Review: Borderlands (PS3)
A Striking FPS With RPG Elements That Impresses And Entertains.
Nov 6, 2009
First off, it is important to say that Borderlands is definitely a First Person Shooter. Make no mistake, RPG lovers and those that fell in love with Fallout 3 will not be getting the same experience here. This game is action packed and moves at a high pace. Missions come thick and fast and will be completed in a relatively small amount of time, at least at the start of the game they will.
This game is all about shooting hordes of enemies, upgrading your weapons at every available opportunity and levelling up. Players repeating this formula will be successful with Borderlands.
Psycho's, Skags And Arid Landscapes:
This game offers plenty in the way of enemies. From psychotic bandits, alien dog creatures called Skags to more exotic soldiers and monsters, Borderlands gives you plenty to shoot at, and shoot you will. This game boasts that it has thousands of weapons on offer to cater to every gamer's style of play. An impressive statistic and one that will really call out to hardcore FPS gamers.
The only problem is that one can feel a little overwhelmed by the choice, and it also makes each special gun that is found feel a little less special knowing that in an hour's time a better one will come along. Missions will be completed across a wasteland that looks very similar to wastelands found in Fallout 3. One gripe could be that the Landscapes themselves look rather similar at the beginning of the game, but stick with it and soon you will be shooting enemies in a variety of locations.
There are also vehicles to be drive, making travelling far quicker and more fun and adding another element of combat to the already intense action. These vehicles don't have a huge amount of options at the start and don't really gain all that much throughout the game either, but are a nice touch.
Customisation and RPG Elements:
Whilst this game does offer some customisation, as mentioned before, it is primarily a First Person Shooter. There is little to tweak when it comes to appearance, just colours and name. There is no armour either, or new rags to pick up. Whilst some may find this a little disappointing, it does streamline the game to allow for more shooting and fast paced action.
At the beginning of the game, there are four classes to choose from, each with their own skill tree. These classes are; Hunter, Siren, Soldier and Beserker. Gain experience, level up and spend skill points on the skill tree. Again, this is only a small feature but its a nice one. Another nice touch is the weapon proficiency chart. As one uses a weapon, one gets better at it, and its as simple as that.
Play With Your Buddies:
One of the nicest features in this game is the Co-operative online function. When playing through the game, other people can join you or vice versa, at any time, and you can go through the missions together. What this does, other than add a level of competition, is boost the enemy's numbers and toughness, adding a new challenge that may require new strategies. These new beefed up enemies will also drop a higher grade of rewards, making that extra challenge worth it.
Witty Banter And Style:
Borderlands has a lot of indiviualism and personality. This is perhaps best shown through its stylized graphics. The game looks fantastic, the cell shaded landscapes and characters are also brought to life by some great animations and modelling. Humour can be found in the dialogue shared between many of the characters, especially the little Claptrap Robots.
The Good:
- Fantastic graphics and style
- Thousands of guns
- Intense action
- Great dialogue and sound effects
- Full of nice little touches that add to the game
The Bad:
- A few elements are lacking such as RPG and Vehicles, but won't be hugely missed
- The landscape is a little cliche now and very Fallout 3
- The start of the game is rather slow and tedious with gameplay being a little repetitive
Verdict: 7.5/10
This game starts off slowly, and may not appeal to RPG fans of Fallout 3, but stick with it and you will be rewarded with a fun, stylish and entertaining FPS that will find a positive place in your memory. Plenty of enemies, plenty of guns and just enough customisation to keep things fresh mean this game should be a great success. The online co-operative mode is another great touch and is highly addictive as enemies become tougher and the rewards become greater. Borderlands is a game that should keep most gamers coming back for more.
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