User Score
8.2 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 608 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 59 out of 608

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  1. May 6, 2013
    7
    Borderlands 2 has a lot of great qualities that make it a great game. It's just disappointing that the small things end up hurting it. The main story takes 15 to 20 hours to beat and you MAY want to replay it. The use of the word may is highlighted, because I didn't feel propelled to take another run through the game. The True Vault Hunter mode basically bumps up the difficulty and left a lot to be desired to the point that I just got bored and quit. The randomly generated weapons are seriously cool, but tend to lack character and personality, making a lot of the firearms you'll utilize forgettable. The multiple playthroughs don't feel satisfying and only provides a slightly harder challenge. In the technical department, the game suffers from seriously ugly texture pop-up, probably at the fault of the Unreal Engine. The sound isn't very much to marvel at and the voice acting is pretty inconsistent. The script is pretty well done and I laughed a ton at the ironic humor that they throw in there. The memes and pop culture references are pretty unnecessary though and will probably make the game feel less timeless in the future. The reason I am giving this game a 7 is because of the randomly generated weapons and the humor. It's not to mention that the game is just a joy to play through a couple times, if you feel obligated to. Expand
  2. Apr 30, 2013
    7
    I liked the first game, liked the art design, the humor and gun playing. this game improved from the first one, especially the story-line, which was a joke in the first game. it is also much fun to play co-op with a friend online. however, i just cannot put as much time as i did in the first game, too repetitive overall.
  3. Apr 26, 2013
    9
    This game is great! The graphic are unique and the gameplay is awesome! With over one bajillion different guns, you will never get bored of the loot you will get. There are many interesting characters and the quests are fun and interesting. The co-op is flawless with the ability to take on harder challenges with your friends. Although, the characters are basically the same as the original Borderlands characters with the exception of Salvador and Gaige. Also, there are lots of texture pop-ins which annoy me but it doesn't take away from the game. The story is interesting and I have to give 2K a big thumbs up for Handsome Jack as he is one of the most well scripted villains of 2012! There is also customization in this game with hats and skins for your suit. Overall, this game surpasses Borderlands and is one of the best 'shoot and loot' games of 2012. Expand
  4. Apr 25, 2013
    9
    Borderlands 2 is everything a great sequel should be; it takes the best aspects of the original and expands upon them, improves any weak points of the original and, makes sure that it does not feel like a repackaged version of the original. 2K Games and Gearbox have created a fantastic, unique and engaging FPS, with Handsome Jack being one of the best video game villains of the last few years. Do not presume this is just Borderlands 1.5, this is a great new visit to Pandora. Expand
  5. Apr 23, 2013
    10
    There is nothing negative about Borderlands 2. They expanded on everything that they needed to, and made little changes to everything that they needed to change to make it feel different from Borderlands one, which I invested an entire summer into, leveling my soldier to level 57. I feel like I'll be playing Borderlands 2 for much longer than I played one, and I have logged countless days into leveling my assassin since day one to where I am, as well as digging into other characters. I would give this game infinity/10 if I could, but I can't, so I'll give it 10/10. Live long Zero!!!! Expand
  6. Apr 18, 2013
    6
    Borderlands 2 is little more than Borderlands 1 with new maps and a new story. Little innovation in a formula, that by itself was already unoriginal and somewhat boring. In Borderlands 1, about 2/3 of the game you would be getting tired of the combat, that is always the same from start to finish. Borderlands 2 is more of that. Only now the game is bigger so before you get halfway you will start having that feeling. The gameplay is always the same from start to finish and (surprise!) it gets tiring. Sure it has lots of guns, but can you really call them different? 5 different "effects" to add to weapons, mostly visual, and weapons that change the skins but do mostly the same. Not enough to keep me focused until the end.
    All in all, if you loved the first Borderlands, chances are you will like this one too.
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  7. Apr 17, 2013
    10
    This is one of my favorite games so be warned, I might be a bit biased. :)
    I honestly feel that of all my Xbox360 games (and I do have quite a few) this is the one that was the best "investment". As many have said before me, this is exactly what a sequel should be: bigger, better, smoother but still basically the same.
    I have never been disappointed in this game, every time I play it a s
    mile appears on my face that won't go away until it's time to go to sleep (I do have to work, sadly). There is a ton of content in this game, the gunplay never gets old and the characters are different enough that you need to approach situations very differently depending which one you use.
    I just wish more of my friends would play it so we could do more co-op. Sadly, they are mostly BF3 fanatics.
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  8. Apr 16, 2013
    4
    I gave Borderlands 2 a lot of time, and it unfortunately fast becomes very boring. One of the reasons is the new co op mode. Playing with my limited number of friends online, who have already gotten very far in the game, I was given some level 50 equipment that was used to sell off. I bought so much good stuff and wreaked havoc through the storyline with my level 50 buddies, it then became a serious chore. That's unfortunate.

    Borderlands 1 was excellent, and was played entirely with a buddy of mine split screen co op. Borderlands 2 was exactly the same, and that's not cool, it's being charged twice for the same game.
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  9. Apr 14, 2013
    9
    This game makes my peepee hard. Great dialogue, possibly the best villain EVER, and tight controls. I'm not even a fan of FPS, but I loved every second of this game.
  10. Apr 14, 2013
    6
    Compared to the first Borderlands not much has changed in this new instalment. It is a lot more story focused and it is easier to tell which gun belongs to which in game company but otherwise it's the same 4 guys running through the same scrapyards fighting the same mask wearing wierdos. If you really enjoyed the first I can recommend it as it's pretty much the same with a new paint job, but if you were waiting for a sequel that was bigger and better I'd give it a miss. Expand
  11. Apr 14, 2013
    10
    I loved the first borderlands and now I love the second one. I love collecting loot, especially gun loot that are randomly generated every time. I usually ignore the harder difficulties that some bosses posses and kill them so quick just to find the next awesome loot the perfectly suits my playing style. Yet, when playing in the awesome 4 player co-op, its not so awesome when loot inst shared between everyone! Lets just say, when a gun drops, the whole group will run to that gun and rapidly press X to get the gun first and this is extremely frustrating! Sort this out Gearbox! But, moving away from loot, the storyline is epic. Its hilarious, crazy and just overall amazing. Some lines that characters come out with too are incredible, especially Handsome Jack who persistently taunts you with funny one liners. Bosses and mini-bosses are great, they are all varied with wild names, like Flesh-stick. Some characters are dull, but those dull characters are removed from your skull because of the brilliantly designed characters found in the game, like CL4P-TR4P and Handsome Jack. The characters from the original borderlands also make a return which help you complete your quest to ultimate destiny! Overall, this game is amazing and is probably the best game of 2012, aside from Far Cry 3 of course!

    Melson97
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  12. Apr 13, 2013
    4
    Played the first Borderlands and found it somewhat enjoyable. Playing BL2 was more of a grind towards the end. The level tree was somewhat tedious, the weapons never really kept up with the levels that you made, and the skill points were pretty much useless. Just a drone of a game, no replay value whatsoever.
  13. Mar 25, 2013
    8
    Pretty much the same as the previous Borderlands, with almost nothing new. I just found it interesting when people like squeals to be the same while they expect something different and they'll say "this is not the same game!" or "why it's the same s*** again!" (commonly heard in COD reviews)
  14. Mar 11, 2013
    9
    One of the funnest games I've played in recent memory. The constant weapon/shield/class mod upgrades, BadAss points, skill tree and character outfit customization make this game very addicting. Online play is superb and very engaging. If you're looking for something to take over your life. This is the game. Highly recommend it.
  15. Mar 10, 2013
    9
    Easily a 10/10, but with no real feel to travel fast kinda gets lame. Takes along time to level up after like level 3, best villain along with far cry 3, Vas. Love the look, great humor loads of guns, loads of explosives, and a good amount of environments. With a good co-op portion to the game making it harder to play and win. Not a variety of characters to play, or change of your own style. Game-play is a straight 10, fun same thing, maps lovely 10, story uneven 8 to 9. Guns he-he-he you know the drill. One thing the your not as bad-ass like in the first game overall. After a lot of playing though you'll get your self back to bad-ass. Expand
  16. Feb 26, 2013
    7
    A good sequel to the first Borderlands but i feel this game is Overrated to an extent. The new scenery was a nice change from Borderlands 1 and the game having a storyline was a definite plus. However the game got a bit repetitive too quickly, the skill-trees weren't up to much and for a game that prides itself on having a huge amount of guns i ended up with similar ones at most points of the game. Overall it was an enjoyable experience but one that good have been improved Expand
  17. Feb 21, 2013
    10
    As someone who put countless days into the original, nobody was more excited for this game than I. Borderlands 2, is without a shadow of doubt, a Masterpiece! The nonsensical story of the first game, has been twisted, molded, morphed, and in some areas beaten to work with the new one. Explaining every action taken in the original. The new characters added are unique in their abilities, and personalities. Speaking of characters many from the original return, and have only gotten better with age. New NPCs added fit right in with the desperate wasteland. The majority of the game is spent fighting the Hyperion Corporation from the first game, under their new CEO: Handsome Jack. Amazing writing, and acting make this villain one the best to ever touch a game. The loot system is back, and more varied then before. With each manufacturer having a unique perk to their weapons. The driving has been greatly improved, (Thank God) they even have a few driving missions. The humor in this game is top-notch, even dark humor after dramatic events (Though terrible) still gets a chuckle. Borderlands 2 is a game you can play for months, and not lose interest. Playing with friends in co-op only increase the experience, as enemies become tougher, and more varied with elemental attacks. If you're a fan of the original, buy this game. If you're a fan of shooters, buy this game. If you're a fan of loot, buy this game. If you're a fan of feeling like a badass, buy this game. Expand
  18. Feb 19, 2013
    8
    Overall, this game is a reboot of Borderlands 1 with some gameplay tweaks to make the game harder and the Vault Hunters more vulnerable. With its focus on being a "badass," Borderlands 2 lost the charm that the original Borderlands had. Perhaps this is the way of catering to the next generation. The addition of Crawmerax-style bosses after the fight was nice. But the inclusion of hundreds of other vaults kind of sucked the wind out of the game, and the DLCs so far haven't helped any. Expand
  19. Feb 15, 2013
    6
    Fun game and a massive improvement to the original but some how it just got boring. I don't care about loot so much and grinding to get it is just ridiculous so I cheated tested out all the best and meh is all I can say. If you take the loot out this game suddenly becomes quite dull which is sad because loot shouldn't make a game special.

    On top of that they put out two DLC which each h
    as the exact same running joke about the guy betraying you. I don't know the joke got old and although the game made me laugh I wouldn't have minded a few serious moments or truly epic moments at least to allow me to enjoy the comical moments more. A game that is a constant joke just isn't funny or fun in the end. Expand
  20. Feb 14, 2013
    8
    Not perfect, but better than the first Borderlands (DLC notwithstanding) Full Review Here http://alloyseven.com/articles/game/item/65-borderlands2review
  21. Feb 6, 2013
    9
    Hooked me in a way the first game never did, this game is fantastic by yourself and even more fun with friends. Plus it has the huge choice of weapons that all fans of the series are looking for. Here's to hoping that the rest of the series is more similar to this game than to the first.
  22. Feb 5, 2013
    9
    This game is so good awesome gameplay the co-op is so much fun and there is so much content me and my friend are trying to do everything we have like 75 hours and we still have like 70 missions left even the villain is good but the story is just ok but you dont play it for story but anyways get this game
  23. Feb 4, 2013
    6
    If this game is a crowd pleaser then I suggest that the crowd has confused fun for addictiveness. The game is loaded with Skinner box techniques designed to keep you playing, but the gameplay itself is weak and poorly designed. The humor is mediocre and the plot is atrocious. This game is much cheaper now, so think about picking it up for 30 bucks, as I did. That price is much more in line with its actual quality. Expand
  24. Jan 26, 2013
    7
    Although the game is better than the first one. I really couldn't get absorbed into the game-world enough to fully enjoy what it had to offer. This is why I will give the game a 7/10
  25. Jan 22, 2013
    7
    In order to like it, you have to appreciate the comedic moments in it, and all the jokes that come with it. Overall, i loved playing it, and I believe that it is quite challenging to tackle alone. You will not get bored easily with that game, and you would want to play it over again more than one time. I do, however, wish that more people could join a game instead of a 4-player co-op. Or it could be like an MMORPG, where everyone would be in one huge server and roam the area with random people, possibly making friends in the process. Idk, it seems like a good idea... Expand
  26. Jan 19, 2013
    9
    On the surface not much seems to have changed since the original Borderlands. Play this sequel for any length of time however and it soon proves itself to be a superior game. Both the story and script are just that bit sharper and often genuinely funny, the skill system has been expanded (Including a new 'badass rank' which rewards the player with boosts to their stats for completing certain challenges) and there are fewer missions that are nothing but glorified fetch quests.

    All this and a host of other minor tweaks meant that, while I bored of the first title before seeing it to the end, there was never any danger of me stopping before I saw Borderlands 2 through to its finale. This is co-op gaming at its very best.
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  27. Jan 12, 2013
    10
    Borderlands 2 is a game that gets just about everything right, including the two most important parts of an Action RPG, the Action and the RPG both of which are superb in this game.

    Unlike a lot of games where all the guns only serve as a means to kill the enemy, in Borderlands 2 each type of gun is significantly different to the others to give you reason to choose whether to use the pi
    stol or the sniper, this becomes even more varied with the different weapon manufacturers which gives all the weapons in the game their own unique characteristics. The icing on this cake is the elemental damage a lot of weapons offer, which if used right can make an important difference when killing some of the tougher enemies. All of which is supplemented by the fact the actual game engine is on par with any of the dedicated FPS shooters out there including the current king Call of Duty.

    As good as all this is though, on it's own it would soon get boring, and that's where the RPG element comes in, not only do you have a variety of locations to explore, and some rather interesting characters to interact with but like any RPG a leveling system not only serves to improve your characters signature special power but also keeps the game challenging. You will find yourself facing tough enemies any time you enter a new area, really making you work for your kills and XP, but later on when you return to these area you will find yourself levels above the enemies allowing you the godlike satisfaction of mowing them down without breaking a sweat. As you continue through the game this up and down roller-coaster continues making sure the game gives you both a pretty decent challenge but also a whole lot of fun.

    So to recap, Borderlands 2 is an awesome game... but wait... it gets better.

    Unlike a lot of games where the downloadable content adds very little to the game other than to get more of your money into publisher hands, Borderlands 2 actually delivers DLC that is just as good as the main game, giving you reason to either break from the main story or return to the game.

    Perhaps the best bit of Borderlands 2, the developers haven't shoe-horned in Multiplayer modes into it, there is no Team Deathmatch or King of the Hill, no flags to capture or bases to hold, just you and up to 3 other people running round Pandora, shooting and looting and occasionally getting your butts handed to you buy some of the games harder bosses.

    This for me is the game of 2012.
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  28. Jan 11, 2013
    6
    Let me preface by saying I have played both BL1 and BL2 extensively and played through all available DLC as well. My review will consist of 10 positives and 10 negatives aspects of the game to establish what works and what doesn't. PROS: 1) Graphics are much improved over BL1. Also very little texture popping or rendering issues. 2) Environments are more varied and colorful. 3) Good plot with storytelling elements that really add to the game.
    4) UI is much improved and easier to manage inventory and compare items on the fly.
    5) Creative enemies and bosses with back-stories.
    6) Good variety of characters to choose from, each with very different playstyles.
    7) DLC thus far has been fairly solid.
    8) Plenty of side-missions, easter eggs, collectibles, etc to keep players busy.
    9) Addition of bank and secret stash system is very useful.
    10) Generally more refined gameplay experience.

    CONS:
    1) No health packs - really punishes players who play aggressively.
    2) Gun upgrade system replacde by bad-ass tokens which are inferior.
    3) Loot drops are EXTREMELY low for rare items.
    4) Solo players are punished for playing solo. 5) New Second Wind system is not fun and repeated Second Winds mean almost instant death.
    6) Gun and other loot feel lackluster.
    7) Level scaling doesn't always make sense. Enemies 5 levels lower can sometimes wreck you.
    8) "Invincible" bosses are frustrating and drop bad loot.
    9) Game is too gun-centric. You will have a very hard time in the upper levels without the rarest guns.
    10) Gearbox is patching things that made the game fun, and not fixing major problems like lost characters saves and lost bad-ass ranks.

    So all in all, as an avid player of both games, I would argue that well the game is pretty and the story good, they removed quite a few of the elements from BL1 that made the experience so enjoyable in the first place. I am not saying make the game easier, but the removal of the gun skills from BL1 was a big disappointment to me. I want my character to be a bad-ass that can be stealthy or destroy hordes of enemies. I don't want to be hiding and trying not to die every time I encounter a group of enemies. If I want the game to be hard, let me decide that. I hope maybe some of these things would be taken into consideration for future DLC or the inevitable BL3!
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  29. Jan 4, 2013
    9
    I absolutely loved this game. It took everything that worked from the first game and improved upon it. Great visuals, fun & interesting characters and a great story. But the real star here is Handsome Jack: Best video game villain , EVER! If I had one bad thing to say about the game, it would be that it was a bit weak that they didn't try to be a bit more original with the four starting characters. They're basically next gen variations of the four main characters from borderlands 1. But the Mechromancer did change that a bit. Overall won of my favorite games of all time and a must buy for anyone with a passion for gaming. Expand
  30. Jan 2, 2013
    10
    I don't know where to start with this review so I'll just start and keep it simple. Borderlands 2 is one of the finest games of the year, it appeals to so many sensitivities in the gamer in all of us. This is a must play for any shooter/rpg fan. One of 2012's must play games, heck one of this console generations must plays.

    I've played through twice one in tvh mode and now I'm in for
    a third. This game is addictive and has tons of replay value, plus more dlc and level cap increase are on the way.

    Play this game!!!
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  31. Jan 1, 2013
    10
    Everythig about this game says streamlined,professional,ingenious,witty, comical, hilarious, and of course, VIOLENT! I was skeptical starting this game, but now, i can't stop! it's rich storyline, nonsensical characters, intricate gameplay, and of course the millions of weapons available make this a gem to keep you enraptured for a long time.
  32. Dec 27, 2012
    9
    I can't say enough good stuff about this game, but here are a few of the standout items. It's fun to play! The controls are tight, and it's easy to aim/shoot. If you like exploring every twist and turn of an area, looking for hidden goodies or collectibles, you will enjoy this! The colors are vibrant and the graphics are crisp. The missions are engaging and never seem like busy-work. There are a few fetch quests, etc. but they are rare and optional. You can skip side-quests if you want, and just concentrate on the story. Need to level up or at an area that's too tough for you? Jump in a public game, and play a bit with or go do a few side-missions to gain some XP and better guns. The character classes are varied so you should try them all to see which is your favorite. The skill trees make a big difference as well. Once I had enough skill points to fill our a whole tree, it made the character feel completely new! A neat feature is if you beat a "boss" you can revisit the area later, and the boss respawns, rewarding you with big time loot and XP every time you beat him. Not finding rare guns enough? Follow Gearbox on twitter or Facebook as they are giving out "golden keys" which you can use any time to get a level-appropriate rare weapon, shield, etc. Great game, fun to play! Expand
  33. Dec 26, 2012
    9
    Borderlands 2 was a amazing game witch is better than Borderlands 1 (BL1 was a great game). The characters are soo funny and by far Claptrap is the most epic out of all of them. Borderlands 2 has a story to it(BL 1 did not) and in Borderlands 2 the areas are different almost every time with look(another thing BL1 did not have). Playing Solo is great but this game was series is soo popular with the CO-OP experience, its better than ever! Handsome Jack the villian has to be the best vilian in a game by far, I mean I hate him, love him, think hes' halerouand so on. The only con to Borderlands 2 is how it kept freezing a lot and glitchs I had with it, but you guys might not be having the trouble. Borderlands is an a game you should buy nw as so as you read this review. Borderlands 2 9.2/10 Expand
  34. Dec 20, 2012
    4
    B2 feels more like a B1 expansion pack with re-skins, a few tweaks and some really annoying gameplay bugs. Games too long for a just a rental, and just not worth the full price.
  35. Dec 19, 2012
    7
    TL;DR The better sequel to Borderlands 1, which still doesn't say much.

    To start, just know that there is nothing subtle about this game. The dialogue, "humor", anything, everything is basically in your face, for the good and bad. I'll explain that here...

    To start, the art, guns, gameplay, and characters (personality wise, at least) have definitely been improved over the first. How
    ever, the game is still a better version of 1 that didn't improve on much of the problems, rather, they've been seemingly masked.

    Firstly, there are not a bazillion more guns, there are simply more combos of pre-made guns (modding and making your own is still very fun and an option luckily). You WILL see the same guns more than twice. Second, the feel of the guns is definitely better, but combat is still the same old "going in guns blazing with endless second winds" or "hide and pick them off one by one". The action skills have been vastly improved at least, and are all useful. Third, I might start ranting here, but the story and the dialogue tied to it are...not so good, to say the least. If you like toilet humor and jokes that are forced upon you, then maybe you'll enjoy it, however, don't expect any well thought out humor here. Granted, there are moments anyone can still laugh at, but the humor is still bottom of the barrel and mostly appeals to the demographic of 13 year old boys. The story is also very mediocre and riddled with (bullet) holes. Besides it being a complete reboot of the first (find the vault, oh no bad guys!) , it now has a primary antagonist that belittles and taunts you throughout the WHOLE game. Handsome Jack is simply another mediocre villain, unfortunately, and any potential he had was wasted on his loud-mouthed, arrogant character who taunts the hero nonstop, while never confronting them, quickly becoming a big joke.

    The characters also seem really odd. I don't know if you can relate to any of them at all. Like the humor and many, many pop culture references, they suffer from a bad case of "OMG so random and funny!". If I had to pick the biggest offender, it'd be Tiny Tina. Regardless, they all have the combined emotions of a sack of potatoes, and none of them really come off as memorable.

    Overall, BL2 is indeed the better successor to the first, but even then, the game is anything but a masterpiece.
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  36. Dec 18, 2012
    10
    I realize a 10 essentially means the "perfect" game, and while not perfect I have not had so much fun in a long time with a game. BL2 builds upon the successful aspect of the first game, and fixes much of what was lacking in the first. The classes all now feel more viable, guns are better, the humor is more frequent, it is a very well constructed game. It isn't just a copy paste like many games today. Expand
  37. Dec 14, 2012
    6
    I was a HUGE fan of the first game. In a review I would have given it 9.75 out of 10. And the bugs would have been the only thing keeping it from being a 10. This game is sub par. The gameplay is still fun, and I do like what they have done with character design. However having my inventory space cut in half is absolutely not fun at all. The guns are kindergarten mockeries of what they were in the original, and several have been glitched to where they don't drop or are completely useless. (Cowboy Cannon) This is a level and loot game, and while they got the leveling right, the loot ruins it. Don't waste $60 on this sub par game. Go get the original if you haven't played it. If you have, wait till this one drops in price. I'm very disappointed in Gearbox. I expected better. Expand
  38. Dec 10, 2012
    8
    I've been really astounded by how much the devs of this title have been able to blend shooter elements and RPG elements, overall making it an RPG. The idea is stunning and the game turns out to be stunning as well.
  39. Dec 9, 2012
    8
    Just a few words, great enjoyment, gearbox really did do a good job on game play, but the story is sh*t. It has cool bosses, but they aren't exciting and the game is just not a big challenge, you just respawn where you die
  40. Dec 5, 2012
    9
    I have been playing this game at least three or four times a week since its release date and it has not yet failed to keep me entertained. The looting aspects and the high-octane gun fights keep me coming back for more. I rarely play without at least one more in my party and when you have a full four together it can be quite intense and satisfying. There are flaws (being able to have a four player brawl in Sanctuary would be amazing) but not enough so that it would keep me from playing. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys FPS and loot-based RPGs. Expand
  41. Dec 4, 2012
    9
    This game is absolutely amazing. It has a very nice graphics and a wonderful cell shading style to it.
    I like how many guns there are in the game. One thing that is a bit annoying, is that there is no head shots, only critical hits. But you can get over that. I would recommend this game greatly for anyone who were a fan of the previous game .
  42. Dec 4, 2012
    10
    I didn't play the first one but that's okay because this game rules. That's a well spent 65 bucks right here. Fun, funny, enjoyable, thrilling and awe-inspiring. Yeah, man
  43. Dec 3, 2012
    9
    A unique take on the FPS, it greatly improves upon it's predecessor with tons of gut/ns, glory, and EXPLOSIONS!

    Tons of low-brow humor and fun to be had here.
  44. Dec 3, 2012
    9
    This game is truly an upgrade from the first, which was still by far a a gem. Its fluid game play, "Biziliandy guns," and an incredibly memorable cast of characters and humor leaves just about nothing left to be desired. The DLC is also just as profound though quite shorter. If you love the loot mechanics and its FPS style and humor, don miss this game.
  45. Dec 2, 2012
    7
    I liked this game, but not as much as the first even though this is vastly superior. The story and set up is intriguing right from the get go but as soon as you start you realize that its far far more linear. Its really just go do this, bring me that or kill me this many creatures for the first few hours. This isn't always a bad thing because you get a feel a for the game, the controls, the combat disciplines. The problems start with the difference with side quests and main quests. If you do all the quests you become way too powerful but if you only do main then be prepared to grind bullymongs for a while. Then more problems come with the scaling enemies, oh you like that beautiful piece of kit you just found? Well don't get too attached to it because its gonna be replaced by something twice as better to help you deal with the equal enemies. I know that you level up and gain access to more skills and perks but it really doesn't feel like its getting easier. Boss battles are another gripe, normally grinding beforehand lets you just smack them or hiding and exploiting cover allows you to just ping them down if you're lazy. Everything else is a plus though: the feel and aesthetics of the guns, the difference in companies, the locations, the stories of the characters and the graphics. Unfortunately this doesn't save this game for me from the infuriating mechanics of not feeling like your progressing in terms of strength, the constant replacing and cold detachment to your equipment and weapons and the easy for boss battles. Its good and its a lot of fun to play with friends online or splitscreen but all in all I'd rather play something where feel I feel a bit more connected with the games lore and universe . Expand
  46. Dec 1, 2012
    8
    Excellent game. Once again, we get the silly humor and funny characters that we all enjoy. The weapons are given extra types of stats to help build up the variety. The graphics and animations were given some nice improvements. The multiplayer is fun as hell. However, there are still some negatives. The performance was pretty bad for me, and I have a very high-end PC, but I was able to fix this by making a quick config file edit. There's also a lot of parts in the game where enemies are painfully spammed and you end up just mindlessly tossing grenades and spraying bullets until you have a chance of survival. Sometimes the enemy spawns get so repetitive that you might just dash back and forth to objectives without fighting because of the boredom of trying to kill every enemy around you. Otherwise, the game is something worthy enough where almost all types of gamers should play it without delay. Expand
  47. Dec 1, 2012
    9
    Gearbox software is a game developer that has really developed itself over the years. A few mediocre Half-Life expansions, to the infamous Duke Nukem series are a few of the odd titles Gearbox has churned out over its lifespan. Undoubtedly, Borderlands 2 stands out as the crown jewel of Gearbox's vault of games. After sinking about 5 days worth of playtime into this game, only a few minor complaints are what stand in the way of it being absolutely flawless. Borderlands is a mash-up of two distinct genres, FPS and RPG. The two are blended seamlessly thanks to some truly genius developing on Gearbox's part. Players start at level 1 and shoot/loot their way all the way up to level 50 through a rather hilarious adventure involving many different locations to quest across. Enemies require more thought and skill to take down than the original Borderlands, and it makes for a fun trip that rarely ever feels like it's just another RPG grind. Bosses are challenging but not impossible, and some enemy types are pretty cool. Another part of the experience is a loot system that randomly generates guns, shields, class mods, grenade mods, and relics that scale to the players particular level. Things like damage, fire rate, and recharge speed are all determined based on the level of the item looted. The difficulty and levels of enemies scale nicely to the campaign's pace as well, which is more challenging to make happen than you might think. Gearbox has really created a memorable world here as well. There are only a few characters that I wish had a skip dialogue button, lighting effects are magnificent, and the visuals are generally aesthetically pleasing. Some textures are ridiculously pixelated, but it doesn't really detract from the shootin' and lootin'. There are also many, many pop culture references such as Lord of the Rings and Minecraft just to name a few. On the negative side, the frame rate can be a pretty big issue. The game has a hard time keeping up (especially on the 360) during intense shootouts to downright freezing for a good couple seconds during a double conference call shotgun rampage. Also, prepare to see the "fight for your life" screen quite a bit. You can easily get back up by making a quick kill but you may get frustrated trying to run through enemies, or doing a quest you maybe aren't quite high enough level for. These complaints aside, Borderlands 2 is a game any fan of FPS games or RPG games should buy. I'm still having fun with it far after I hit the level cap on my Gunzerker. Well done Gearbox, well done. Expand
  48. Nov 30, 2012
    6
    Borderlands 2 is a long tedious game, with cheap deaths, and gameplay that gets stale after the first twenty hours, and bad driving physics. The game is long, and tedious because leveling up takes forever. You have to get tons of experience to level up, and to add insult to injury you can't even buy skill points until you are level 10. Finding your way around the maps takes forever thanks to bad level design; you'll spend a lot of time wandering around aimlessly like a rate in a maze. Another thing which makes the game so long and boring is that the fast travel system is badly designed. There aren't enough teleport stations to help you get around quickly enough. I found myself on loooong trecks to teleport stations way too often. Once you level up to a certian point old lower level enemies reward you almost no exp, but they can still kill you quite easily. The result is trekking through annoying enemies in order to get to where you are going. The deaths in this game are very cheap, due to boss enemies being able to instakill you at times. You can die for trivial reasons such as accidentally wandering into a zone that the gamedesigners didn't want you to go. On the other hand you take no falling damage, and you can apparently walk on water. Dying doesn't have too many consequences other than respawning, being taunted by the game, and being forced to walk a long distance to restart the mission you were on. Dying to a boss that can instakill you with one or two mortar shots, and running back to fight that boss, over and over agian is boring as hell. The driving physics are just bad in this game. Expect to get caught on a rock or two, or just ram into a small tree and be forced to right yourself. The game has good points such as humor, and decent gunplay, but overall this is an annoying grindfest, full of dying over and over. Collapse
  49. Nov 29, 2012
    10
    Take the original Borderlands, add direction and storyline. This is epic entertainment! Smart, funny and addictive. Tiny Tina alone makes it worth the fee! Take'em, Take'em, Take'em!
  50. Nov 28, 2012
    9
    Never played BL1 but I love the rpg fps loot whoring mess of a funny chaotic world that is BL2. I always need to get my fix in daily but do get tired of playing after an hour or two and because of that lack of full bore addiction I gave it a 9
  51. Nov 27, 2012
    9
    I played the first Borderlands which i really enjoyed. Borderlands 2 is a must have game in any gamers library. The group missions are awesome, challenging, and require team effort to complete. I have no complaints other than the matchmaking system can be improved, its a little difficult to navigate. For their first time implementing online multiplayer they sure did a great job. Like i said, no real complaints here for this must have game and a huge improvement over the first. Expand
  52. Nov 27, 2012
    4
    I feel that this game left a lot to be desired. When the game first started I found myself literally giggling at Jack every time he popped on the screen. That changed as the game took a very dramatic shift halfway through. I found it rather tedious to work through the story after that. The guns don't feel at all very powerful which is lame, because you spend a retarded amount of time farming for some of them. And the game has been causing a lot of system freezing for a lot of people who dropped between 70 and 200 dollars on it. I am one of those people. Overall the game was a fair disappointment for me. Expand
  53. Nov 26, 2012
    10
    This game is fantastic in combat. brilliant with combat and absolutely astounding with the amount of weapons that are in the game-play. I love the fact that there is a character fit for any gamers combat style whether it be that your a stealthy fighter (Zer0), a defensive and tactical fighter (Axton), an extreme powerhouse (Salvador) or a supportive fighter (Maya). The DLC character is another great addition as Gaige is a deadly foe to have as in a second she can have her robot Death-trap obliterate you within a second. So it is with great honour that I give Borderlands 2 a 10/10. Expand
  54. Nov 25, 2012
    10
    It's an upgrade from BL1 plain a simple. What people don't seem to understand is that you don't play it once and that's it. It's meant to be played at least 2 times to reach max level and start play through 2.5. Your first time playing you might get to around level 35 or so before you beat the game. Your second play through starts True Vault Hunter Mode or TVHM. Everything is scaled in the beginning to your level and enemies are of course harder, you keep your weapons and gear from your previous play as well. Once you've beaten the game the second time that triggers play through 2.5, where pretty much everything is max level for that related monster or NPC and will drop the best possible level gear. Expand
  55. Nov 24, 2012
    9
    borderlands 2 is great.the gameplay is great theres a lot of missions and side quest.very funny i suprised for good becuase i dont like that kind of games i will give it 9/10
  56. Nov 23, 2012
    8
    A step up from Borderlands 1. The humor was spot on and, overall, the game was great. On the negative side, they ruined the siren class with a nowhere-near-as-fun ability as Lilith had. Also, I found myself having dying a large amount of time due to fights being designed for 4 players.
  57. Nov 21, 2012
    9
    Here's how this goes: put game in, start game up, hilarity ensues. Great game, very entertaining,but eventually repetitive. I can only start up the campaign and listen to Handsome Jack so many times. Still a solid 9.
  58. Nov 20, 2012
    9
    BL2 trumps BL in every conceivable way. Better shooting mechanics, better AI, better writing, etc. Personally I love the Borderlands art style and humor, but I also get that the art and humor isn't something everyone will like. The thing about BL2 is that it's so goddam engaging. By that I mean you fire up the game, and within seconds you can be in an insane firefight. Difficulty settings are spot on, weapons are awesome and extremely varied. Overall a fantastic game, this one is my GOTY 2012. Better yet, we've still got three DLC's to look forward to! Expand
  59. Nov 19, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I was a late arrival to the original Borderlands, so my wait for the sequel wasn't quite as long as others, but I must say that I truly enjoyed this game. The comic book/graphic novel style has been completely ramped up in the sequel, and not to a point where it's distracting. A huge world with great variation of each. The addition of new characters, as well as a look at how their time on Pandora has affected the others, were both handled with great care. The controls were quite a bit smoother than the previous iteration, leading to much more fluid gameplay. The humour of BL2 eclipses that of the original, with points where I actually laughed out loud. Having cleared the game, and now replaying through with my brother, I am anticipating the jokes and the entire story again. A much more extensive story, where you don't feel a huge build-up to very little climax (which I found with BL1). There were multiple times where I was thinking I was done, only to see a new chapter opening. Having played with three characters now (Zer0, Axton, & Gaige), there is a noticeable difference between character ability (eg; Mechromancer's sniper skill pales in comparison to that of Zer0) My only complaints about the game would come by way of the little things. There were many parts of the worlds where it looked like you could get behind something, jump up a rock, etc, and there was the invisible wall that stopped you. Only really annoying when trying to achieve challenges, looking for vault symbols, etc. Also, another annoyance, carried over from the original, was the items that disappeared into the ground, where you had to be at the exactly perfect angle in order to pick it up. Although the pickups were generally easier, that polish was the only thing that kept me from giving this game a 10!

    Happy hunting!
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  60. Nov 19, 2012
    9
    The BEST MMO type of game on consoles to date!! This game should be in the running for game of the year!! Lets get to it!!

    Graphics = 9 Yes there still Cell Shaded. That said they are gorgeous! They are a step up from the original and there are a lot of new things and additions to the style they have developed that make your eyeballs want to pop out of your head! There are a few
    hiccups and graphical glitches here and there that could have been polished out but over all the game is beautiful!!

    Gameplay = 10 The time you spend with your friends helping them out, leveling them up, finishing quests, trading weapons, and generally just having fun seems endless! The world seems Pandora seems alive and well, even if it is out to kill you every second your in it! The characters are very stylized and all are full of life as you would expect from the developers that gave life to claptrap! There are lots of creatures and baddies to kill of all different kinds and finding the right weapon for the job is half the fun. The boss fights are basically all about finding the soft spot and hitting it till the boss dies but its still fun and a good challenge. There are a butt load of weapons! They all act differently according to the manufacturer and the type of stats they have. The levels seem a little more linear than they did in the first game, this is something I personally loved and felt that it kept the game fast and furious instead of wandering around aimless in the same droll looking desert the whole game. Music/Sound EFX = 8 They went with the Dubstep sound track on this one... that said ..its a bit weak for Dubstep. For the most part the sound EFX are the same as the original game and don't really change much. So personally there's nothing really thought provoking or groundbreaking here. The only thing that really redeems the soundtrack is the voice acting! If it weren't for the great voice acting and character style this game would be an audio mess!! That said the characters are full of life and humor most of the time!

    Controls = 9 The Controls are the same as the first game. Nothing has changed but they still feel natural and don't get in the way of the fun of the game! I guess it would be nice to have a little more customization to the controls but I really didn't find my self having problems with the defaults.

    Replay = 10 Lots of re-playability with 5 classes and 1 expansion already out, it seems like there will be plenty
    of content to come. This game should be in every ones rotation for a long time to come! Over All! = 9 This is a Must have game for anyone who owns a gaming platform!!
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  61. Nov 13, 2012
    8
    I'm a big fan of Borderlands 1, Borderlands 2 is much of the same with a minor exception. i felt the main story was a bit lacking. But this game is still amazing and recommended to all.
  62. Nov 13, 2012
    10
    I can't stop playing this game. It is so much fun. I enjoyed Borderlands 1, but I got bored of it fairly quick. This is not the case with 2. Over 60 hours and I am still loving it. It follows the same formula as Borderlands 1 but it improves on pretty much everything. It might not be the perfect game, but I am giving it a perfect 10, as I have enjoyed evey minute.
  63. Nov 13, 2012
    10
    Never were a fan of looting games... thought i'd check this one out (also for coop with my wife)... it blew our mind. The gameplay in combination with the comicstyle, the looting system and all other features is simply ADDICTING (especially Splitcreen). Let me list up what i like:
    - Many variations of enemys and environments keep the game interesting even after tons of hours of playing
    -
    Different types of Rakks, Bandits, Midgets, Stalkers, Skags, Bullymongs, Threshers, Robots, Endbosses and more... (DLCs bring you more types of enemys like Pirates...)
    - Different environments in smooth transition: Deserts, Hills, Ice, Industrial, Urban and more...
    - TONS of weapons and gear: It will never be boring to use weapons and gear, because of the large variation
    - 50 Hours BEAST campaign: Unique characters in a funny world and a tough storyline keep you entertained and excited - Many comprehensive elements in story, environment, gear and characters
    - Remarkable villain-endboss, which leaves footprints everywhere in the world
    - No cutscenes, you experience most of the story in egoperspective
    - Many Endbossfights
    - Witty anecdotes
    - Many quests that give you a deeper look into Pandora
    - Balanced, not overpowered or underpowered classes
    - Motivating gameplay mechanics, that prevent that you get bored
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  64. Nov 11, 2012
    9
    I'm impressed. BL2 is everything BL1 was and more. An even bigger variety of weapons and plenty of laughs. There's virtually nothing that hasn't been improved upon from an already entertaining game. The only downside I would say, and this is just my opinion, is no longer being able to pop a target's limbs off. I had hoped turning on the gore would cure that. But alas, it did not. Perhaps the purpose for that is future DLC/$. But there's a satisfying level of sadism when you take an enemy down with any of the elements be it from a weapon or an exploding barrel.. Expand
  65. Nov 9, 2012
    10
    My brother originally picked this title up because he and I love co-op games, and BL2 had well-reviewed co-op play. In this respect, and many others, it did not disappoint. Although there are occasional glitches, gameplay is generally smooth and very fun. The incredible variety of weapons and customization throughout really adds to the game, and there's just the right proportion of humor to gameplay. Definitely a great buy, especially if you're looking for a game to play with someone else. Expand
  66. Nov 9, 2012
    8
    did not disappoint, great game. played several of the characters all the way to 50. wish there was more of the amazing orange guns but if you want a game you can pick up and get your moneys worth out of a game this is it.
  67. Nov 9, 2012
    8
    I bought this game uncertain if I would enjoy it, but I took the chance and it was one of the best decisions I ever made as a religious gamer. Borderlands 2 is a genre like no other, being an RPG/FPS and feels like so many different great games all wrapped into one. I have played it non-stop (breaks for work and food of course) since the purchase and won't stop until I beat it completely. The guns are amazing, the story is great, and the characters are funny and original. I've heard the co-op is tons of fun but I have been playing solo and having a blast. Expand
  68. Nov 7, 2012
    10
    Only one of the masterpieces of this console generation! While other game developers fall all over themselves trying to ape Call of Duty, Gearbox has perfected the cooperative experience and makes teaming up with your friends to fight the machine an addictive and endlessly gratifying experience.
  69. Nov 6, 2012
    0
    Twice I tried to force myself to finish this game, and twice I have decided it is not worth my time. Sub-mediocre writing and story pasted on a 20 hour gear check with invisible walls and **** physics. Don't waste your time on this crap, its all hype.
  70. Nov 5, 2012
    6
    An incredibly juvenile adventure which gets old real fast. By gritting my teeth I made it to level 15, but by then I was too bored of the variable difficulty curve, running out of ammo despite being conservative with it, the terribly poor vehicles (halo warthog's were better), the uninspiring environments, the jaggies and graphic design and..OMG.. the head bashing weapon randomiser comparision engine. It beggars belief that others actually finished this lame turkey and would actually pony up for the DLC. If the game was composed of the first 20 minutes being repeated for 20 hours, I don't think anyone would notice. Expand
  71. Nov 4, 2012
    3
    The game itself is so overrated, gameplay is repetitive, the feel of it is a huge letdown.

    ... Meh. Don't get it, it gets boring after an hour of playing. You really don't want to play it more than an hour or so.
  72. Nov 3, 2012
    7
    • Borderlands 2 is a game where you run around an open environment while shooting all manner of crazy creature, robot and bandit in the face and collecting the various items that pop out of them so that you can then take on larger more powerful creatures for even better loot.
    • Frequently well executed humor but relies heavily on geek culture references and juvenile jokes that s
    truggle to be heard over gunfire and other NPC conversations.
    • A horrible "walk here, now here, now kill this then walk over there" quest system made worse by a poor map and tracking system.
    • A heavy co-op focus that includes such enemies as the guy with the shield that needs to be flanked.
    • While still arguably the best RPG loot grab / first person hybrid game, there is a clear sense of trying to do more than the first and failing to execute on some otherwise great ideas but it is still a great time to be had by a group of friends.
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  73. Nov 2, 2012
    7
    I have played this game offline till the end of the game. The story was great, the weapons feel amazing and there are a lot of different enemies. The best thing of the game is the voice acting and the interactions between friends and enemies. I was impressed and I was about to give this game a 8 or higher. But after I went online I lost my save.. and I was not happy with that. Thats something 2K needs to fix in the future! Expand
  74. Oct 31, 2012
    10
    They took the original borderlands game and improved everything about it. There are a lot of options for character customization and lots of options on the different skill trees to change the way your character plays. The action is intense and the looting is addictive. If you don't have it yet you should pick it up, you won't regret it.
  75. Oct 31, 2012
    8
    The game is solid and is a much improved version of Borderlands 1. That being said this formula gets tired (at least for me) over time so I finished it with two different characters (Zero and Axton) then stopped and have no intention of bothering with the add-ons. To me it seems everyone races to level 50 then struggles to find Bee shields with slightly better stats than their other one and the fun of finding unique weapons eventually dies out a bit as well as finding all the collectables in the game. Absolutely worth a play and a great game but can't give it higher than an 8. Expand
  76. Oct 31, 2012
    10
    This game is fantastic... its so much more fun than 1 see my review here at my school's site http://palyvoice.com/2012/10/30/borderlands-2-sets-the-bar-for-shooters/
  77. Oct 30, 2012
    6
    Have you played the first Borderlands? Did you enjoy it? If you did play it and enjoy it, chances are that you'll enjoy this too. If you played the first one and didn't enjoy it, then stay far away from this game. Now lets get to a review for people that are new to the series. Borderlands 2 looks good. There's plenty of character customization. It controls well, although shooting with any sort of accuracy is impossible until you level up a few times. The first couple of hours will feel like you have a vibrator attached to all your guns. And the guns. There's so many of them. Too many to tell you the truth. And that's one of the main problems. A shooter should be about shooting, not inventory management and comparing statistics. I miss the days when there were no more than 10 guns in a game. Looking for a good story? Look elsewhere. Like the first Borderlands, you'll find yourself doing non-stop fetch quests. I assume they have something to do with the story, but I couldn't be bothered to care. Something about vaults and vault-hunters. Some guy named Handsome Jack that wants to hog all the glory and riches for himself and sets out to stop you. Not sure where you and your party came from, but who cares. There's loot to be found. In summary, if you enjoyed the first Borderlands then you'll like this one as much, maybe a little bit more. If you didn't like the first one, stay away. This is pretty much more of the same. If you're new to the series, I'd suggest renting first. Expand
  78. Oct 30, 2012
    9
    I have played many hours of this game and can honestly say it is fantastic!!! After all this time since playing Borderlands I forgot just how awesome it was until I played this fantastic upgrade from the original. This game is hilarious and the game play is still fantastic. If this game didn't seem like a complete copy of the original I'd give it a perfect 10.
  79. Oct 30, 2012
    10
    This will probably be the best game released by a major studio, that isn't a huge franchise (Halo, Call of Duty, Assassin's Creed), this year. That's hugely significant, and yet Borderlands 2 surpasses any and all expectations that come with that.

    The game has a fantastic hook- basically Diablo with guns. That's a very interesting concept on paper, but when actually applied, is even bet
    ter than you can imagine. You're constantly looking for better stuff, swapping and trading to completely arm yourself against the masses of enemies on Pandora. And trust me, you'll need it. Along with the guns, you have 4 (5 if you preordered or bought it) to choose from.

    Along with that, the story is good. You're tasked with bringing down Handsome Jack, a tyrant who has Pandora in his grasp. This time it's not some lame, thrown together mess, like the first one. Rather than that, this story is compelling, emotional, and just good as a whole. Also, the game has stunning graphics. Even on a console they look vibrant, and I've seen it on PC as well. They're astonishing. The cel-shaded look really brings a slick, sugary layer to the violence that goes on in the game.

    Overall, this game has almost no flaws that I can think of. Therefore, a perfect score. 10/10
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  80. Oct 30, 2012
    10
    Good Lord! Since when do graphics make a game good? Furthermore those aren't bad graphics, it's just a different art style than most games, when did people stop reviewing games based on replay value? As for the gore, someone mentioned that it's toned down in this game, and I have no idea what they're talking about. As an avid fan but reasonable critic of the first game I can confidently tell you that this game takes a great idea, and improves on absolutely everything. The voice acting is great and is complimented by some great writing, the settings are magnificent and diverse (unlike the first which had cool landscapes but they were all pretty similar), there is also actually a plot in BL2 as opposed to its predecessor, the guns are cooler, the skill trees are more balanced, and they added some skill tree options that are geared more towards multiplayer without forsaking us single player gamers. This game literally improved on everything from the first, and in my opinion the only way you won't enjoy this game is if you don't like FPS, RPGs, or both (or if you straight up don't get what all the fuss is about with this franchise, which is fine because everyone has their own tastes). Finally the vault is actually worth opening; instead of being disappointed by a few low rarity weapons at the end of the game, I was rewarded with two legendary weapons (rarest in the game), plenty of other valuable guns, and an itch to start "True Vault Hunter Mode". In conclusion, if you like FPS, RPGs, or both then check this game out, if FPS or RPGs aren't your thing then maybe not, but everyone should at least give it a try if they're given a chance; I live in a house with three non-gamer roommates and two of them are already hooked. Expand
  81. Oct 29, 2012
    6
    This game is fun and guaranty a long game play, but the at one point the it get difficulty to get nice weapons and other items and you need to kill over an over certain boss or enemies to see if you can get a good item. I dont want to farm like a mmorpg four hours to get the the best weapons in the game.
  82. Oct 28, 2012
    10
    This game is waaaay better then the first borderlands, its funner, smother and looks **** awesome this is easily one of my newest Favorite games of all time, defiantly worth buying
  83. Oct 27, 2012
    9
    A great game with a unique art style and tongue in cheek humour. The technical side is great with good textures but let down by texture pop-in.The quests are more varied than its predecessor, but let down by some repetitive fetch quests. Overall 9.3/10-Outstanding
  84. Oct 27, 2012
    10
    This game is excellent. Graphics and gameplay are fine but nothing too showy, though personally I find the indie pop art feel to the game to be fantastic. The real value though comes from the excellent writing. The story arch is well done and the optional quests are well-worth it. Great one liners from a host of characters and the main cadre is very endearing. It is very easy to get deeply involved and the respawn of units and bosses makes just mucking about great fun. This game is perfect if you are looking for something to throw a hundred or so hours of fun into. Plus, don't forget future DLC and Co-Op options. Expand
  85. Oct 27, 2012
    9
    Borderlands 2 does a great job of building off of the success of the first game in nearly every way. In terms of graphics, you're not getting anything too new here, however the fine details and new customization skins really add flair, allowing users to personalize their adventure even more. The greatest thing about this series, is there is ALWAYS something to do - even if by chance you complete all of the side quests, there's plenty of fun to be had in roaming Pandora and exploring new things. Expand
  86. Oct 25, 2012
    8
    More of the same but still a great game. The hilarious characters with excellent writing and flawless voice acting brings the world of Pandora to life and exploring the new locations is a good time. The gameplay remains the same as it's predecessor, gunplay is satisfying and trying out new guns is always a joy. It's in the overall structure of the missions I think the game falters a bit, like the original, it's just tedious back and forth doing boring tasks and to many side quests feels like chores. And the boss fights are annoying and badly designed.

    Better then the original? Yes in every way, but it still remains very similar to it. So if you didn't like the first game, you'll probably wont like Borderlands 2. But if you did, you'll have a great time, and make sure you bring some friends!
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  87. Oct 24, 2012
    0
    When playing a game that plays like DLC, you might as well just wait for all the DLC in one complete package. When you expect little, you get games like this. I loved the first one, bought the GOTY about a year and a half ago, and this sequel actually seems to fall a bit short of the first. Absolutely terrible and cringe-worthy humor from (pick your least favorite sitcom and insert here). The story seems to get in the way of the gameplay, and makes less and less sense as the game wears on. Wear on it will, as the last ten hours of the game are basically fetch missions that have you scratching your head each time and wondering why the game didn't have an endpoint earlier. Play in coop, as then you won't have to listen to any dialogue in the game at all. About as good as Gearbox's last game, Duke Nukem Forever, yet less funny and less classy.

    There is sure to be the complete DLC collection to this DLC collection in about a year, priced at about forty bucks compared to the $100, or close to it, you are going to pay in installments. Forget layaway, just wait.

    Not sure how long this review will stay up, as Gearbox is teaming up with Metacritic to let you know that you must like the game.
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  88. Oct 24, 2012
    1
    This would have been my favorite game ever. Shortly after release the game started freezing on me and thousands of other players as you can see in the gearbox forums essentially locking us completely out of the game. With no apology or patch, this is unnaceptable. I paid 60$ for a game I can't play. That's why it gets a zero instead of a 10. I'll never buy another gearbox game due to their lack of fixes and pure greed. Randy Pitchford deletes tweets when they talk about the freeze and ignores the issue. It doesn't matter how good the game is if you can't play it. Shameful. Expand
  89. Oct 23, 2012
    9
    I loved the first Borderlands, I picked it up thinking it was going to be a deep and rewarding RPG but when i put it in it was more like the smooth first person shooting of Call of duty, mixed with Rpg elements and the enemies are weird. Now ive scooped together sixty dollars and figured i would try this one out. The moment i was let loose to shoot stuff and loot, i was having an immense amount of fun. You;ll notice that the gunplay is a lot more satifying then the last game, and a lot smoother. The game says that there are even more guns in this game. Well from what ive noticed there is a lot more guns. But the system is basically the same, because youll notice that ninety percent of the guns you pick up are complete sh*t but they have tweaked the grenades and the shields as well so that each one is different no matter what. Ive found grenade mods that when i threw it four flamethrowers come out and deal massive fire damage. Cool. The character classes are the same but there abilities are different. The commando still throws out a turret but it can do alot more things thanks to the skill tree for you character. This game is very good and if your still wondering whether or not to pick it up stop thinking about it, and buy it. Even if you havent played the first game you will enjoy the hell out of this game its really fun, and an immense time sink. Expand
  90. Oct 22, 2012
    10
    Love this game in all aspects. Great Story,Sound, Graphics and Game-play. Must own for any Borderlands, BioSchock or end of the world fans. Looking forward to all additional DLC. 10/10
  91. Oct 16, 2012
    5
    I completed borderlands 2's normal play through and i am now about half-way through true vault hunter mode. so i though it would be timed to put up my review. I really enjoyed the game overall. it has good graphics, lovable characters, a good leveling system, and a crap ton of guns. Not to mention a storyline that is vastly improved. On the other hand, everything from BL2 seems to be recycled from BL1. after 20 hours or so in game, everything starts to feel bin there done that, and kind of gets stale and boring. Even though looting is fun, 99.99% of the loot is worse than what you already have. its a real pain in the butt to find guns that are on par with your level. even then stores sell guns that are about 5 levels below me. i also find enemies scaling to be off, iv'e run into enemies that are 5 or 6 levels below me that can kill me with a few shots (doesn't sound right to me). Those issues aside, i think its time for Gearbox to allow players to create their own characters. The main playable characters have little to no back round or story, not to mention they are really just a re skinning of the characters from BL1. i would also like to have seen more outfits for each character. All the skins are just color swaps. Overall , the fun in BL2 can be quickly overshadowed by the childish (un-funny) humor, or some odd game design choices. Expand
  92. Oct 14, 2012
    5
    I am not the most ardent FPS playing out there. I do not enjoy most FPS games and generally find them lacking. I tried borderlands 2 because it was supposed to be an action rpg/fps. I found that the action rpg side of the game was very lacking. The weapons were bad in general. Little i found was of use. The beginning of the game was just an excuse for self flagellation. I felt miserable and forced my way through the first few hours of the game hoping it would get better as i actually got my action skill and started spending points on other things, but it never really got much better for me. I don't understand why I was forced to wait 5 levels to get the only key difference between the classes. Expand
  93. Oct 13, 2012
    3
    I became somewhat board of it, I attempted to play Borderlands 1 but never got into it, my cousin dragged me into playing BL2 and I got to say playing that game was more like a chore for me as I did not want to offend my cousin as he really wanted me to enjoy the game. The game makes my head hurt, people will say that your just not smart enough to understand and appreciate the dynamics and complexity of the game. But in all honesty its too much for me, the plot doesn't captivate me and it doesn't drive me to through. If the graphics weren't enough the whole concept doesn't grasp me and its to much work to actually enjoy the game. Expand
  94. Oct 12, 2012
    7
    Let me start by saying I LOVED #1. I'm trying to love #2 but i can't. It's so repetitive and same thing over and over.

    I didn't finish it and not sure i will -Game was fun but got boring quickly.
    This review was for single player only, as i never go on-line.
  95. Oct 12, 2012
    10
    If you were a fan of the first title and asked yourself "Boy I sure could use more guns, loot, enemies, and bigger maps" than look no further. Borderlands 2 exceeds everything the first game had to offer. The new characters are fantastic and very diverse, but also very zany. The more storied focus campaign is a welcoming addition with a robust group of interesting characters. The core game though is still the co-op loot fest that everyone loved in the first game. So grab some friends or go alone because there is much to be explored in Pandora. Expand
  96. Oct 11, 2012
    10
    Bad.Ass.

    There isn't much more to be said here. This was my first borderlands game. This game had me hooked from start to end, and then sunk me back in the new game + mode. Utterly brilliant design, simplistic yet with deep RPG mechanics blended in a FPS environment and an amazing artistic style, and let's not forget the best part .. the humor !!! So so funny, every character has so muc
    h personality. Can't wait for the DLC and any future games. Expand
  97. Oct 9, 2012
    7
    The game actually has a plot, Although it isn't that good. Combat is just as good as the first game, Graphics are a heck of a lot better as well. What annoys me most about the game is that you can no longer grind out levels. You simply have to fight in areas where enemies are the same level (give or take a level) as you are in order to gain any decent experiance that is incredibly annoying. I like the game and it is well done, It's just annoying to deal with in the long haul due to it's difficulty. Expand
  98. Oct 9, 2012
    9
    Borderlands 2's tagline should read "For the community, by the community". I say this because literally every single aspect that i did not not like from the original Borderlands has been removed or amped up to be an enjoyable aspect of the game. The narrative is superb both funny and at times gut wrenching at others. Playing through once isnt enough as beating the game the first time unlocks True Vault Hunter Mode which raises the difficulty, changes enemy names and looks and includes more powerful loot and a chance at hitting the level cap. The NRA should endorse this wonderful game Expand
  99. Oct 9, 2012
    6
    While not as good as the original Borderlands, this is still a pretty good game that only suffers by the consistent dumbing-down of the RPG elements and other details to (supposedly) attract a wider audience. In a game supposedly about loot, there is actually less of it and fewer different types in the sequel, than in Borderlands. Strange but true and this data is backed up on the Gearbox forums. No more weapon profieicneis, no more gun stats like zooom, recoil or sway, etc. Not all is bad news, and along with the streamlining negatives, the missions are a bit better and the locales more varied, but it can still get boring and Borderlands 2 doesn't manage to hit the same mood or environment level that the original did. Sometimes playing Borderlands, the mood and ambiance was so heavy you almost felt like you were out in a desolate wasteland, but you'll never forget you're playing a videogame with the sequel. There is an old saying that "the Devil's in the details" and by removing so many of the important "details" from the hit original, Gearbox seems to forgotten that. Expand
  100. Oct 9, 2012
    10
    Worth the wait - better than the first one, and I can't put this game down. If you like loot-based games (who doesn't) and Diablo 3 was a disappointment to you (it probably was) this is your huckleberry
Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 59 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 58 out of 59
  2. Negative: 0 out of 59
  1. Nov 10, 2012
    70
    It may be a lot more of the same, but it's prettier, smoother, longer, and filled with more stuff.
  2. Nov 5, 2012
    89
    In the end, I have to say that Borderlands 2 serves as a wonderful example of how to make a sequel work.
  3. Oct 31, 2012
    80
    In conclusion, Borderlands 2 is a significant improvement on the original; it sharpens up the narrative, the core game progression, the visual theme and many other fundamental aspects that needed adjustment.