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Pardon the dust! This page includes some jargon that hasn't been added to the site's glossary yet. I'll be around to fix this later, but sorry for the inconvenience in the meantime. |
Review: Borderlands 2
At a Glance
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How to Save and Pause:Each character is effectively their own save slot, and your progress is recorded whenever you get near a NEW-U station, change locations, or exit the game. To pause the game, bring up the pause menu by pressing ESC. Time needed per session:Plan on playing for longer sessions - possibly over an hour - as you'll need a lot of time to finish many of the missions.
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Does this game pose issues for Christian players?
 | Yes The Borderlands series is filled with objectionable content, be it the violent gunplay or the darker aspects of its lore. So while these games are a lot of fun, Christians should be wary of what these games depict. |
Screenshots
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/borderlands_2_0.jpg)
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/borderlands_2_1.jpg)
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/borderlands_2_2.jpg)
Game Overview
Borderlands was a crazy First Person Shooter that mixed a post-apocalyptic science fiction setting with spaghetti Western tropes, creating a unique and fun experience. The developers promised that the sequel would have more of everything - more adventures, more drama, more humor, and more guns - and I'd say that it definitely delivered. But, if you haven't played through the first game yet, consider yourself warned: Borderlands 2 picks up where the original left off, so there are going to be unmarked spoilers peppered throughout this page!
Like before, players will be taking on the role of a Vault Hunter - mercenaries who are searching the planet Pandora for riches and adventure. Players have their choice of four different characters (six with DLCs), each of whom represents a specialized character class and playstyle. Although four of the characters represent the same classes we saw before (the Gunzerker, Assassin, Siren, and Commando classes), their abilities and skill trees have been reworked so that the new cast aren't just clones of the old crew. As an example, let's compare how Roland and Anton use their class ability. These are our two Commandoes, and they both have a portable turret that they can place during combat. However, Roland's turret is mostly defensive, providing a shield and cover fire. Anton's turret is more offensive, as it has multiple barrels, can be upgraded to fire rockets, and can be placed on walls.
The changes to the character's skills also reflect another major change to the gameplay. As I understand it, the developers didn't like that players were cowering behind cover while they waited for their health to regenerate. So, to make the game more action-oriented, none of the shields provide healing. Instead, you need to activate your character's skills or find healing items during the firefights. This makes things noticeably harder, but I'd say it was ultimately a good change.
Another major change to the game's mechanics involves elemental attacks. Originally, they were a cheap way to add some extra damage to your firepower, but in the end a stronger gun mattered more than what sort of damage it did. This is very much not the case here. The differences between elemental types is huge and may even determine if you're able to win a battle. For best results, you'll need to keep several guns handy in order to have the right sort of weapon for whatever you're facing. Fortunately, there are only four elemental types (fire, lightning, explosive, and slag), so you'll only need to devote your limited inventory space to four guns.
Ultimately, this is a great expansion of the Borderlands franchise, even if it is a little harder. If you enjoyed the first game, then you'll probably enjoy this one once you get the hang of the new combat mechanics. But it's important to recognize that this title is also heavily loaded with a large amount of controversial or objectionable content. In particular, there are depictions of abuse, suicide, and trauma, so this game may not be suitable for everyone.
Like before, players will be taking on the role of a Vault Hunter - mercenaries who are searching the planet Pandora for riches and adventure. Players have their choice of four different characters (six with DLCs), each of whom represents a specialized character class and playstyle. Although four of the characters represent the same classes we saw before (the Gunzerker, Assassin, Siren, and Commando classes), their abilities and skill trees have been reworked so that the new cast aren't just clones of the old crew. As an example, let's compare how Roland and Anton use their class ability. These are our two Commandoes, and they both have a portable turret that they can place during combat. However, Roland's turret is mostly defensive, providing a shield and cover fire. Anton's turret is more offensive, as it has multiple barrels, can be upgraded to fire rockets, and can be placed on walls.
The changes to the character's skills also reflect another major change to the gameplay. As I understand it, the developers didn't like that players were cowering behind cover while they waited for their health to regenerate. So, to make the game more action-oriented, none of the shields provide healing. Instead, you need to activate your character's skills or find healing items during the firefights. This makes things noticeably harder, but I'd say it was ultimately a good change.
Another major change to the game's mechanics involves elemental attacks. Originally, they were a cheap way to add some extra damage to your firepower, but in the end a stronger gun mattered more than what sort of damage it did. This is very much not the case here. The differences between elemental types is huge and may even determine if you're able to win a battle. For best results, you'll need to keep several guns handy in order to have the right sort of weapon for whatever you're facing. Fortunately, there are only four elemental types (fire, lightning, explosive, and slag), so you'll only need to devote your limited inventory space to four guns.
Ultimately, this is a great expansion of the Borderlands franchise, even if it is a little harder. If you enjoyed the first game, then you'll probably enjoy this one once you get the hang of the new combat mechanics. But it's important to recognize that this title is also heavily loaded with a large amount of controversial or objectionable content. In particular, there are depictions of abuse, suicide, and trauma, so this game may not be suitable for everyone.
Story Overview
In the five years since the end of the last adventure, a man named Handsome Jack has become head of the Hyperion Corporation. Aside from being a jerk to pretty much everyone, this nobody has attempted to reframe history so that he was the "hero" who found the original Vault and defeating the monster lurking inside. Since He sees himself - and by proxy, the Hyperion Corporation - as the only means to create peace on Pandora, he wants to release another giant monster and conquer the planet. But, he doesn't expect to find this Vault on his own. So, he's recruited a new group of Vault Hunters to do it for him.
Or rather, he suckered a bunch of people into boarding a train that was, in reality, a deathtrap meant to kill any would-be Vault Hunters and leave them to die in the middle of a frozen wilderness. The player gets the dubious honor of being the one person in the group that narrowly survived the massacre.
Reading that, you'd probably think that the player's main goal in Borderlands 2 is going to involve tracking down and stopping Handsome Jack, and you'd be mostly right. There's just one unexpected twist to that plan. Shortly after the original Vault was opened, a new substance called Eridium erupted all over Pandora. This new material is highly sought after by just about everyone simply due to its rarity and other unique properties, but it also has an unusual ability that may tip the battle for or against Handsome Jack.
In the Borderlands universe, there's a select group of women who possess magical powers. These women, known as Sirens, can absorb raw Eridium to greatly enhance their natural abilities. Players have heard about Sirens before - Lilith from the first game is one of them, as is one of the new playable characters.
The catch is, by the time Borderlands 2 begins, Handsome Jack has almost already won. Lilith is off in hiding somewhere, and the rest of the resistance has been driven back to a small town called Sanctuary. Can the player tip the scales enough to stop Handsome Jack from destroying Pandora?
Or rather, he suckered a bunch of people into boarding a train that was, in reality, a deathtrap meant to kill any would-be Vault Hunters and leave them to die in the middle of a frozen wilderness. The player gets the dubious honor of being the one person in the group that narrowly survived the massacre.
Reading that, you'd probably think that the player's main goal in Borderlands 2 is going to involve tracking down and stopping Handsome Jack, and you'd be mostly right. There's just one unexpected twist to that plan. Shortly after the original Vault was opened, a new substance called Eridium erupted all over Pandora. This new material is highly sought after by just about everyone simply due to its rarity and other unique properties, but it also has an unusual ability that may tip the battle for or against Handsome Jack.
In the Borderlands universe, there's a select group of women who possess magical powers. These women, known as Sirens, can absorb raw Eridium to greatly enhance their natural abilities. Players have heard about Sirens before - Lilith from the first game is one of them, as is one of the new playable characters.
The catch is, by the time Borderlands 2 begins, Handsome Jack has almost already won. Lilith is off in hiding somewhere, and the rest of the resistance has been driven back to a small town called Sanctuary. Can the player tip the scales enough to stop Handsome Jack from destroying Pandora?
Points of Interest
Character customization
Everyone loves detailing their in-game characters to be more unique, and this time around, customization doesn't stop at just the color of your character's outfit. As you play, you'll unlock new head designs and color palettes, both of which drastically change the appearance of your Vault Hunter. Some options are only available via DLCs though, which has led to a new problem on its own.
Lots of jokes
While the main storyline does focus on Handsome Jack and the utterly deplorable things he's done, most of the game is stuffed full of fun references and ridiculous shenanigans. The DLC campaigns go completely off the rails, giving you plenty of silly things to laugh at. Two of my favorite examples are from the holiday DLCs - the example has the player saving Christmas Mercenary Day by bringing joy to Smaller than Average Timothy and defeating a giant evil snowman, while the other silly scenario involves spending roughly thirty minutes listening to Mr. Torque's grandmother tell a story before going out to battle the mighty Wattle Gobbler.
Steam community features
Borderlands 2 comes with 75 total achievements for players to earn. About half are based on story-related milestones, but you'll need to go out of your way to earn the rest. Several are based on exploration rather than combat, so be prepared to spend some time wandering around and seeing the sights. You'll also need to bring a buddy along if you want to earn them all, as a few achievements can only be earned in multiplayer.
Of course, there's also a set of Steam trading cards available for anybody who wants them.
Of course, there's also a set of Steam trading cards available for anybody who wants them.
Skill is more important than before
In the first game, the ability to equip a healing shield and the lack of utility for elemental weapons allowed players to be very reckless. If anything went wrong with the "jump out, guns blazing" approach, they could simply switch shields and go sulk behind cover for a few minutes while they recovered. This style of play is completely useless in Borderlands 2, so either learn the new rules or prepare to get beaten up a lot.
On a related note, if you look through the game's option menus, you may notice an option to disable the aim assist feature. Whatever you do, DO NOT DISABLE THIS. I have yet to hear of anybody enjoying the game without it, as hit detection just plain doesn't seem to work unless you have this option enabled.
On a related note, if you look through the game's option menus, you may notice an option to disable the aim assist feature. Whatever you do, DO NOT DISABLE THIS. I have yet to hear of anybody enjoying the game without it, as hit detection just plain doesn't seem to work unless you have this option enabled.
Overloaded with DLCs
There are more than forty DLC packages available for this game. Most of them exist just to give you additional customization options, so they're mainly for the fans who want to customize their characters in special ways or just feel like giving the developers a tip, but that's not really why the quantity of DLCs is an issue.
The problem is that there's almost $170 worth of extra content available. That's more than double the price of the main game, and the newest DLC, Fight For Sanctuary, is $15 on its own. Generally speaking, you can only add so many extras onto a game before the playerbase starts getting uncomfortable with yet another add on, and the reviews for these expansions are showing that the developers probably should've moved on to Borderlands 3 earlier.
The problem is that there's almost $170 worth of extra content available. That's more than double the price of the main game, and the newest DLC, Fight For Sanctuary, is $15 on its own. Generally speaking, you can only add so many extras onto a game before the playerbase starts getting uncomfortable with yet another add on, and the reviews for these expansions are showing that the developers probably should've moved on to Borderlands 3 earlier.
Tied to other games a bit too closely
A lot of the story is based on the events of the first game. If you haven't played it, or don't remember that much about it, you might find yourself getting confused by the conversations the other Vault Hunters have. A potentially bigger issue is that, unlike the rest of Borderlands 2, the Fight for Sanctuary DLC takes place after the Tales from the Borderlands games, which had some very significant impacts on the series' lore.
Concerns and Issues
Much of the same
Borderlands had quite the laundry list of problems and issues, many due to the game's attitude towards violence and crude humor. The sequel contains many of the same problems, such as a lot of violence, swearing, and sexually charged content. Some things, like the designs of the ammo and health vending machines, have been tweaked to remove offensive content, but this improvement has been negated by new additions.
References to explicit material is also more common, as porn magazines can be found scattered around the world and there are a few missions where the player needs to acquire some racy photos. You'll also occasionally encounter bathroom stalls with the phrase "Dookie hut, NO FAPPING" sprayed on them, which is a crude way to say that the bathrooms not for masturbating.
On the other hand, there's now an option in the game's menu to disable the gore, so for every step back, the game takes a half-step forwards.
References to explicit material is also more common, as porn magazines can be found scattered around the world and there are a few missions where the player needs to acquire some racy photos. You'll also occasionally encounter bathroom stalls with the phrase "Dookie hut, NO FAPPING" sprayed on them, which is a crude way to say that the bathrooms not for masturbating.
On the other hand, there's now an option in the game's menu to disable the gore, so for every step back, the game takes a half-step forwards.
Monsters
Most of the time, the player will be fighting alien monsters or bandits. However, there are exceptions, and these are usually found in the DLC campaigns. The holiday-themed DLCs have monsters appropriate to the holiday they represent, such as snowmen for the "christmas" DLC or a giant monster turkey for the Thanksgiving story.
One of the DLCs, Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep, features the original Vault Hunters sitting down to a Dungeons and Dragons like board game, with Tiny Tina as the dungeon master. In this story, the player characters become the heroes of the fantasy campaign, pitting your adventurers against skeletons, ghosts, dragons, and other magical enemies that are a staple of table top roleplay games. Mimics, a common monster type from these games, also appear and look pretty disturbing with their large fleshy mouths and huge fangs.
One of the DLCs, Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep, features the original Vault Hunters sitting down to a Dungeons and Dragons like board game, with Tiny Tina as the dungeon master. In this story, the player characters become the heroes of the fantasy campaign, pitting your adventurers against skeletons, ghosts, dragons, and other magical enemies that are a staple of table top roleplay games. Mimics, a common monster type from these games, also appear and look pretty disturbing with their large fleshy mouths and huge fangs.
Body horror
The developers promised that Borderlands 2 would have more of everything, and this extended to a much larger array of enemy types. Two of these are worth mentioning here because they're unusually gruesome. First, you have the goliath enemies, which are lumbering behemoths known for wearing helmets. Shooting one of these enemies in the head doesn't do much damage; it just causes the helmet to bounce off and makes them angry. It also causes their skull and a portion of their spine to rip itself from their body like a deranged jack-in-the-box.
The other major example of body horror in Borderlands 2 can be found in the Fight for Sanctuary DLC, where the new villains are infecting the desert (and its people) with strange, mutant plants. Infected enemies are swollen and bloated, as their bodies have become contorted by the weird flora controlling them.
The other major example of body horror in Borderlands 2 can be found in the Fight for Sanctuary DLC, where the new villains are infecting the desert (and its people) with strange, mutant plants. Infected enemies are swollen and bloated, as their bodies have become contorted by the weird flora controlling them.
Alcohol use and gambling
Moxxi's new bar in Sanctuary is a recurring location, as are a few other bars throughout Pandora. This leads to everything from bar fights to playing slot machines, and there's more than one situation where the player has some hard drinks. Of particular note is a specific side quest that requires the player's character to be extremely drunk. To accomplish this task, the player will visit a bar, drink up, and then stumble to the next objective before they can sober up.
NEW-U Nightmares
In my review of the original game, I wrote about how the NEW-U system has created a world where bloodsport is considered entirely normal. To recap, the NEW-U system is sort of like Star Trek's teleporter system - whenever somebody dies, they are simply reassembled at the last NEW-U station they visited, and can just continue on like nothing happened. Advanced versions of this technology can also be used to fast travel, beaming people from place to place.
This concept comes full circle into horror movie territory during The Raid on Digistruct Peak challenges. "Digistruct" technology allows people to scan objects and then recreate them from a digitized blueprint. Scooter and Tannis figured out a work around that allows them to replicate animals and people for the sole purpose of being live targets for the player, which creates an ethical nightmare.
This concept comes full circle into horror movie territory during The Raid on Digistruct Peak challenges. "Digistruct" technology allows people to scan objects and then recreate them from a digitized blueprint. Scooter and Tannis figured out a work around that allows them to replicate animals and people for the sole purpose of being live targets for the player, which creates an ethical nightmare.
Offensive stereotypes
In some of the DLC campaigns, the player will be fighting against spear wielding tribesmen. They're one of the very few appearances of dark skinned people in the game, and their depiction is hardly flattering. On top of this, these enemies are explicitly called "savages", a term that many native peoples consider to be an offensive slur.
Holiday campaigns
Thanksgiving, (secular) Christmas, and Halloween are all represented with their own campaigns via DLCs. None of these are taken seriously, as they are just silly jaunts for the players to enjoy, but some groups may not be comfortable with them appearing in their media. As an aside, it's my opinion that the Halloween story was the weakest of the three, with the Thanksgiving episode being the best.
Krieg. Just, Krieg.
Krieg is a playable character added with the Psycho Class DLC. In order to explain what's wrong with this character, I first need to explain what makes someone a "psycho" in the Borderlands universe. Basically, Psychos are a special type of bandit found all over Pandora. Unlike the others, Psychos have indulged in recreational chemicals to the extent where they can barely function as human beings. They are violently insane, and typically suicidality rush their targets while screaming incoherently. They are mostly cannon fodder for the players, as they rarely think to seek cover.
Enter Krieg. He's a playable version of these lunatics, and comes with all of their classic abilities. Thus, players can now maniacally hack enemies to bits with a buzzsaw while screaming about "baptisms of blood" and other rather disturbing things. To top it off, one of his special abilities allows him to temporarily mutate into the massive and distorted Badass Psycho form - an action that requires some of his bones to rearrange themselves as his body mass increases. FUN.
Enter Krieg. He's a playable version of these lunatics, and comes with all of their classic abilities. Thus, players can now maniacally hack enemies to bits with a buzzsaw while screaming about "baptisms of blood" and other rather disturbing things. To top it off, one of his special abilities allows him to temporarily mutate into the massive and distorted Badass Psycho form - an action that requires some of his bones to rearrange themselves as his body mass increases. FUN.
Suicide
You'll come across suicide roughly three times during this game, and each time it's played for humor. The first person to commit suicide is Scooter's love interest. As a side quest, Scooter enlists your help with writing a love letter and has you deliver it. Upon receiving it, she returns home and closes the door. Moments later, a gunshot is heard, followed by a thump. Bit of a harsh rejection.
The second time involves the fan-favorite Face McShooty. He's a bandit who desperately wants you to shoot him in the face. He'll actually pay you to do it, and he'll also mock you if you miss or hesitate. Should you take the shot, he'll yell THANK YOU in his normal psychotic voice and then fall over. It's debatable if he actually dies as a result, but seriously, asking to be shot anywhere is kind of wrong.
Lastly, there's a side quest near the end of the game where Handsome Jack offers you Eridium for jumping off a specific cliff into the lava below. You'll respawn of course, but now Jack will not only be able to replay a recording of you dying for his own amusement, he'll have the smug privilege of calling you his bitch.
The second time involves the fan-favorite Face McShooty. He's a bandit who desperately wants you to shoot him in the face. He'll actually pay you to do it, and he'll also mock you if you miss or hesitate. Should you take the shot, he'll yell THANK YOU in his normal psychotic voice and then fall over. It's debatable if he actually dies as a result, but seriously, asking to be shot anywhere is kind of wrong.
Lastly, there's a side quest near the end of the game where Handsome Jack offers you Eridium for jumping off a specific cliff into the lava below. You'll respawn of course, but now Jack will not only be able to replay a recording of you dying for his own amusement, he'll have the smug privilege of calling you his bitch.
Yet another bandit cult
One of the side missions in Borderlands involved trying to stop a group of bandits from forming their own weird religion. This was generally viewed as a safety measure, as bandits are notoriously illiterate, poorly educated, and extremely violent. The last thing anybody needs is for them to get organized under the banner of a homemade religion.
Naturally, by the events of Borderlands 2, some bandits have started finding religion again. This time around they're worshipping the magical "firebird", and of course their leader concludes that the firebird demands human sacrifices. Putting a stop to this nonsense takes up a sizable portion of the early game.
Naturally, by the events of Borderlands 2, some bandits have started finding religion again. This time around they're worshipping the magical "firebird", and of course their leader concludes that the firebird demands human sacrifices. Putting a stop to this nonsense takes up a sizable portion of the early game.
Animal abuse
Just in case you weren't convinced that Handsome Jack is the scummiest of scum, there's this lovely point. Hyperion is using animals - and people in some cases - as live test subjects to study the effects of Eridium slag. This process is clearly and disturbingly unethical, and unfortunately, it culminates in the mutation and death of Mordecai's pet hawk, Bloodwing.
Needless to say, Mordecai does not take this well.
Needless to say, Mordecai does not take this well.
Death of a hero
Partway through the main story, Handsome Jack shoots Roland in the back, killing him. Unlike normal gameplay, Roland doesn't respawn, and is dead for real. His death impacts different characters throughout the rest of the game, some more than others, as mentioned below.
On a related note, Scooter dies in Tale from the Borderlands, as putting his affairs in order is part of the Fight for Sanctuary DLC.
On a related note, Scooter dies in Tale from the Borderlands, as putting his affairs in order is part of the Fight for Sanctuary DLC.
Dealing with Trauma and Abuse
Although there's a lot of fun and silly things going on throughout this game, two characters react to living in Pandora's barbaric wasteland very realistically. Both Tiny Tina and Handsome Jack have lived through terrible things, but their responses are almost exact opposites.
Let's start with Handsome Jack, as his actions have already been well documented on this page. Near the end of the game, you'll discover that his mother left him in the care of his seriously abusive grandmother, who physically beat him and even carved his face with one of the handheld buzzsaws psychos carry. Unsurprisingly, this left a "hole" that he's never been able to fill, and it drives his obsessive need to be validated by others. In his mind, he will only be complete by being the hero, the guy with the most toys, and son on. Sadly, Jack also falls into another sad truth about the children of abusive parents: many become abusers themselves. Jack's case is a tad on the extreme end, as he literally enslaved his daughter, treating her like property instead of a person.
Tiny Tina, on the other hand, is a 13 year old girl who grew up on Pandora. This planet is already the worst possible place for someone to live out their childhood, but it was definitely made worse when bandits captured her parents and sold them to be used for Jack's slag experiments. However, unlike Jack, she had help: the Vault Hunters more or less adopted as supported her, with Roland becoming her new father figure. Because of her new found family, Tina thrived in this otherwise horrible environment.
Unfortunately, Roland's death hits her hard, and her "happy" game of Bunkers and Badasses ultimately becomes her means of coming to terms with everything she's experienced. After her cathartic game session, she seems to be on the mend, and judging by her behavior in the Fight for Sanctuary DLC, she'll be okay - or at least, about as okay as anybody else on Pandora.
Let's start with Handsome Jack, as his actions have already been well documented on this page. Near the end of the game, you'll discover that his mother left him in the care of his seriously abusive grandmother, who physically beat him and even carved his face with one of the handheld buzzsaws psychos carry. Unsurprisingly, this left a "hole" that he's never been able to fill, and it drives his obsessive need to be validated by others. In his mind, he will only be complete by being the hero, the guy with the most toys, and son on. Sadly, Jack also falls into another sad truth about the children of abusive parents: many become abusers themselves. Jack's case is a tad on the extreme end, as he literally enslaved his daughter, treating her like property instead of a person.
Tiny Tina, on the other hand, is a 13 year old girl who grew up on Pandora. This planet is already the worst possible place for someone to live out their childhood, but it was definitely made worse when bandits captured her parents and sold them to be used for Jack's slag experiments. However, unlike Jack, she had help: the Vault Hunters more or less adopted as supported her, with Roland becoming her new father figure. Because of her new found family, Tina thrived in this otherwise horrible environment.
Unfortunately, Roland's death hits her hard, and her "happy" game of Bunkers and Badasses ultimately becomes her means of coming to terms with everything she's experienced. After her cathartic game session, she seems to be on the mend, and judging by her behavior in the Fight for Sanctuary DLC, she'll be okay - or at least, about as okay as anybody else on Pandora.