Vending machines are distributed all across Pandora and offer much needed gear to get through the missions. Along your travels you will encounter vending machines for health, shields, weapons, ammo, and inventory capacity upgrades. Since you can only hold a small amount of health, guns, and shields each vending machine also allow you to sell your items as well.
Cosmetically the enemies selections can get rather repetitive; most of the time the only difference between them is their skill level. When you are fighting an enemy, their level and health are shown above their head. More then likely you will be more worried the fact that two level 20 bandits are coming at you than the fact that they look the same.
Throughout the game, you will be completing many quests. These can be as simple as finding and talking to someone, or as difficult as fighting through 50 bandits to get to their boss. Each quest brings some uniqueness in its own way, which helps the game from feeling overly repetitive. Each quest is packed with loot and lots of it. From treasure chests full of guns and ammo, to lockers full of money. Not to mention every where you turn something drops a weapon more powerful then the last. While the story provides a loosely satisfying narrative finding the next bad ass weapon is quite rewarding and provides hours of entertainment.
The visuals and graphics in Borderlands are quite stunning, featuring a gritty cell shaded look. Being more of an open word title this game does have some of the issues that plague the category. You will encounter pop-in, sometimes geometrically and sometimes blurry textures will take a moment for the details to load. The frame rate is decent overall but can become choppy more so when playing online. The sound effects are decent and provide some variety to the weaponry. The soundtrack is a bit lack luster and some of the voice acting is sub par. Considering the lack of emphasis on the story some poorly delivered lines are entirely forgivable.
Borderlands simply must be played with friends via its online cooperative multiplayer mode. Up to four players can join in on the mayhem while the enemies get harder and there is more loot to go around. Co-Op runs seamlessly for the host, players and friends can drop in/drop out on demand. Just because you started playing the game with a friend does not mean you can’t go it alone in the same game.
Completing the game gives you the option of an additional play through with the same character. In “play through 2”, the game is the same, but the enemies you face are at much harder with more valuable and rare loot.
Borderlands is a blast that should entertain any shooter fan out there. The overall gameplay mechanics work well. The visuals are gorgeous and refreshingly unique, albeit not flawless. The gameplay is fun, and provides endless entertainment with friends. The vast array of weaponry makes loot grabbing very addictive.
PlayStation LifeStyle’s Final Score
Loot and guns galore Extremely addictive multiplayer Lack of story is disappointing
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