Borderlands 2 Review: Better Characters, Better Guns, Better Story – Better Borderlands!

Borderlands 2 Review: Better Characters, Better Guns, Better Story – Better Borderlands!

Borderlands 2
Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
2K Games
Action/Shooter

Borderlands 2, which is the sequel to the popular shootin’ lootin’ highly entertaining Borderlands has now arrived. Let me begin by saying that sequels, in many cases, have trouble living up to their predecessors. Sometimes the second game in a series just doesn’t possess the same magic that the first one did. Well, the magic is still there with Borderlands 2. In fact, it’s even stronger this time around. I really enjoyed my time with the first Borderlands. I spent most of it playing multiplayer with a friend and very little of it in single player. I found Borderlands to be a fun and strong multiplayer game but was lacking in single player mode. It wasn’t bad, but it just wasn’t for me. Well, this time around I spent all my time playing single player mode and I must say that it is so much better than the first.

Borderlands 2 – Launch Trailer

Borderlands 2 in single player mode, is simply, fun to play. It has a very intriguing story this time around that absolutely makes it a far better game. I found the main story much more interesting. In Borderlands (I’m being honest here) it’s been so long that I can’t even recall much about the story. I only remember quest after quest and doing what I could to move forward. This time around I am doing quest after quest, doing what I can to move forward, but also I find myself very interested in what’s happening with the main storyline and characters. I don’t know if it’s just me, but even the side quests feel much better. They can still be tedious at times, but usually revolve around something “silly” or “goofy” which makes it all the more entertaining. Plus, all the enemies are still loud-mouths and talk a lot as you wipe them out.

Borderlands 2 captures everything that was right with the first game and puts it into the second game. That’s one of the first things I noticed. As far as I could tell, the feel for the entire game doesn’t stray from the feel of the first Borderlands. Even though the feel, set-up and look are the same, it has so much more personality this time around. A big part of that is, once again, due to the story of the game. They did right by keeping the basics of the gameplay the same, but did great by giving us a better story, fun new characters, a ton of new and enjoyable weapons to use, and more entertaining personalities. It’s simply a fun experience and much better than it was the first time around. It even feels more adventuresome and provides a better sense of the world around you.

Borderlands 2 – 8 Minutes Of Gameplay Video

The gist of the story takes place 5 years after the first Borderlands and you must take down a guy known as Handsome Jack and the Hyperion Corporation. You have four new characters to choose from as well, each with their unique attributes which provides a better experience. As you progress, there is plenty of loot to be found – an abundance of it! You’ll always be discovering a new favorite weapon, a better shield pack, a better explosive pack while at the same time finding materials that you can use to buy ammo upgrades. Along with leveling up and selecting those upgrades, there is a ‘badass’ ranking as well. As you complete certain challenges and earn tokens, those tokens can be used for additional upgrades to your character’s abilities.

Each of the enemies is as much fun to fight as they were before, but the new enemies are even more entertaining to fight against. I love coming across the new boss battles and the new scenarios that take place. Basically, everything for me was better this time around. I should say that if you didn’t enjoy the gameplay at all the first time around, then you probably won’t get much out of this title either. But even with its many similarities, it’s still different and it’s still better. The game looks great as well with many different landscapes for you to explore and enjoy and even experience.

Borderlands 2 – 5 Minutes Of Gameplay Video

I spent the majority of my time in single player loving every moment of it, though I did get a few minutes of co-op action and I must say that my enjoyment level increased by that short experience. So I can’t wait to play through the game again with a few of my friends. The four new character types will make it interesting in replaying the game a second time around by using a different character on your replay as well. Plus, seeing two different character types working together in one battle is a great experience also.

At its core, Borderlands 2 features the same comedy you would expect with the situations and characters. It even creates a much wackier and fun experience… and should I say it again? Yes – it makes it that much better than before. Obviously the previous Borderlands had its classic moments, but this time around, Borderlands 2 does everything right. Enough of my chatter, this is a game everyone should check out unless you hated the way the first one played.

Score: 9.5/10

Responses

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  1. Going to pick a copy up tomorrow! I’m so excited! I heard it was better than the first and the first was on my top 5 favorite games of all time list so this should be amazing!

  2. Based on this review and from a friend and co-worker from DISH, I added it to my Blockbuster@Home video game queue. Blockbuster is how I rent all my games because buying games new just breaks my wallet. The good thing about Blockbuster is that right now you can even try it out for free. It’ll be in my mailbox soon and I can’t wait to start playing it myself in the comfort of my own home. It’s nice to say that the sequel is better than the original. The biggest change here is that each skill tree feels way more diverse, something the original was lacking..