Review: Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel!

Platforms: PS3, PS Vita, OS X, Linux, Steam, Windows, Xbox 360
Release Date: October 17 2014
Developer: 2k Australia, Gearbox Software
Publisher: 2k Games

Let me begin by getting something straight: I am a massive Borderlands fan. I know it, my friends all know it because I have not stopped mentioning my ‘addiction’ to the franchise for the last six months, and now you, dear reader, also know it. There. I’ve admitted it. Now, with that confession out the way, we can get down to business and begin the review of Gearbox software’s latest instalment to the widely loved Borderlands franchise.

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I have been counting down the days until I could finally get my hands on Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel! and could hardly wait to battle new monsters on Pandora’s moon whilst shooting ‘n’ looting my way through low-gravity environments. After putting numerous hours into Borderlands 2, I felt that I needed something new, a game to provide something a little bit different, having played through the storyline countless times with a variety characters. I tried playing other titles, registering odd hours here and there in a number of other games, but my hands itched to fire acid-bolt-shooting laser cannons into the faces of interstellar bandits; my eyes ached to bask in the glorious setting of Pandora’s moon, Elpis; I even longed to hear the overly cheery voice of Claptrap, everyone’s favourite (or the most annoying… it’s your call) robot companion in all of gaming. And with the loveable Claptrap unit even appearing as a playable character in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel! I was not disappointed.

At first glance, everything feels so familiar. A lot of the aesthetics of the game itself are very reminiscent of the previous games in the franchise and, to me at least, this is a very good thing. The characters, gameplay and even the humour all take me back to the happy hours spent hunting vaults and killing bandits in the previous two games, a nostalgic yet still new and exciting experience. The ‘graphic novel-like’ style of the Borderlands franchise has never looked so stunning, with great space-scapes surrounding you as you run, jump and glide your way through the reduced gravity on the moon. Players are immediately thrown into the action that unfolds on a distant moon-base orbiting the same moon seen in previous Borderlands titles, choosing one of four new character classes, each with unique abilities and skill trees.

Admittedly, I have yet to try the game with other human players, as it is intended as a primarily co-operative multiplayer game, but I imagine it will be much the same experience, if not better. The interaction between the character classes in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel! appears to be far more synergistic with both single-player and multiplayer gaming, as many of the characters’ skill tree bonuses apply both to the player and to other players in the party. For example, many of the playable Claptrap character’s skills appear to affect the friendly players around him, offering bonuses for team play and even, in some unlucky circumstances, damaging them if they get too near. This goofy and fun character design, in many ways, encourages party play and allows for a better team-work experience that I am looking forward to engaging with.

One criticism that I could raise at the game itself, however, is that it does essentially feel like a very large expansion pack for Borderlands 2. The gameplay is so strikingly similar that it does at times feel like I’m playing ‘Borderlands 2: Now In Space!’ rather than an all-new title and to some gamers this might be a significant put-off, especially when it comes with a £30 price tag. This aside, lovers of Borderlands 2 will no doubt be highly satisfied with the opportunity to engage with new characters, new missions and new storylines that were just dying to be explored within the franchise, with the histories of many of the past characters becoming a central feature of Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel!

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Gearbox Software has also announced that there will be four DLC expansion packs scheduled for release between now and October 2015, featuring ‘more characters, challenges and missions’ to quote the Steam store page, all of which can be bought individually or at once under a season pass, which includes the four packs for the price of three. New characters and missions, coming as four regular pieces of DLC, instead of separating the two into character and mission packs in the previous game, is both an exciting and welcome addition to the franchise.

To conclude then, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is a must-have for the Borderlands aficionado. The little hat-tips to the previous games; the ability to delve into the backstory of the infamous Handsome Jack (alongside other non-playable characters in the previous Borderlands games) and the continuation of the tongue-in-cheek humour that made the last two games hold such a special place within my gaming heart, are all reasons why this is a very exciting offering from Gearbox Software and 2K Australia. The promise of new characters and missions in the near future has me both intrigued and excited, and I am very satisfied with my return to the Borderlands universe. Once I eventually get past the game feeling like Borderlands 2.5, I look forward to spending more of my gaming hours exploring and fighting my way through Elpis, looting chests and upgrading characters to my heart’s content. To any wannabe Vault Hunters out there, I’ll see you on the moon.

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 How many stars would you give Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel!? Tweet us @BoarGames with your answers!