Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel

By: Robert Murphy

At the end of Borderlands 2 as I watched the credits roll, I couldn't help but be a little sad that I would never see the awesome sarcastic villain Handsome Jack ever again (WOAH SPOILERS). However, things have changed now with the release of Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel which takes place in between the events of the first Borderlands and the second and tells the story behind Jack's rise to power and just how he became the man we hated to love. As expected we are introduced to four new vault hunters who are hired by Jack to help him take back Helios Station and find a new vault on Pandora's moon Elpis and become super rich and famous, who wouldn't want all that? Things get crazy in typical Borderlands fashion really quick so strap yourselves in boys and girls. 

As expected, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel plays much the same way that it's predecessors have before as you fight your way through giant open worlds, shooting everything in sight because everything and everyone is typically out to get you. This includes crazy monstrous creatures from your wildest imagination brought to life, scavengers and bandits and some robots too, why not right? There is also the never ending amount of loot to be had along the way as well as they explode outwards from corpses you've slain like a confetti popper. Collecting all kinds of loot and shooting everything in sight will still bring seasoned vault hunters rushing in to play in it's fun and addictive cycle.

This is the stuff we all know though already so let's move onto some of the newer goodies the game has in store. As I mentioned before we are currently walking across the moons surface and like a childhood dream come true, you can now jump in zero gravity to your hearts content with the added fun of having a badass arsenal at your finger tips. You will of course need some oxygen in order to survive on the surface of Elpis and this is where the games new Oz kit system comes into play. Players are given this device almost immediately and will be allowed to go on living during there journey but you need to keep an eye on your oxygen while you play or else you'll run out. It's a bit of an added challenge for everyone but it is fairly easy to maintain as enemies now drop Oz to refill your tank and there are also oxygen pockets to stand in on the surface as well as oxygen machines to turn on too. The good attributes behind this new Oz kit is the ability to double jump and soar through the air and gain the tactical upper hand on grounded enemies, peppering them from above. There is also a new butt slam mechanic where you can slam down hard on your foes while singing "We're whalers on the moon" in your head.

As for our heroes in this new tale, we are introduced to three new characters and one charmingly annoying familiar one to play as this time around. Yep, Claptrap is now a playable character for those of you who were looking to unleash the furry of this little yellow trash can. His abilities are quite unique as he plays a better support character if you're playing with friends, he can give your allies power buffs to aid in battle or sometimes annoy them. Now onto the newbies, The Gladiator, Athena, is another somewhat support class, she features abilities that allow for high shield recharge and an actual shield that can be thrown just like Captain American and also absorb bullets. Our resident soldier class, Wilhelm, shacks things up a bit by no longer launching turrets but rather flying kill bots that look like tiny Galaga ships that rain fire down upon enemies. Finally, we have the resident gunslinger , Nisha, who can enter a super focused state with faster reloads and a faster fire rate that will allow you to drop enemies in the blink of an eye. What's great about all these characters is now they feel like they've come to life more than previous characters, interactions with AI in the game is more present and instead of just spouting out catch phrases they feel real and let their personalities show. 

Unfortunately, my happy train gets derailed as I was playing through the games story which can best be described as lack luster. Handsome Jack is back which I couldn't be happier about and all the other big named characters return such as Moxxi, Torque, Roland, Tiny Tina and many more. They all still bring the classic humor to life still and it is amazing how much I am still able to laugh at the dialogue of a game, even with no name characters throughout the game and their sparkling personalities. But when it comes down to the story there isn't anything to it that will wow people into playing through the missions. I didn't learn anything about Handsome Jack that I didn't already know and nothing about the Borderlands universe I know and love gets changed.

A part of me wishes that Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel offered a little bit more in the way of changing and evolving the gameplay further. New features in the game are fun and enjoyable such as the new lazer weapons and weapon creator where you can mash three weapons together in the hopes of getting a better one. These are tiny additions that polish the game even further this is for certain but nothing really has changed from the games I've seen before. That being said, this Borderlands is still a solid game for any long time fan as it features plenty of references and hilarious characters from the games expansive universe. The new Oz kits and zero gravity add even more enjoyment to the action as you send enemies tumbling over and over in zero gravity or soar through the sky dispensing hot lead on enemies too. I still enjoy popping enemies like a balloon and getting all sorts of loot to be used in my destructive and chaotic playthroughs every time and that is really what makes Borderlands a great game. 

Good:

- Still the same great shooter and looter style game that it is known for

- Oz kits and zero gravity are some of the games great new additions

- Hilarious dialogue and famous faces return once again 

Bad:

- Nothing in the way of huge changes to the Borderlands games

- The main story really wasn't as big and exciting as I was expecting it to be, glad to see Handsome Jack's back story but it should of been more

Scully Rating: 8.0 out of 10 

Borderlands 2: Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep

Zach Goodier

New Borderlands 2 DLC? Yes, please.  This is probably the biggest DLC for Borderlands 2 ever made, and I would probably say it's the best.  This DLC celebrates popular nerd culture, having the entire DLC take place inside a session of "Bunkers and Badasses" that Tiny Tina is hosting.  In case you were wondering, that is indeed a clever legal dodge for Dungeons and Dragons.  And with Tiny Tina hosting, the session is full of hilarity and craziness, as characters from the game, including DLC's, make appearances in this fantasy world.

Hmmm... I feel like I may have played this game before.

The basic story is this: you are visiting a fantasy world that has been tainted by the "handsome sorcerer" that is essentially Handsome Jack from the main game.  How can he be back? Because it's a fantasy game, silly. Tiny Tina, like any good "bunker master," takes inspiration from things that occur not just in real life, but also off of the "echonet" and other sources of media.  The session gets help from characters like Mr. Torque, who provide some of the funniest moments in the DLC for me, but that's not for a lack of competition on the part of the other characters.  Roland is also back, adding for an emotional reunion with one of your favorite characters.  His introduction into the game gives a real strong sense that they wanted to send Borderlands 2 out with a bang, bringing together everything, and everyone, that made the game a blast to play.

New chest idea is neat.  You can pay eridium to double your chances, and if you roll a 20 (a critical success), you get some high rarity loot.

How is the story? Well, if you are looking for a deeper narrative, then why the hell are you playing Borderlands?  And besides, like any good role-playing tabletop game, it ends up being more about the enjoyment factor than trying to blow your mind at every turn.  But this DLC is not only meant as a final farewell to Borderlands 2, it also gives a strong nod to many popular cornerstones of "nerd" culture.  There are side quests that reference Lord of the Rings, Dark Souls, the Elder Scrolls, Game of Thrones, and that's just the tip of the iceberg.  Never has a DLC made me feel prouder to be a nerd.

Welcome back, buddy.  We missed ya.

The enemies have an interest twist in this game as well, with knights and skeletons using metal shields that actually block and deflect bullets, this means that you have to aim carefully, or find some means of contending with them.  There are a lot of new enemies here, all based off of fantasy games, and challenging the player in different ways.  Another addition is the new Pixies, that if caught can actually benefit the player by providing buffs to aid them in their current area.  The fact that they sometimes shout, "Hey, listen!" made me laugh, as well.

Great way to part ways with the game.  Enjoyed every minute.

Overall, this DLC is a grand slam for me.  If you aren't a serious nerd, then you probably won't get too many of the references, which means you're missing out on half of the fun.  However, even on its' own merits, this DLC is brilliant.  Bringing the cast back together for a final round of fun and excitement makes this DLC feel incredibly well thought out, providing the fans with everything and everyone that they enjoyed up until now.  This DLC is worth EVERY penny, and then some.  All of those references to other franchises just add the cherry on the sundae for me.  There's plenty of content, and the challenge keeps you busy the entire time.  However, the loot isn't as impressive this time around, with only a few standout weapons and gear being added to the roster.  This is still a DLC to remember, though, and I'm still going to be playing it for a while.

The Good:

-Game of "Bunkers and Badasses" allows for Tiny Tina to work in all her glory to provide a fun story for the player

-All of the cast comes back, even the ones that we had originally lost in the main story.

-Extensive add-on provides lots of quests, enemies, and places to explore.

The Bad:

-Limited loot possibilities outside what you could already get your hands on.

Scully Rating: 9.8 out of 10