There’s not much new to Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. And that’s just fine with us. (Provided by 2K Games)
If you’ve played either of the first couple Borderlands open-world shooter games, you pretty much know what to expect from .
Set in an alien world populated by clever but gross-out humor, colorful cel-shaded visuals, and a never-ending stream of procedurally generated weaponry, Borderlands is best when it turns you loose and lets you get overwhelmed in cartoonish carnage.
The last standalone entry, , was one of the finest games of 2012 due to its dozens of hours of compelling gameplay and immersive feel. This world (Pandora) was one you wanted to visit again and again, and it took a shockingly long amount of time for me to tire of it.
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is (as its name implies) a cash-in on the series that basically mimics Borderlands 2 with some tiny tweaks. Its similarities to past titles and DLC have angered some critics, and truly, players who are overly familiar with this IP will tire a lot faster of the game than they might have Borderlands 2. It’s a fairly well-trod world, gussied up with new names and environments.
But man, what a world it is.
This is the last dedicated Borderlands game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, but it still looks fantastic (and may even get ported to next-gen consoles in the future). Texture pop-ins are common right after load screens, but overall it plays smoothly and zooms with color and inspired design. Some of the vistas are downright hypnotic. I would often get distracted scanning the gorgeous sky-scapes on the moon of Elpis, where all the action takes place.
Players pick a character class (Enforcer, Gladiator, Lawbringer or Fragtrap, each of which offers a special ability) and jump into the fight alongside Handsome Jack, the villain from Borderlands 2 who here is given a brisk origin story. A hub world allows for weapon and appearance customization, and fast-travel stations allow swift movement around the massive, segmented world map.
The only real innovations over Borderlands 2 are the new (laser) weapons and the fact that low-gravity allows for basically flying around the landscapes, which can be a breathtaking or annoying experience depending on what you’re trying to do at the time. (Overall I found it fun and easy to learn, especially since oxygen was so plentiful).
Taking the best aspects of a shooter and a fantasy-style RPG makes the endless customizations feel meaningful and earned. Loot-happy players will find plenty to search for, and side quests are abundant (if a bit same-y in their constant fetch-quest tone). Same with the action. Enemies are considerable in their strength as they level up with you, and it’ll take skill and deep knowledge of your arsenal to defeat them near the end. Co-op play is about the same, as are the character-switching and hub world options.
(Provided by 2K Games)
If you’re looking for a reinvented game under the Borderlands banner, you might be disappointed by this Pre-Sequel. To some people, releasing a full-scale game like this (and it is an unexpectedly big game) without adding to it or changing it significantly is a crime. But the thing is, its predecessors were just so damned good at what they did.
This is not a sin of — which is to say releasing a game that has every right to be at least be as good as its progenitors, but ends up being shorter, less imaginative in scope and therefore inherently disappointing. (I gave GOW:A a middling review when it first came out, and have since grown to really dislike it in subsequent playthroughs).
If you loved spending time in either of the first two games or DLC of Borderlands, this latest entry is a welcome return to the fast-paced, over-the-top gameplay of this Mad Max-style world. Load up and roll out, Vault Hunters.
GAME ON SCORE: 3 stars
4 stars = Get On It!Ӭ
3 stars = Nice JobӬ
2 stars = Meh
Ӭ1 star = Avoid It
Ӭ0 stars = Nooooo!!!
