12 Days of Video Games: Day 6 – Borderlands 2
Borderlands 2 is the perfect gift for your gamer this holiday because of the many possibilities you can take advantage of in the game. Keep checking back for more of the 12 Days of Video Games.
Day 6: Borderlands 2
Borderlands 2 was just released in September of this year, kicking off the official release of holiday games. I’ll be straight forward with you guys, Borderlands 2 is my favorite shooter of all time, including over the Call of Duty and Halo series. There’s a lot to love in this game.
Borderlands 2 takes place in a world called Pandora, five years after the events of the original Borderlands when four Vault Hunters defeated an alien called The Destroyer. A valuable mineral called Eridium started growing all over Pandora, attracting the villain Handsome Jack. Handsome Jack collects this mineral and takes over the Hyperion Corporation, then all of Pandora. Rumor has it that there is an even larger vault than the first, bringing a new group of vault hunters in search of it before Handsome Jack can get his hands on it.
There are four different Vault Hunters you can choose from, each with a different “class,” or type. You can choose from the Gunzerker, the Assassin, the Siren, and the Commando. Each class has a different ability. For example, the assassin has the ability of deception, where he can create a holographic decoy and vanish for a few seconds, giving you an edge on enemies without getting hurt. Extra character classes can be purchased, like the Mechromancer, and possibly more in the future.
Graphics are the first thing you notice when a game starts up, and Borderlands 2doesn’t fall short in this category. The graphics aren’t obviously high definition with its almost cartoon settings, though. When you take a closer look, you can tell that tons of time and hard work have gone into the high definition cartoon graphics. It has a different feel rather than the typical, sometimes too realistic shooter.
A shooter is a genre of action games where the game play includes a gun to complete main objectives. The gamer plays through a first or third person view and can obtain different guns and other weapons throughout the game.
Borderlands 2 is a little violent, so you’ll want to keep this present for someone a bit older. This game isn’t your typical, violent war-fighter, though. It doesn’t include any shooting of real humans, only “psychos” which are crazy human-like figures who attack you and beasts like skags as seen in the picture to the right. These attributes make the game a safe but fun alternative for parents who don’t want to buy life-like shooters.
Weapons are not the only way to defeat enemies in the game. There is a skill tree that each character has which allows you to level up different parts of your character. The more you achieve in the game, the more points you gain to increase the amount of ammo your gun can hold, or in the Assassin’s case, your holograph will run longer. You can level up your character in general, as well. Levels let you hold different guns and shields. The level system in this game has become the most addictive feature for me.
There are tons of side missions in this game that add on hours of game play. There is a main story line that carries you through the game, but when the player feels the need to earn some money, find different weapons, or try to complete the game 100 percent, they can go to side missions indicated on the mini map on the screen.
Borderlands 2 will fulfill your gamers violent side without the harsh graphics associated with war shooters. The story line is incredibly well written and the game play is nearly flawless. Give this game as a gift this season and get your loved one addicted to the world of Pandora.
Still stumped on gift ideas? Check out some of the other 12 Days of Video Games:
Day 2 – New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Day 3 – Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale
