Borderlands 2 - Initial Thoughts

About The Game (From The Steam Store Page)

 A new era of shoot and loot is about to begin. Play as one of four new vault hunters facing off against a massive new world of creatures, psychos and the evil mastermind, Handsome Jack. Make new friends, arm them with a bazillion weapons and fight alongside them in 4 player co-op on a relentless quest for revenge and redemption across the undiscovered and unpredictable living planet.

Previous Playtime

9 hours 

What Was I Thinking When I Bought This

I already owned Borderlands 2 and the DLC season pass, and I really loved it. Unfortunately, I could not play multiplayer, because while all my friends owned the game, they all owned it on the PC. So, eventually, when it went on sale, I went for it . . . only to discover that my PC wasn't quite up to the task. Oh, it would run, but with a really inconstant framerate that made me motion-sick. Now, I finally have a powerful enough computer to play it, but, of course, everyone has moved on from the game by now.

In retrospect, perhaps not my wisest decision.

On the other hand, I can now play Borderlands 2 without being chained to a console. Let's call it a wash.

Expectations and Prior Experience

There is no part of this game that I haven't already played a half-dozen times (with the possible exception of some of the DLCs, and even then, I probably have). I don't expect to be at all surprised or taken aback by anything in the game.

It has been several years since I last played it all the way through (much of my time on the PC version has been spent entering SHIFT codes for golden keys, but that hardly counts as "playing the game." It might be that my changing perspective on life and humor and the nature of my hobbies will result on me having a very different reaction to the game (see: Tropico 4), but I'm optimistic. It was only a year or so ago that I played Borderlands (although how weird is it that I'm saying things like "only a year" now) and I remember enjoying it quite a bit.

I'm pretty sure that this is going to be one of those games I blow past the time limit for. Most of my memories of this game are fond ones . . .except for starting Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode. I remember that sucking big time, but even that only happens after beating the whole game twice.  Aside from the frustrations that came with the game's level-scaling, the Borderlands 2 of my memory is one of a relentless barrage of jokes, frantic gunplay, and ever-escalating loot rewards.

It was a heady mix the first time I played it. I can only hope the formula is just as powerful now as it was back then.