Borderlands 2

Considering that I usually buy used games about 2 years at least after they're released, I'm usually in no hurry to play any specific game shortly after it's added to my backlog. A gifted game however is sort of an exception- if someone in my family spent $50-60 on me, shouldn't I play that game quickly to ensure they didn't waste their money? That was the case with Borderlands 2, a gift from my little brother this past Christas which I felt I could put off no longer. Borderlands 2 is an RPG/FPS hybrid, and unlike say, Mass Effect, leveling up seems to be a significant factor towards enjoying the game- oftentimes I would just plunge ahead with the main campaign only to get my ass kicked, forcing me to go on some random sidequests for a bit before moving on. Borderlands 2 is also a game that plays much, much better with some allies- as more players join your party, the enemies you face get stronger, but the strength you receive from having sheer numbers keeps things fair. It's nice how you can just pop into anyone's game as long as they allow the public to intrude, and help them on whatever quest they're on, whether you yourself have unlocked it or not. This was how I beat most of the game- following along with the main campaign, I'd hunt for whoever was working on the same quest as me, and join up with them. Because of this the game can actually be beaten fairly easily, which led to some minor downsides. First of all, when I took on the final boss, everyone I was playing with was 4 or 5 levels higher than me, which meant that before I could even shoot the boss once they had taken it down. Damn! And then to add insult to injury before I got any sort of achievement for 'beating' the game (joining someone else's quest and beating a level gave me achievements before) the host booted the entire party, preventing us from the glory of the end-game cinematic. That's ok though, because while there does seem to be plenty of story in Borderlands 2, you're under no obligation to pay any attention to it. Seriously, usually as some non-playable character is congratulating you on a job well done the rest of your party is already halfway to the next destination. It's a frantic game whose enjoyment is often based on how well your team works together, but I think what I'll remember most about Borderlands 2 is that when it was working, it was just awesome. There's literally millions of different guns and grenades and shields to choose from. The world of Pandora is huge and colorful, beautifully rendered with cel-shading. The gameplay itself draws inspiration from modern classics like BioShock and Fallout 3. It's not quite a 'must-play' in my opinion, as no single part stood out as entirely new or original, but Borderlands 2 is a fun one all the same.