User Score
8.1 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 505 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 53 out of 505

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  1. Feb 19, 2013
    9
    One of the best co op shooters ever. This game improves on the first in every way. There's more great humor...more claptrap....more narrative, more style, more chaos. It's great to finally see a game company finally bring great co op action back.
  2. May 2, 2013
    10
    The entire game is filled with fun and joy.. everything that could go well in a game went well. The guns are beauty to look at and everything is well.. 2k have made on of my favourite games i have ever played.. its significance is amazingly satisfying and i have to say they couldn't have done a better job. the enemies are vastly improved and characters in this game are satisfying and the main enemy is one of the best villains in any game ever! This game shows what any sequel to the last should be like. I loved the shops, the trading and the co-op mechanics are some of the best things ever! I played this non stop with all my friends and it is safe to say Borderlands 2 delivers very well.. everything in this game made me happy to the bones.. Borderlands 2 is without a doubt in the top 5 best games I have ever played.. EVER! Expand
  3. Sep 27, 2012
    10
    This might end up being the best game of this generation. It is the cross between rpg and shooter that we dreamed of since we first imagined the cross was possible (I though of it when playing halo 2, back in the day). A perfect game. Endlessly smooth gameplay, with a faster pace than the original. I just don't experience any 'I wanna get through this part because it is boring' moments here. One of the best games I've ever played. Expand
  4. Sep 21, 2012
    9
    My muted pessimism that Gearbox wouldn't be able to follow up to their previous effort was, thankfully, dispelled in the first twenty minutes. It's great. Another, more wholesome, helping of what we enjoyed in Borderlands with some new ideas to play with. Not many, mind you, but certainly enough. Stuck for a shooter this fall? Look no further.
  5. Dec 15, 2012
    10
    This game gave me something the first lacked : storyline. This game is great if you played the first and wanted plot this is the game for you, a drastic improvement over the first. Enjoyable multiplayer and second playthrough is actually really challenging.
  6. Nov 11, 2012
    9
    I will admit that after playing the first Borderlands game I was not impressed. It just didn't resonate with me. The landscape wasn't appealing, the characters were boring stereotypes, and the looting got old real fast. Now Borderlands 2 is here, I bought this game simply because there was nothing else in the store that caught my eye, I am glad to tell you that this game is a big improvement over the first. The characters, graphics, variations in landscape, improved storyline, it all ties together nicely and creates a truly fun scenerio for anyone who enjoys shooters and/or RPG's. It also seems to me to be a more complete game. I strongly suggest that everyone give this game a chance, you won't regret it. Claptrap is still an annoying piece of sh*t and thats why I refuse to give the game a perfect 10, otherwise its fantastic. Expand
  7. 4DI
    Nov 18, 2012
    9
    Borderlands 2 will give you a lasting appeal that is equivalent to 10 modern games, and it's not just because of the huge amount of missions. It's everything else that will bring you back again, and again.
  8. Dec 2, 2012
    9
    Borderlands 2 is everything right with the FPS genre. Everything from the first game was either dramatically improved or slightly improved. Either way, the series is getting way better. The characters, enemies, weapons, shields, etc, still top notch. In many ways Borderlands 2 is the anti COD and MOH. The game has a great sense of humor and a drastically improved story. If you enjoyed the first, go out and get the second. Also, get the season pass for all of the DLC. I know only two of the four planned have come out, but both are really good and add about another 14-20 hours of play. Expand
  9. Apr 1, 2013
    10
    This game scores 999 out of 1000. I was trying and trying to think of something wrong with the game. Perfect pacing check. Huge world check. Wide room for imagination check. Hilarious check. Then it came to me the title. Borderlands 2? That is the best they could do? How about Beyond Borderlands, The Son, Grandson and Great Nephew of Borderlands or Borderlands Too? That is it, that is the only demerit. Expand
  10. Sep 22, 2012
    10
    In every way better than its predecessor. There are more ways to build your character, more locations (with more variation), a better storyline, more guns (which are all far more unique than those in the original Borderlands), the characters we all know and love from the first entry in the Borderlands series, and more humour. In conclusion, everything about Borderlands 2 is bigger and better than in the original Borderlands. If you even slightly liked that, you're gonna love this. Expand
  11. Sep 18, 2012
    10
    This is a GOTY contender, hands-down! Borderlands 2 Improves on everything such as the UI, which was a big problem in 1. The Skill tree (which is the biggest change), and now you actually feel like you're playing that class to it's full extent, than feeling like you're playing a hybrid class. And the loot system, which I honesty had no problem with, but it works for me here. I still don't like how the loot system is set up online, because it allocated based upon your own party, which could create problems, if you're working with unknowns in your party. Take a tip from Guild War 2 next time :P. So I HIGHLY recommend you play with your friends, or join a forum which has a sign up sheet or something to meet people instead of pugging it, which 9-10 never ends good all the time. There a couple of bugs and glitches here and there, but nothing seriously major, and 9-10 will be patch up quickly within a month time. Overall I'm having a great time with this game, and if you know people online, it's gets even better, but the solo experience is still great nonetheless. This is a game you shouldn't pass up on, and this officially sets off, the hardcore gaming season. :D Collapse
  12. Sep 21, 2012
    10
    Greatest coop game of all time PERIOD. Beautifully balanced and addictive. I can't imagine how much play testing must have went into this game for it to have come out so great. Trust me: you will not find a better coop game out there. They perfected everything there is to perfect to make the ultimate 2 to 4 player experience.
  13. Sep 30, 2012
    10
    There is only two words that can describe this game. Amazingly epic. The gameplay is perfect, the story is great, and the dialogue is HILARIOUS! This is also my favorite co-op game so far. Its still great even if your a lonely person that has no friends. I've spent about 10 - 15 hrs in this game so far and I don't think I'm even CLOSE to the end of the main story. Don't worry if you beet the story too fast, though. There are MANY side missions. Not to mention that there will be four additional DLC packs coming soon. There all also a BAZILLION (literally) guns to collect. Another thing that I should add is that there is the best Easter Egg ever. I don't want to spoil what it is, but if you find it, you will be highly rewarded. There are also some simpler Easter Eggs to find. Have friends or not, this game is definitely worth buying. 10 out of 10! Expand
  14. Sep 19, 2012
    9
    Borderlands 2 is a wonderful co-op experience. If you have a healthy friends list and they have the game as well you are going to have a blast. Assuming you played the first edition of Borderlands you know that it is an excellent blend of shooter, comedy, sci-fi, and of course looting. The game is truly imaginative and Borderlands 2 builds on everything that the first one did. The game is still worthwhile and fun if you play single player but to get the most out of it go online, hook up your mic, and play co-op. Outstanding game. Expand
  15. Sep 28, 2012
    10
    This game is like a first person diablo with guns. Borderland 2 is RPG meets serious sam. Once you start playing it , you cannot stop. I highly recommend this game.
  16. Dec 28, 2012
    9
    After playing this game for a couple weeks, i can write an honest review now that im maxed level, and i have to say this is a fantastic game that any RPG/FPS fan will love. If you're a fan of the first one, consider this a must buy

    Pro's- Amazing world to explore, loot everywhere, cool legendary weapons to collect, fun endgame raid bosses every gun feels different, you can play for 10
    0 hours and never get the same exact gun twice, the game is HILARIOUS and full of references to pop culture, the story is vastly improved over the first, to the point where i wanted to focus purely on the main story to see the ending.

    Con's- Issues with maps, i found some of the quests nearly impossible to get too, the map was confusing to read at some points and would result in me searching for hours on how to get to something that according to the map was infront of me, sometimes you will get unlucky and get too many tough enemies that you have to fight at once and it will be impossible to kill them in one life by yourself, so you will find yourself charging in suiciding killing 1 then running back over and over, this is highly annoying but not intolerable.

    Overall a great game with minor problems but still a must own.
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  17. Oct 13, 2012
    10
    I don't barely see alot of first person with RPG in the industry but however a company named Gearbox made excellent things happened. Borderlands 2 is a sequel to the outstanding 2009 game Borderlands.

    STORY: In the original game there wasn't much story going and not an actual antagonist you have to deal with but the borderlands 1 was still lovable to play. In Borderlands 2 the sequel ta
    kes place 5 years after the events of the 1st game. After finding out that the vault in pandora was just tentacles the original vault hunters decided to go their seperate ways however, what they didn't know in the vault was actually a resource material called eridium where it spit out precious minerals all over the planet. Hyperion took the mineral and was well known for discovering it despite what the original vault hunters gone through. An antagonist named Handsome Jack want to discover what other vaults could be discovered using the minerals. Thats when Jack wanted every vault hunter who wanted to look for a new vault get killed by him and his army. Four new characters replace the original vault hunters. They are Zero, Maya, Axton, and Salvador each with their own special abilities are trying to prevent Jack from achiving a greater vault.

    GAMEPLAY: Still outstanding as ever since the prodecessor. Borderlands 2 offer the 4 new characters their own abilites and how they will play like. Zero's ability is that he can turn invisible like Lilth only that she can turn Dimensonally invisible while Zero is invisible for real where he can go up to anyone unnoticed and deal massive damage on them. Maya is similar to Lilth she is a siren where she can hold enemies with her power and destroy them with elemental abiiltes. Axton resembles alot like Roland where he can throw turrets to give him back up or support on the battlefield. Lastly Salvador is a gunzerker who can dual-wield any gun he wants either a combination of sniper rifle, and rocket launchers or two of each. The amount of guns in the game are 100x more avaliable than the original. You can actually trade with other people either with a second character offline or online. You can trade it regular or by having to duke it out for it.

    OVERALL: I don't have any actual negative things to explain on borderlands 2 since it manages to improve itself over the prodecesssor. In all I think Borderlands 2 is one of the best first person RPG games with borderlands 1 of all time
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  18. dpc
    Sep 19, 2012
    9
    Great game, like the 1st. However, I'm in the minority, I guess, about the new UI. I actually find it unnecessarily busy and not as clear as before, and comparing guns is just as awkward. That said, it's absolutely impossible to put down the controller and not want to push through one more level or pop one more bandit's head off. And few games, if any, make leveling and the RPG angle feel so immediate and satisfying. The gameplay and animations are stellar as is the sound and music. You can't go wrong with B2 because it really does have something for everyone. Expand
  19. Sep 22, 2012
    10
    I was a huge fan of the original and played it and the DLC through multiple times so I have been excited about this game for a while. I was also nervous it would not live up to my impossibly high expectations (especially after how crushed I felt after ME3). I've played about 15 hours so far and I need not have worried. This game is incredible. Graphically, the first thing you notice is that this game is alot more colourful than the first. The controls seem more robust too. And split screen online co-op is brilliant. Something that's been missing from the first game. If you love shooters, buy this game. If you're sick of shooters, buy this game. If you've ever enjoyed a loot based adventure game like Diablo 2 or Phantasy Star Online, buy this game. If you aren't sure if it's for you, then rent it. I guarantee you though that 5 days won't be enough time for you to fully enjoy everything this amazing game has to offer. Enjoy. Expand
  20. Mar 30, 2013
    9
    Borderlands 2 follows the story of 4 new vault hunters looking for the key to the vault. Our 4 previous protagonists make a return in this game with a surprise for each of them installed. An amazing attribute to one of the greatest game series in history. A deadly art style that deserves the word 'deadly'! What, CoD has 50 or so weapons, oh, that's cool. Borderlands 2 has like a bazillion, all with there own cool twists. Much greater gun designs than the first with more extravagant bosses. Great set of characters to meet and a load of jokes to keep you smiling. A fantastic, funny, extreme, explosive action-tearing game. Expand
  21. Oct 12, 2012
    10
    So far it's THE best game of 2012. It proves once again that you don't need to revamp whole game for the sake of making it better. It expands over Borderlands 1 with better story, more enemies, more guns, new characters and cool writing. What's really makes it amazing it how it tops Skyrim in all points, where it failed. Where Skyrim falls into generic structure, Borderlands delivers new content till the last minute of gameplay. And, I must say, gameplay isn't short one. For quick reference it has 18-20 main quests and 108 side quests. And it's only beginning, since exploration doesn't stops with side quests. What makes it truly amazing, that even the smallest quests are thought through and most have absolutely different backstories / structure. As for gameplay, controls are smooth and funny and development of skills only expands it. I can only root for it to become GOTY, since for me, it was unforgettable journey. I hope we see more of Pandora in DLCs soon. Expand
  22. Oct 29, 2012
    10
    This game should definetly be a contender for GOTY. Great story and characters, hilarious side missions and Easter eggs and just fun to play. The only reason you shouldn't buy it is if you hate fun.
  23. Dec 14, 2012
    9
    When I first tried playing borderlands 1 I didn't like it very much. But then my friend told me that borderlands 2 is refined installment that I definitely have to try. And I have to say it was worth it. You will get lost in time looting billions of chests and finding nice loot. You will also shoot guys...endlessly. And the best part is that it never really gets boring. Enemies are fun to kill and you have a lots of ways to kill them. It doesn't feel like shooter for stupid people. If your enemies are the same level as you it will be challenging. You will have to take cover and if you won't you will find yourself in second wind praying that you will survive. Borderlands is also heavily based on co-op which is big part of game. It is more fun be prepared that if you don't play with your friends your teammates can be very annoying sometimes and you will find yourself switching from game to game. If you like fancy weapons, funny dialogues, bloody limbs, and goofy robots this game is FOR YOU. Expand
  24. Feb 13, 2013
    10
    Absolutely amazing game...... especially if you have a co-op buddy to play with. Make sure you have great communication though. I played in the same apartment with my girlfriend (rooms right next to each other), so we had great communication. OR you can play split screen with a friend. I never played this game by myself, so I can't give that point of view. Borderlands has always been a Unique FPS (nothing generic about it). If you love to loot stuff (finding rare weapons and things like that) than this game is definitely for you. Plenty of lasting appeal in this game. Whenever I played this game, it was always online and I have NEVER (no exaggeration) run into any glitches or lag. The missions feel great too, they don't have that feeling where you feel like you're doing the same basic mission over and over again.
    I think people who hate this game are Call of Duty TYPE players who aren't used to the RPG mechanics of leveling up, looting weapons, mods, relics, spending skill points, etc....) All they want is a straight forward game that doesn't confuse them (not that Borderlands 2 RPG elements are confusing, I just think CoD players aren't used to it). If you love leveling up characters and unlocking new abilities, buy this game.
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  25. Feb 20, 2013
    10
    Everything I look for in a video game. Borderlands 2 features a unique world and a fantastic online community. The loot system in Borderlands 2 is flawless. This game was well thought out and user feedback is taken into consideration. This game is a must buy!
  26. Sep 20, 2012
    10
    An excellent game overall. Everything the fans were expecting and more. Great visuals, HUGE gun selection, long and awesome story-line... just awesome. Gearbox truly optimized everything possible without sacrificing anything. One of the best game purchases i have ever made..I honestly don't know why anyone is commenting here instead of playing.
  27. Nov 10, 2012
    9
    this is much better than part 1. there actually seems to be a story to it now. the player advancement is more layered and you actually WANT to invest the points in smart ways. and of course the weapon combinations seem neverending, which if you like a looter game, its great!
  28. Nov 13, 2012
    10
    One of the best games of this generation. Very addicting gameplay, great amount weapons and skills. You cant get bored with the huge amount of content that this games has and you can invest much over 100 hours in this game.
    Coop is a blast and best fun i had in a long time. Woth every penny.
  29. Mar 19, 2013
    9
    I give Borderlands 2 a 9/10 because it's fun, graphically nice, tons of sidequests, tons of loot(weapons,shield & character specific items) & the fact that Gearbox keeps the DLC. coming is a huge plus. Recently a new vault hunter was announced & an increased level cap beyond 50. The reason I believe that players think the game can be repetitive is because if you do not have all of the doc you will need to repeat some missions with a 2nd playthrough in order to work towards level 50; I have 3 DLC mission packs and before completing my first playthrough I had gained a level 36, the second time around you can choose a new mode called true vault hunter mode where you get tougher enemies & better loot; few enemies have new variations but it keeps you on your toes. The game is beat experienced with 4 friends, if you're a loner or are stuck with RANDOMS who hog all the loot then you're going to have a really bad experience and possibly a hard time finishing the game.
    This game was meant to be played with friends and it has tons to offer if you're willing to do even the boring side quests. Like any game which relies on main and side quests, you have to really dive into them to enjoy the game and get a better understanding of what is actually going on in that world. Very few console titles in this genre can do what Borderlands 2 does so kudos to the developers for keeping up the good work and still supporting it's community with new DLC.
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  30. May 3, 2013
    10
    Perfect in almost every way, shape, and form, Borderlands 2 easily kicks the ass of most traditional FPS games (save Bioshock and Half-Life 2,) and delivers an amazing ride the whole time.

    Combat is a fast-paced mix of run and gun mixed with using your characters unique action skill. Admittedly, some characters have the edge over others (Axton and Gaige have a better chance in a firefig
    ht than Maya,) but this can be explained due to the fact that these characters can be used in support roles.

    In terms of story, Borderlands 2 delivers much more than its previous entry. Handsome Jack and all the characters you meet may be some of the funniest and most clever characters I've met in a game. With personalities varied from the crazy yet adorable Tiny Tina, to the just plain crazy yet somehow sane Dr. Zed, you will have an absolute blast seeing these characters in action. I am really, truly glad that Borderlands 2 ditches for the most part, the "never see anyone except the bulletin and Claptrap" method of thinking for a more personal experience with the people you go on missions for.

    Guns are the main part of the game, and they are much improved in terms of looks over Borderlands 1. Each manufacturer has a different style, and you can instantly tell who a gun is made by just by looking at it. This flare of style makes finding the guns much more satisfying.

    With good fun, good story, and good guns, Borderlands 2 is one of the rare few games that can almost do no wrong. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the psycho-fueled fun!
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Metascore

Universal acclaim - based on 24 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. 100
    Borderlands 2 is huge, intense and addictive.
  2. Oct 19, 2012
    90
    It's a lengthy adventure full of personality, an endless plethora of weapons, and addictive co-op gameplay. Fans of the first game would be foolish to pass up another chance to visit Pandora and plunder the incalculable treasures therein.
  3. Oct 15, 2012
    90
    There is a lot to do in Borderlands 2, and even finishing the main story opens up additional quests, and the possibility to go back and pursue any side-quests that may have been missed the first time around. If there is one thing the game delivers in spades apart from its quantity, it's fun.