Borderlands 2 Review: Score, Pros and Cons (2012)

Borderlands 2, released in 2012, is a looter shooter set on the planet Pandora. Its huge number of weapons, humorous characters and cooperative play made it one of the most loved games in the genre.

What works

Weapons have unique properties, and loot drops are exciting.
Its humour and characters make the world memorable.
Co-op play is one of its strongest features.

What does not

Some missions are repetitive, and the late game can feel grindy.

Category	Score
Gameplay and shooting	9/10
Visuals and sound	8.5/10
Content and modes	9/10
Multiplayer and community	9/10
Value for money	9/10

Our scores are editorial ratings out of 10, based on each game's design and reported features. They are not a record of hands-on play sessions on this site.

Who should play it

Players who enjoy loot, humour and cooperative play with friends.

Verdict

A loot-driven favourite with huge replay value. Our score: 9.0 out of 10.

Tips for loot hunting

Keep an eye on the colour of each weapon, because rarer colours usually mean better stats. Compare the weapons you find rather than keeping every new drop. Try different elements, since some enemies are weak to certain damage types, and that choice can change how a fight feels.

Co-op with friends

The game is built for cooperative play. Each character class has a different skill tree, so a team with varied classes covers more situations. Talk about roles before a mission, and share loot rules so everyone knows how items are split.