Borderlands Review

Borderlands is nothing like a normal RPG when it comes to the graphics department, compared to all the other shooters out there, Borderlands happens to be cell shaded. Cell shading is where your environment and your characters are in a cartoonish style. Though, there’s no *BANG* or *POW* as you hit an enemy, but there is a cartoonish aspect to it. The cell shading is even done so well, that most of the time you don’t even feel as if you’re playing in a cell shaded world. It’s done so seamlessly that you feel as if you’re just in a really colorful world.

As and RPG, you get your chance to pick from four different characters, each, of which, has a unique power behind them. Roland, the soldier, this character specializes in rifles and shotguns with a special ability that summons a turret for a short while. This turret will automatically target your enemies for you while also providing cover. Lilith, the siren, she specializes in any weapon that fires elemental bullets; Incendiary (fire), shock (electricity), or corrosive (acid). Her special is called “Phase walk”; this is where she can run faster and also causes her to be invisible. Mordecai, the hunter, this guy has the obvious specialty of sniper rifles and revolvers. His special ability? Bloodwing. What is Bloodwing, you may be asking; it’s a hawk, that’s right, a hawk. He takes down enemies by the use of explosives and other elemental artifacts. Last but not least; Brick, the berserker, he uses his fists and explosives to get the job done. His special is rage; he goes crazy and is able to pulverize the enemies of the Borderlands with his fists.

Depending on how you want to play, will determine who you want to play as. If you like being up in someone’s face, Brick; like being laid back while taking down an enemy from a distance, Mordecai; want to sneak around your enemies who you’d rather not fight, Lilith; or, you just want to fight tactically, Roland.

On top of your special abilities, you have three different routes you can take that your special can do on top of its basic ability:

Roland: Infantry, Support, and Medic

Mordecai: Sniper, Rogue, Gunslinger

Brick: Brawler, Tank, Blaster

Lilith: Controller, Elemental, Assassin

On top of the add ons that you have for your special, there are also mods for your grenades, your class, shields and your special (Artifacts are the mods for your special). You can have shields that give you a health boost, or grenades that steal health from your enemies and an artifact that’ll add explosive rounds to your scorpio. Mods are here to help you! You just have to pick the right one to support either yourself, or your team.

When you start the game, it gets you right into it. You’re greeted by two people, your guardian angel and a robot. The angel will remind you of Cortona from Halo, but without the annoy aspect of it. The robot, on the other hand, is hilarious and helps you set up your character and game settings. You start out as level one, like any other RPG, but the thing is, you cannot use your special ability until you’re level five.

You’ll also notice that the game isn’t real easy, but it’s not real hard. In fact, later in the game, it gets even easier. The level of the enemies that you’re against and the level you are will differ to the point that you’re going to out level them by a few levels which makes the game a joke.

These add-ons for your special can help you out, or your team. That’s right; you don’t have to play this game alone. In fact, you get to play this up to four players co-op system link, or on Xbox Live. You can also have two players co-op on one console. Having this on top of the standard game, make it a perfect way to get together with your friends. The game is actually geared to be played with your friends meaning that it’s a co-op game.

When it comes to the multiplayer, if you’re playing with a person who’s at a lower level than you and is doing low level quests, you don’t get any experience from it. Do all the work and you don’t reap any of the benefits of it. This will make one believe that it’s almost a waste of time to even attempt to play with another person because you’ll be back tracking, not gaining experience, and makes the game even easier than it was before.

Vehicles make it a great way to travel. Well, it would if it wasn’t so hard to steer the thing. Then you only have two different vehicles that you can use; turret and rocket. While you’re driving, you’ll hit things out of nowhere and just get stuck. There’s nothing in your way, but you can’t go forward any more. It gets quite annoying the more that it happens. Controls and the random objects in your way, makes the vehicles annoying to drive.

Over all, Borderlands isn’t a Fallout 3 killer, or anything like that. But that game does provide seamless movement from one objective to another while keeping your attention. It’s well done when it comes to the game play, but lacks in multiplayer and vehicle driving. It’s defiantly worth a shot to play, but make sure you have a couple buddies who can help guide you along the way. Rent it first and if you like it, then it’s a buy.