Borderlands 2

Game of the Year Edition: Back at it! What a improvement this was over the first game. Not only does the story seem more engaging, thanks to its villains Handsome Jack, but the gameplay/visuals are popping with color, flair, and bloodshed. I also really enjoyed the substantial amount of hilarious dialogue this game had; "That sentence had too many syllables. APOLOGIZE." (Scooter isn't the only funny character this time around). There was also some brutal kills to 3 main characters, which was quite surprising! I might reveal a spoiler so you might wanna stop reading, but I was honestly not expecting to kill Jack at the end of this game. I expected him to carry over in the other games, but nope, I definitely sniped his brains out of his ear holes. It was also a bittersweet goodbye to Angel, but what was the most surprising was seeing Roland die since he was a main character, not only in this game, but in the last one. I'm glad Tiny Tina kept his legacy alive in the Bunker and Badasses dlc. Speaking of the dlc/seasonal missions, I loved pretty much all of it. I was surprised how much better it was compared the Borderlands 1 dlc. Each dlc had lore, and it felt like I was actually doing main missions throughout instead of just doing side missions. Everything in this game feels worth it (minus some of these raid bosses). Not a fan of these repeatable missions, and I'm also not a fan of the enemies not leveling to your character so your forced to do game+ so you can get better loot, which I find a big waste of time. I'm not gonna complete the main campaign twice just so the enemies in the dlcs will feel matched to my level. Hoping they fix this in the other games.

The cream of the crop in regards to co-op loot n' shoot video games. I have spent hundreds of hours on this game over the years, mindlessly shooting down enemies and bosses with friends, leveling up and collecting loot. Definitely the top of the line in its genre.

This game is the best co-op video game of all time and the best of the franchise as well as my favorite video game of all time. I have completed the story/game over 4 times and would gladly play it again. Hilarious game maintaining super interesting plot with a phenomenal (and my favorite) villian and also great npc's such as Tiny Tina, Claptrap, and Mister Torgue. The loot system and farming in this game lend to to very high replayability with 3 levels of playthrough and then overpower levels. Playing this game with a friend will by far maximaize ability to enjoy the game and the 2 dlc characters and 4 dlc locations with new missions are worth your time and money especially Tiny Tina's Assualt of Dragon Keep. Good luck Vault Hunters

Pros:

• Great fast-paced gameplay
• Great exploration areas
• Tons of great side quests
• Colourful and quirky characters
• Great humour
• Good character progression
• Good customisation
• Charming art style
• Tons of weapons and loot
• Allot of enemy types
• Even more fun with coop

Cons:

• Clunky vehicle controls
• Can get abit repetitive

Verdict: Borderlands 2 has allot of content to offer, as well having it's great humour and witty writing. The gunplay and the acquiring of valuable loot makes this loot shooter extremely addicting.

8.5 / 10.

Ike of the Rehash Critics: Borderlands was a breakthrough in gaming with fast acting shooter action and unique graphics. As a first person shooter Borderlands offered more depth than any other platform with intricate skill trees, endless weapon combinations, and simple yet admirable character customization. Gearbox still delivers a superior product with Borderlands 2.

Gameplay: If you are an anti-social anaconda you are missing out on one of the most important aspects of the Borderlands 2 package. Co-op is a necessity for maximum enjoyment. In single player mode there won't be as much action, survival, killer guns, competition, smack talk, and fun. So pull up your big girl pants and join someone.

Action: Endless, challenging, and engrossing. There may be a long silence amongst your friends during intense battles, so refrain from resorting to your single player cussing at the video game.

Graphics: Gearbox continues with cel-shading and ups the anti on big bad guy design and difficulty. Don't worry, skags (which also describes X'es) are still around but outclassed by the newly introduced bullymongs. The beasties of Pandora, although not vast, add a higher level of difficulty.

New and/or Improved: You will experience more guns, larger territories (vertically and horizontally), enhanced villains, new characters, new talent trees, crazy creatures, the capability of hiding old missions you don't want, and character transferable skill points (i.e. add 1% to shield recharge rate, max health, etc…).

Most disappointing: Here it is in a nutshell: Maps are tricky with multiple levels and poor direction, some talent trees don't have a whole lot of variety, and the story is not as engrossing as the first.

In summation Borderlands 2 met and exceeded 98% of my expectations. I am still playing the second play through and have not maxed out my love for this one. BUY BUY BUY, didn't play the first Borderlands BUY BUY BUY. This game is as flawless as it gets.