It’s out, and it’s good.
Little of Borderlands 2 will come as a surprise to those who played the first. The graphics and environments are slightly improved, but they aren’t a departure. The interface is simplified, particularly regarding inventory management, and the mini-map is a welcome addition. Other than that, it’s Borderlands, except it’s Borderlands 2.
That’s in no way a bad thing. The original game was phenomenal, but it could have used a few tweaks, which is what we’ve got here. There’s more variety in weapons and locations, and the new classes are more versatile, particularly in weapon choice (my siren is a heck of a sniper). Co-op matchmaking is smoother, and while there’s an interface for trading guns between players, it’s a bit clunky.
If there’s a plot to speak of, I haven’t really found much of it. The Hyperion corporation has taken over Pandora, and they’re mining the planet for Eridium. I know this because of the occasional earthquake, and the fact that CEO Handsome Jack chimes in with some sarcastic banter about his diamond-studded pony from time to time.
Like I said, this is Borderlands. Not Mass Effect. Not Chrono Trigger. This is a game about the giddy nihilism of blowing up ugly things with gloriously bizarre weapons so you can be rewarded with even more gloriously bizarre weapons to blow up even more ludicrous ugly things.
At that, it excels.
(Image courtesy of FPSGeneral)