Borderlands - Why This Unusual Xbox 360 Game Will Have Your Survival Instincts Screaming
Borderlands
Anywhere you look right now, you’ll see ads and commercials for Borderlands the game. From TV to the web to gamer magazines, it’s splashed everywhere. Normally, this makes me think, ok, this game probably sucks then. But, low and behold - Borderlands rocks to the core in my opinion. Here is all that you’ll need to know about this spooky, scary, gory, FPS, slasher for the Xbox 360 before you run to your local store and buy it… and trust me, you’ll want to buy it.
Borderlands Story Line (5 out of 5)
This great Xbox 360 game is set on the far away planet of Pandora, where there has been fighting going on for centuries. The main thing drawing all the hostilities? The Vault. This odd alien building is supposed to hold some type of massive treasure - giving the owner amazing power and wealth beyond their wildest dreams. So, guess what you will be doing as you play your character in Borderlands? Searching for the Vault.
Of course, you’re doing it alongside all of the major corporations, bounty hunters, and other general bad guys as well. While your main goal is to find the Vault and gain all that it has to offer for yourself, you cannot miss the other parts of the non-story line that you’ll come across in Borderlands as you go. That alone makes the Borderlands well worthwhile.
Borderlands Gameplay (5 out of 5)
As I mentioned before, you are playing through this bullet riddled planet of Pandora, killing those that get in your way in constant search of the Vault. But the great thing about Borderlands gameplay is that it’s actually better with a friend. You can play Borderlands as a two-player, or four-player mode - and yes, you can still solo it. The game is actually designed for multi-player cooperation, and it helps to go through the game easier and faster.
But, for those that just want to know about the Borderlands gameplay in general - I have to say it’s downright awesome. While it’s a FPS, hack and slash, you name it - the bloody gore of whacking some great mobs as you go with tons of great, useful weapons is unbeatable. There are literally hundreds of different weapons that you’ll find in Borderlands, along with shields and other great perks to help you along.
While you go along, killing your way toward the Vault, you’ll gather up loot and be able to use it along the way. This is great, as you can get some great stuff with it.
You’ll travel through Borderlands the game, smashing and crashing, killing and looting, causing all types of problems and causing major mahem along the way - all while you’re sitting on your couch grinning like a kid in a candy store. The Borderlands gameplay will provide you with hours on end of gory fun that cannot be likened to anything else out there.
Borderlands Graphics (5 out of 5)
As you can plainly see from the screenshots below and throughout this review, you’ll easily see that the graphics in Borderlands are downright awesome. The lines are all super clear, the colors (while dirty looking) are great, and you will find that the screen looks like you are looking through a visor. Everything about the environment in Borderlands is simply well put together, no matter how you look at it. The characters are superbly created, from the Siren down to the Hunter, their details are beautifully executed, and they could not be better. Check out for yourself how the Borderlands graphics look:
Borderlands Screenshots
Spending Borderland Points (5 out of 5)
As you go through Borderlands, you’ll gain both loot and points that you can trade in. You’ll be able to spend these on buffs, improvements, and other great skill trees - similar to the ones that are used in MMO games to help you enhance your specific skills on your character.
These three different skill trees offer a way to customize your character, making it exactly what you want, and providing a great way to ensure that you have the specific Borderlands gameplay experience that you crave. I personally love this feature, as each different skill tree will allow you to enhance your aim, your strength, your health, how deadly you are, your magic, and so on, and so on.
Want to trade in all that loot that you’ve picked up? Well, Borderlands gives you a great way to do so. There are vending machines all over Pandora that you’ll come across that you can use to trade in your loot and get perks from. Who could ask for anything better?
The Borderlands Characters (5 out of 5)
There are four playable characters in Borderlands that you can choose from. Each has their own attirbutes, their own special skills, and their own unique look. The Beserker can do some massive, amazing damage to anyone that comes into it’s path. The Hunter can easily sic it’s bird of prey on mobs, the Siren suddenly turns invisible and can move at amazing speeds to off mobs, and the Soldier can just lay out some amazingly massive gunfire at anything it wants. No matter which one of these fun characters you choose to play, they are all equally fun, equally deadly, and have their own special ways of going through the game. Personally, I prefer the Siren, as I love the way that you can become invisible, then hack everything around you before they even notice…
Finishing the Game (5 out of 5)
In Borderlands, you are much better off if you play with a friend. There are quests that you’ll undertake to level up and find the Vault. Once you find it, the game is far from over my friend. In fact, you’ll be set back out into the land, able to do whatever you want - quest, mindless killing, you know, basically anything - and help you just enjoy the game even more. Most games just stop when you get to the end objective, yet Borderlands just gets more interesting. This makes the game even better, since you know that you aren’t just going to be stuck somewhere… and then the game is done.
Overall (5 out of 5)
I would completely and utterly recommend Borderlands the game for the Xbox 360 to anyone that is over 18. I mean, come on, it’s a gory killing spree people… with a multitude of weapons at your disposal. But, for all of you out there that enjoy a well thought out, well put together, superb little gory shooter - go get Borderlands now.
Of course, there are a few other Xbox 360 games out right now that are pretty darn good too - here are some others that you don’t want to miss out on right now:
Need For Speed SHIFT - From Arcade Street Racing to Serious Motor Sports
Ninja Gaiden 2 - Does It Live Up To The Ninja Code?
Xbox 360 Reviews: WET - Action, Gun Play, and Stunts Galore
This post is part of the series: Borderlands Reviews
A collection of reviews of Borderlands for various platforms.
