I’ll sum this up now: Borderlands 2 takes the successful formula of the first game, and goes to town, making sure it impresses and expands upon everything that made the first one such a runaway hit. If does nothing new to the formula, but certainly makes sure that you’re left satisfied, something that the 36 hours of gaming I’m endured can certainly ascertain to.
If you’ve played Borderlands 1, then you know what you’re in for. Borderlands 2 encompasses a big open world full of objectives, and a whole lot of loot waiting for you to collect. The guns are ridiculous and over the top, but thats the whole point, and it’s fantastic. The sheer size of this game is enough to put anyone in awe, it truly is a big game. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of the side objectives do have you running to places you’ve been before, but that’s part of the appeal, as the reward may be damn well worth it.
Everything about Borderlands 2 is a lot more polished then its original outing; animations are smoother, graphics are more crisp and sleek, and overall everything feels a lot more refined. This certainly helps Gearbox studios stand out of the crowd when it comes to AAA shooters, and gives a different experience to the traditional military shooter.
Characters are probably my favourite part of this whole game. They’re memorable, quirky, and fantastically realised. Some familiar faces will meet and greet you, but it’s the new characters which really show the talent behind the writers and animators. My favourite of these has to be Tiny Tina, a early teen that has been around bandits far too much in her young, short life. Gearbox went out of their way to ensure that the voice actors were top notch, which has been confirmed by the industry by voice actors winning awards for their amazing work.
I do have some complaints when it comes to the general story though. I feel that there was technically no need for this sequel, which shines through in the overall arc of the story. I believe not even Gearbox thought the original would be as successful as it was, and therefore had to rush and scramble around to make a cash cow.
Pros:
- Fantastic character design
- Addictive gameplay ensure hours of fun
- Highly polished and realised world
Cons:
- Feels like a needless sequel (in a story sense)
- Very buggy
Overall, I’d recommend Borderlands 2 to anyone that enjoys a FPS. It may look like an RPG, but you rarely have to think about the RPG elements, and can just focus on the fun and joy of finding loot and killing lots of bandits. A highly fun and entertaining game.
4/5
