A.I. partner or via online-only co-op with a pal — with each lengthy mission serving up a steady stream of stop-and-pop, cover-based shooting gallery moments where you'll blast waves of anonymous goons before proceeding forward. While simple and eventually a bit repetitive, the gunplay is sound throughout, with a large variety of weapons (including rocket launchers and Molotov cocktails) available and a points system that rewards you for chaining together kills and completing quick tasks, which yield cash for new firearms and more.

Besides DJ Whoo Kid, co-op partners could also tool around as fresh-faced Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo.

Beyond their constant aural presence — thanks to more than 40 included songs, which loop in the background while you notch headshots — 50 Cent and G-Unit's influence manifests itself through the addition of taunts and counterkill moves to the typical third-person shooter approach. Dozens of vulgar taunts hilariously fill your ear holes throughout, from the baffling "Try to climb me, b****? Climb this!" to the simple and self-promoting "50 Cent!" And the counterkills let you get up close and personal with foes, tapping the B button as indicated to cold-cock them or stab them repeatedly in the head and neck.

But really, it's the constant presence of one of three G-Unit pals that entertains the most, as each has a distinct persona — from the goofy remarks of Tony Yayo to the zonked-out, raspy wheeze of DJ Whoo Kid — but each and every one delivers when it counts. Hearing the phrase, "Yo 50, jump over that big-ass ramp" in an early driving mission can't help but bring a smile to my face every time. A big-ass one.

At its original face value, 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand's asking price was probably too ambitious for anyone who didn't consider themselves a superfan of the hip-hop star. But found today in a bargain bin or secondhand, it's an absolute treasure trove of hysterical quips and speedy gunplay, all best experienced via the online co-op mode. Licensed games often hit with a thud, especially those built on a scenario as precarious as a bulked-up rapper blasting his way through the Middle East — but Swordfish Studios embraced the ludicrous premise and really ran with it, delivering an experience that's equal laughs and thrills. It's a classic — in its own little way.

(50 Cent: Blood on the Sand originally released on Xbox 360 on February 24, 2009. It's available to download from the Xbox Live Marketplace for $59.99, but pre-owned physical copies go for just $19.99 at GameStop.)