Photo courtesy 2K Games
By Kirsten Mahon/tr news editor
The chaotic, cell-shaded, gun-crazy, role-playing shooter blockbuster has returned to the masses for one more ride.
Borderlands 2 brings back the vault-hunting kingdom in one of the season’s hottest new video games. Keeping all the best qualities, the title still boasts a ridiculous gun-and-loot generating engine, this time with more detail.
The fans were heard. Some complaints from the last game were about the somewhat weak storyline. The idea of the game has always been good: tons of loot, great co-op and distinct character classes.
For most, the end result of the original Borderlands did not justify the means of a 30 (or more)-hour-gameplay. In this installment, the story is intrinsic to the gameplay, complete with memorable characters including the familiar faces from the first side of Pandora.
The masked villain Handsome Jack kicks up the humor with witty but slightly distasteful sarcasm, suiting his character beautifully. Players also get to meet up with the original four characters. If veteran players weren’t already smitten with the game, the nostalgia will certainly do the trick.
Duel-wielding and mind-controlling, the new classes are better than before. Players who enjoy role-playing elements are given optimal chances to enhance their characters with tokens as well as skill points. Players can better personalize their characters with hairstyles and complete outfit changes.
Vending machines spewing guns, ammo, class mods and grenade mods still dot Pandora’s countryside with new marketing and brings to life a new side of Pandora that now exists with better graphics. Every cell-shaded surface and mountain face is sharply fine-tuned, and animation has improved a great deal.
It’s a run-n-gun-’em shooter with personality and color that sets it apart from Call of Duty and Halo.
They’ve kept the brilliant co-op and added useful tools like an on-screen map and interactive character leads who, instead of sitting in the same chairs throughout the time spent playing the game, actually get up and show Handsome Jack hunters where to go, physically handing players tokens, achievements and rewards for completing missions.
Throughout the game, little secrets are uncovered, the kind that a dedicated gamer will spend time looking for. If friends play together the way the game was designed, the journey and fun will be worth the time spent.
