CHENNAI: When it released back in 2012, Borderlands 2 was hailed as both a worthy sequel as well as a good game in its own right. I played it back when it came out, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. However, six years down the line, I recently fired it up again and I’ve been having a lot of fun with it; so let’s talk about why it’s so.
Just like its predecessor, Borderlands 2 doesn’t take its story too seriously. Suffice to say that you — playing as one of four Vault Hunters — have come to Pandora to find your fortune but run afoul of Handsome Jack, the villainous president of the Hyperion Corporation. Each character offers a unique playstyle — the Commando provides a more traditional shooter experience and has a deployable turret, for example, while the Assassin can create deceptive holograms and turn invisible. Whichever character you choose, your quest for revenge will pit you against the denizens of Pandora, the wildlife of Pandora, killer robots and much, much more.
As for gameplay, it’s the same blend of RPG and FPS that made the first Borderlands so addictive, but better. The firs t game, for all its virtues, eventually ran out of creative reasons for sending you on a variety of fetch/kill quests; but the sequel delivers a more polished package. Yes, you will still be sent off to accomplish nonsensical tasks but Borderlands 2 does a much better job of making you feel like this matters. The writing is better, the characters are better and the world-building is hugely improved too. Of course, the constant succession of slightly-better-guns-than-what-you-had-before is still alive and well and will keep you coming back for more. Never underestimate the lure of getting better loot — it’s the more insidious younger brother of ‘just one more level’ syndrome. And it will keep you playing Borderlands 2 well into the night, especially if you’re playing it with friends.
Let me be plain — Borderlands 2 is a good game, yes, but the only way to play it is cooperatively with other people. As a single-player game, it works; as a co-op game, it shines. From the wonderful chaos that results when different characters’ special abilities intersect to the near-infinite potential for vehicular mayhem, it’s clear that Borderlands 2’s heart lies with the couch co-op legends of yesteryear. Rustle up a couple of willing partners, and your trip through Pandora will be much, much better than it would otherwise.
To this date, there’s been no official announcement of Borderlands 3. It’s a fairly open secret that Gearbox Software is working on it — really, they’d have to be mad not to — but there’s nothing concrete yet. Until there is, why not play Borderlands 2? Sure, it’s older now and it’s not new and exciting anymore; but what it is is well worth your time.
Arjun Sukumaran
Twitterhttp://goo.gl/uNBWN3
(Arjun is a gamer, book lover and an all-round renaissance man)