Borderlands 2

The first borderlands was a fun and unique game when it came out, but I will never go back to it after I played this game. The game play is pretty much the same, but this time it feels much more fluent. The characters each have their own personality, but I really got annoyed with Scooter and Claptrap this time around. Not to mention you never get a break from Handsome Jack, his character is meant to be annoying, but I don't know if they meant it for some of the other characters. I like that they changed the designs of the guns, much more variety than the first game. It was cool to see the first group of vault hunters again. The music is also really good, I especially love the song "Ice", every time I hear it I start getting pumped up. The graphics are better, they look much more clear, but it also has some load in times and the frame rate tends to drop at some points in the game. There is some glitches as well, some of them even screwed up a mission, I had to restart the game. The levelling up system is extremely fun and feels really rewarding. So far this is the only game I got this year and I'm glad I did get it. I did find the second play through mode made things much, much harder, it actually got me angry but the game is too good for me to be put off.

August 20, 2013. Update It's been a long time coming that I wanted to update this review. I've been playing the hell out of this game the last week. Leveling up the Mechromancer I just purchased. The true vault hunter mode just frustrated me with the one shot and I'm done garbage. The Assassin obviously wasn't the best character to try and get to level 50, well I made it to level 42. Any way, the Mechromancer just makes the game much more enjoyable, the deathtrap destroys everything, she is a much better class. That and I've found much better loot this time around. I realized the only difficulty this game offers is enemies that one shot you, it's just plain annoying. 2012 was a pretty crappy year for video games, so this easily takes game of the year for me. There's six characters to play as, so that's 6 play-throughs worth of replay value. I haven't even touched the DLC yet. So this game is on terms with Fallout, for bang for your buck.

Highly recommend to anyone that likes shooters or RPG's, very fun.

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.

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.

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.

This game is amazing, and a must get. There is enough content to entertain you for hours, especially with the dlc. I have put like a 1000 hours into this game across multiple playthroughs, characters and platforms. The story is great, one of the best villains in gaming history, and very distinctive graphics (cell shading or something I think it's called). The characters are so memorable, and the gameplay is amazing. Due to the abundance of guns, mods, shields etc and enemy types and locations. This game is up there as my favourite of all time alongside bioshock and I keep coming back to it. You don't need to play borderlands 1 before hand, as it's a new story. But there are som reoccurring characters so I reccomend it. The pre-sequel is not necessary though. In overall... GET THIS GAME!!!