Borderlands

 PC
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1852 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,191 out of 1852
  2. Mixed: 474 out of 1852
  3. Negative: 187 out of 1852
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  1. PenetratorGod
    Sep 3, 2023
    5
    Borderlands is a series I could never get into. I only tried the first game, but the game got too repetitive after a point and I got bored. This series probably had a lot more to offer, but it never caught my attention enough to give it long hours. Main problem with the Borderlands series is that they are designed for online rather than single player. When you play alone, the experienceBorderlands is a series I could never get into. I only tried the first game, but the game got too repetitive after a point and I got bored. This series probably had a lot more to offer, but it never caught my attention enough to give it long hours. Main problem with the Borderlands series is that they are designed for online rather than single player. When you play alone, the experience immediately becomes mediocre, but if I wanted to play online games, I wouldn't go and look at this series. Unfortunately, this is one of the problems with today's games. Design a game either for online or for single player. When you try to do both, we come across a wasted potential game and like Borderlands that can't deliver anything properly.… Expand
  2. Richard_dias
    Aug 15, 2023
    7
    Back in the day those 4-player coop games where the tren, and Borderlands might just be one of the best. Not really my cup of tea though, found it kinda boring.
  3. KinimodYunmi
    Aug 6, 2023
    10
    Mega geiles Spiel, man muss es einfach haben!
    Mega geiles Spiel, man muss es einfach haben!
  4. Ciocolici
    Jul 31, 2023
    8
    When I first delved into "Borderlands," it was with the expectation of experiencing the same awesomely-structured story as in "Tales from the Borderlands." However, I soon realized that the story in "Borderlands" progresses more slowly, at times feeling stagnant. Distinguishing side-quests from main ones wasn't always clear, offering a mixed perspective on this aspect.

    The vast    When I first delved into "Borderlands," it was with the expectation of experiencing the same awesomely-structured story as in "Tales from the Borderlands." However, I soon realized that the story in "Borderlands" progresses more slowly, at times feeling stagnant. Distinguishing side-quests from main ones wasn't always clear, offering a mixed perspective on this aspect.

    The vast wasteland environment was awe-inspiring initially, but over time, it became somewhat repetitive. The lack of diversity in the landscape was a minor drawback that, while not detracting from the overall experience, could have been improved.

    The A.I. in the game was, to be frank, a letdown. It was often frustrating to deal with such a subpar A.I., and the loot drops frequently proved to be mostly useless. The rarity of valuable items might have been rewarding for some players, but for me, it was a source of frustration mixed with the excitement of finally obtaining a useful piece of gear.

    The initial driving mechanics were also something I struggled with. However, as I spent more time in the game, I gradually adapted to the controls. Others may find themselves experiencing the same learning curve, but it ultimately becomes more manageable with practice.

    Despite these flaws, "Borderlands" possesses a unique charm that sets it apart from other games. The humor and well-crafted characters are simply amazing, drawing players into the world of Pandora. The gameplay itself is an absolute blast, offering fun-filled action that keeps you hooked. While the first playthrough might seem relatively easy, the second one presents a challenge, particularly with formidable bosses, especially in the DLCs.

    I believe "Borderlands" is best experienced with friends in co-op mode, adding an extra layer of enjoyment to the overall adventure. For RPG and FPS enthusiasts, this game holds the potential for an incredibly fun and memorable journey. Despite its imperfections, the allure of "Borderlands" is undeniable, and its unique experience is something that has the power to captivate players and keep them coming back for more.    … Expand
  5. rezo_21
    Jun 11, 2023
    6
    ====================IIIIIIIIII GAME SCORE : 55 IIIIIIIIII====================
  6. Lezzly
    May 28, 2023
    8
    Jedna z moich ulubionych, jak nie ulubiona seria LooterShooterów. Pokręcona fabuła, która pozwala oderwać się od normalności, szeroki wachlarz broni różnego kalibru, spora mapa o różnego rodzaju lokacjach. Wszystko to stoi na wysokim poziomie. W grę grałem sam jak i z kolegą i powiem, że najlepiej jest grać w tę grę z kimś, ponieważ rozgrywka jest duużo lepsza. Ogromnie polecam.Jedna z moich ulubionych, jak nie ulubiona seria LooterShooterów. Pokręcona fabuła, która pozwala oderwać się od normalności, szeroki wachlarz broni różnego kalibru, spora mapa o różnego rodzaju lokacjach. Wszystko to stoi na wysokim poziomie. W grę grałem sam jak i z kolegą i powiem, że najlepiej jest grać w tę grę z kimś, ponieważ rozgrywka jest duużo lepsza. Ogromnie polecam.
  7. Magical_Viktor
    Apr 30, 2023
    4
    Существуют просто Зло и Большое Зло, а за ними обоими в тени прячется Очень Большое Зло. Очень Большое Зло, Геральт, это такое, которого ты и представить себе не можешь, даже если думаешь, будто уже ничто не в состоянии тебя удивить. И знаешь, Геральт, порой бывает так, что Очень Большое Зло схватит тебя за горло и скажет: «Выбирай, братец, либо я, либо то, которое чуточку поменьше»Существуют просто Зло и Большое Зло, а за ними обоими в тени прячется Очень Большое Зло. Очень Большое Зло, Геральт, это такое, которого ты и представить себе не можешь, даже если думаешь, будто уже ничто не в состоянии тебя удивить. И знаешь, Геральт, порой бывает так, что Очень Большое Зло схватит тебя за горло и скажет: «Выбирай, братец, либо я, либо то, которое чуточку поменьше»
  8. Naked_Snakee
    Apr 2, 2023
    7
    Just text (crutch) to save the game to the list. Such things. Maybe I'll do a review later.
  9. The_D4RknesS
    Mar 19, 2023
    7
    The game would be wonderful if it didn't have it.... it has RPG elements and still has a horrible HIT BOX
  10. DonldTrump_45Th
    Jan 26, 2023
    8
    Hello, this is a default review because i'm forced to use 75 characters. I'll edit this review in the future talking about the game, don't worry ;)

    My final rate is: 8
  11. Giero
    Jan 3, 2023
    7
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  12. AgentLvi
    Dec 27, 2022
    8
    Great game. The story is decent. The scoring is great, visual is really amazing, the voice & sound is also amazing
  13. pawq
    Sep 8, 2022
    5
    I had fairly high hopes for Borderlands, but ultimately it was a disappointment with what felt like tons of untapped potential. In short: A pretty cool and original world, alright shooting mechanics, mostly bland writing, and horribly grindy quests.

    Positive: - The aesthetic design of the world and characters is original and has a unique and cool vibe; I believe this is the main factor    I had fairly high hopes for Borderlands, but ultimately it was a disappointment with what felt like tons of untapped potential. In short: A pretty cool and original world, alright shooting mechanics, mostly bland writing, and horribly grindy quests.

    Positive:
    - The aesthetic design of the world and characters is original and has a unique and cool vibe; I believe this is the main factor why this game spawned a classic franchise
    - The shooting mechanics are pretty decent, with sufficient (excessive?) variety in weapons
    - The music adds to the atmosphere, but it feels like there are only a few main tracks, so it gets pretty repetitive
    - About 20% of the writing is pretty fun (especially Claptraps made me laugh a lot)

    Negative:
    - About 80% of the writing is extremely bland, including both "dialogues" (there aren't proper dialogues in the game) and quests, which are mostly pointless (go kill that guy, go collect this amount of that item)
    - Quests are released sequentially so you end up ha.ving to go through the same areas several times, making it boring and tedious
    - The majority of the world is lifeless, with only a few named NPC throughout the game; the world is way too big for the amount of NPCs and content in it
    - Enemies are mostly extremely repetitive, and except for some quest-related characters, respawn indefinitely (!). Combined with the running back and forth for quests, it means you have to kill the exact same groups of enemies several times. Extremely boring and pointless.
    - Enemy levels are tailored to the predicted player level pretty much in all areas of the game. I completed all quests in the early and middle phases of the game, so quite quickly ended up 2-3 levels ahead of the curve, and remained up to 6-7 levels above for the remainder of the game, which meant that most of the game was ridiculously easy, and in the latter third or so I was virtually invulnerable. At least it meant I could run through hordes of enemies ignoring them to complete another grindy quest a bit faster.
    - There is way too much loot everywhere (it fills up the backpack in 5mins tops), and most of it is worthless and pointless. It's also scattered randomly, so it doesn't reward proper exploration in any way.
    - The movement mechanics are bugged, as landing on any slope steeper than very shallow makes you stuck, forcing you to wait until the character slowly glitches/slides off the slope
    - The UI is nice in terms of aesthetics, but the ergonomy is poor (it might make sense for a controller, but not for mouse+keyboard)    … Expand
  14. PetyaBiszeps
    Aug 25, 2022
    1
    Nothing special about this game except art style. Plot is bad, gameplay is mediocre and many other mediocre stuff in this game.
  15. WashedPotatoes
    Jul 21, 2022
    7
    played this game years ago and dont remember much, but it was fun until i ragequit as a 12 year old
  16. MunhozMCM
    Feb 4, 2022
    7
    My Score:

    (7) - Good!

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
  17. Vaeu
    Dec 25, 2021
    8
    A great game that has the fundamentals of a looter shooter down. There's simple but satisfying gameplay, however, the story is just there and the characters are rather bland. The game has solid animations and forgettable music. Borderlands is a very enjoyable game.
  18. LimpDingus
    Sep 16, 2021
    3
    The Ugly Child of the Franchise
    Before I get into what I liked and disliked, I'm not saying the game is necessarily terrible, but it would be a sin to compare it to the titles that came after.
    Also, this is a review of the Enhanced version. Complaints 1.) The Setting: Boring, dull, brown. That's all the game is. You spend 95% of the game in a f*cking landfill on a dust bowl planet.    The Ugly Child of the Franchise
    Before I get into what I liked and disliked, I'm not saying the game is necessarily terrible, but it would be a sin to compare it to the titles that came after.
    Also, this is a review of the Enhanced version.

    Complaints
    1.) The Setting:
    Boring, dull, brown. That's all the game is. You spend 95% of the game in a f*cking landfill on a dust bowl planet. Very, very little effort went into making anything look different apart from the very last area.
    2.) The Quests:
    It feels like this game's only goal is to make you feel tired and overburdened with quests. I sh*t you not, walking into New Haven you are given 15 NEW QUESTS. Only about 3 or 4 of the side quests in this game were even interesting. They're all fetch this, grab that missions.
    3.) The Story:
    Without giving away any spoilers, this is all you need to know: The first 10% and last 10% of the story are the only good parts. I'm not joking. The other 80% of the narrative is laughably weak.
    4.) The Combat:
    I know what you're thinking, "The combat? WHAT? It's Borderlands!", indeed, it aged about as well as cow tiddy squirt. If your gun has less than 95% accuracy, sell it. Because you ain't hittin SH*T. But on a serious note, the gunplay just doesn't feel good(which is the whole point of the game).

    Praises
    1.) Short Playtime:
    The only praise I can think to give this game is for the relatively short amount of time it takes to finish it. I mean this game is truly the embodiment of boring. If it wasn't for the padded playtime due to needing to grind to level up enough for the story missions, you could beat it within 4hrs tops.

    Conclusion
    It may have been a gem back in 2009, but now it's a f*cking turd.
    I give Borderlands a
    3 out of 10    … Expand
  19. KepasaAmigo
    Jul 16, 2021
    10
    Great game. if u got some1 to play with u u should go and farm those games. its ultra fun. not overwhelming with items. 10/10
  20. IMR707
    Jun 16, 2021
    8
    Story is almost non-existent but the gameplay loop is so much fun. The art is also long lasting and still looks good to this day.
  21. Yobyoni
    May 26, 2021
    9
    A game that I randomly bought second hand around a decade ago. A game that I didn't even know anything about. A game that was so much fun to play for hours on end. I have plenty of amazing memories from this game, and it's honestly one of my favourite games ever.
  22. kndr
    May 21, 2021
    0
    So repetitive and boring. Missions are same, these millions of guns are copy of each other, characters are crap, jokes are not funny, atmosphere is boring. After playing it for hours I realized this is garbage.
  23. VincentValen
    May 17, 2021
    8
    Oh what a ride this game was over the years while enjoying it with many many friends. Such a great game, Characters were great, story was good, and graphics for it's time added with the humor throughout the game. I've played this over many times with friends. Great game, 8/10 If you haven't experienced this game, I believe you need to and you won't be disappointed, it's recommended youOh what a ride this game was over the years while enjoying it with many many friends. Such a great game, Characters were great, story was good, and graphics for it's time added with the humor throughout the game. I've played this over many times with friends. Great game, 8/10 If you haven't experienced this game, I believe you need to and you won't be disappointed, it's recommended you play with friends though because alone it can be tough.… Expand
  24. Peste_Negra
    May 4, 2021
    8
    You're a damn space bounty house ... welcome to Pandora hahaha

    Try it if you are looking for: The right combination of RPG and Shooter, play with your own game style and improve during the adventure, be a **** bounty hunter, irreverent and stupid humor, free violence, an open world divided into sections, loot and climb level. Avoid it if you hate: Doing side missions (you will need    You're a damn space bounty house ... welcome to Pandora hahaha

    Try it if you are looking for: The right combination of RPG and Shooter, play with your own game style and improve during the adventure, be a **** bounty hunter, irreverent and stupid humor, free violence, an open world divided into sections, loot and climb level.

    Avoid it if you hate: Doing side missions (you will need them), if you expect a bombastic story, you wanted a complete and interconnected open world.    … Expand
  25. Jorchking
    Apr 29, 2021
    8
    Extraordinaria experiencia. Gran contenido y divertido. Quiero decir que sólo lo he jugado en modo un jugador y aún así la experiencia fue increíblemente buena: Muchas misiones por hacer, mucho por explorar, saquear e investigar.
    El contenido del DLC puede ser repetitivo, pero hay algunas cosas interesantes. Me gustó el agregado de las hordas "los cabronazos", entre otras cosas agregadas    Extraordinaria experiencia. Gran contenido y divertido. Quiero decir que sólo lo he jugado en modo un jugador y aún así la experiencia fue increíblemente buena: Muchas misiones por hacer, mucho por explorar, saquear e investigar.
    El contenido del DLC puede ser repetitivo, pero hay algunas cosas interesantes. Me gustó el agregado de las hordas "los cabronazos", entre otras cosas agregadas que ahora no recuerdo.    … Expand
  26. Qarren
    Mar 21, 2021
    6
    So I'm talking Borderlands today. Borderlands? You know this, yes? Frankly, if you don't know the pop hit franchise then you're on the border of something, and it ain't lands. Seek medical attention.
    There's many an idea in Borderlands. Many an idea, and little development. The subheading should simply read "living Qarren's teenage years all over again." And that's where this game catches    So I'm talking Borderlands today. Borderlands? You know this, yes? Frankly, if you don't know the pop hit franchise then you're on the border of something, and it ain't lands. Seek medical attention.
    There's many an idea in Borderlands. Many an idea, and little development. The subheading should simply read "living Qarren's teenage years all over again." And that's where this game catches you. It grabs hold of you early on, drags you through its gallery of neat ideas and then shoves you through the back door where you turn around and see it was all a set. Like a film set, except of course, vidjya gams instead.
    It's important that I state here that I played the 2019 Enhanced version, and I understand that many problems I had with the game are actually a result of that. So keep in mind going forward that not all statements I make are representative of the original experience, and I recommend sticking to that version.
    Let's start with the main selling point that everyone talks about: that joke about Tannis' underwear that keeps coming up...
    I mean the guns. Yea, the fanbase of this game definitely wouldn't have gotten too excited about that other thing...
    The wide variety of guns resulting from randomised stats provides the meat of this gameplay loop. And the potatoes too if I were to wager. However, this also presents a problem à la that underdevelopment of ideas I mentioned. While upgrading weapons can prove to be a fun little reward, 3 problems arise from this system.
    1) It's unbalanced: I got weapons half way through the game that carried me the entire remainder of the experience, hence removing the biggest reward system in place (though, I understand this is exacerbated in the enhanced version).
    2) It's shallow: the guns don't truly play differently, even across weapon types (I used a combat rifle over my sniper rifle for sniping because it was genuinely better at it). The randomised stats don't provide anything more than bigger numbers for the sake of bigger numbers. Enemy health goes up and so too must damage, the end.
    I've seen some shallow things in my life, but this system is starting to Border on Tinder lands.
    3) It's annoying and dissonant: the game otherwise portrays itself as an FPS with RPG elements, as demonstrated by the critical system which rewards skill in aiming and timing over stats. AND YET accuracy is a randomised stat on weapons! Why reward skill in a game that is programmed to regularly neglect your input? I swear sometimes the bullets actually came out backwards in order to avoid a target at point-blank range just to fulfil the accuracy stat quota for misses.
    Accuracy is of particular annoyance when using iron sights or scopes as being hit knocks your camera around. And as the game is all about 1-4 of you taking on 20-30 people (who have aim tracking) at once; you are constantly being hit.
    4) I can't count
    Now I played this game alone because making friends is for successful people, and I clearly don't associate with success if my life choices tell you anything. I understand the game is more enjoyable with comrades, and is designed around that fact. Singleplayer works, but do yourself a favour and bring along some people to talk to because guns aren't the only underdevelopment in this puberty of a game.
    Quests are also shallow and fighting through the same enemy-respawning landscape back and forth to fetch something leaves a lot of time for conversation. Otherwise it's self-reflection, and nobody wants that. This goes double, triple and quadruple for the second half of the game when the initial charm has worn off and you're left with a barebones plot, some overpowered weapons and the same 3-4 enemy types to kill over and over. The final act will likely leave you with enough thinking room while playing to write a PhD awarding thesis. So at least Borderlands is an educational game.
    Other annoyances include invisible walls, and models with hit boxes that are too big for random junk strewn on the floor meaning you need to be an Olympic pole-vaulter to get over some random tin can on the ground you didn't even see. Also, a small FoV with too much happening around you, and skags (everything about them).
    Like most things, the game is not without merit however. The only exceptions to that rule are reviews written by Qarren, and the Justice League film. The cell-shaded art style is nice. I'll always advocate for art direction over graphical fidelity, and as such Borderlands still looks good today. Levelling skills is rewarding. The music is also good if you don't get sick of the same 3 songs on repeat for the entire 20+ hour length. But, let's be honest with ourselves; we've all listened to a song on repeat for 20+ hours. Mine was 'Entry of the Gladiators' because I'm such a clown. I'm not funny, but people can't take me seriously regardless.
    Borderlands is a good time waster with friends. The merits outweigh the issues, but there are many an issue.
    Seriously, f^ck skags.    … Expand
  27. MrPajamas
    Mar 21, 2021
    8
    I like the FPS genre and I like RPGs. So it was clear that I must not miss Borderlands. I started the game and it immediately enchanted me with its visuals. For some, maybe cartoon nonsense, for some, a work of art. Personally, I really like this style and it adds charm to the game. The game throws you into the action quite quickly and you don't get along very well. The story is here, butI like the FPS genre and I like RPGs. So it was clear that I must not miss Borderlands. I started the game and it immediately enchanted me with its visuals. For some, maybe cartoon nonsense, for some, a work of art. Personally, I really like this style and it adds charm to the game. The game throws you into the action quite quickly and you don't get along very well. The story is here, but don't expect cut-scenes. After all, this is something I blamed on Far Cry 2. Repetitive missions and no cut-scenes that would take you into the action. But I don't mind here, because in RPG it's something else in my opinion. So while missions can be repetitive, you can still level and improve with them, which is the magic of RPGs. This is one big point of the game that I want to draw your attention to. If you like RPGs, even repetitive ones, such as multiplayer WOWko, or new Assassins from Origins and beyond, then this is the game for you. But if you don't have to keep this style of the same missions you've been doing for hours to improve, then avoid the game. On the one hand, Borderlands is smart and thinks of those players who just don't need repeating RPG-style missions, and there's a co-op that's one of the best I've ever seen. You can go through the game with a friend and it will be even more fun. So to sum it up. Borderlands is a great game that has wonderful locations, a great arsenal of weapons and lots of hours of fun. Whether you play alone or with a friend. Worse optimization worries you here and there, or at least in my case it was. The game sometimes starts to cut illogically, and the only way to run smoothly again to match the performance of your hardware is to turn the game off and on. The settings here and there were also not the best, because somehow I was bothered by the possibility of changing the resolution, where even though you are already playing at 59Hz, the game constantly shows you that you are playing at 50Hz. But the whole thing is nothing terrible and it is quite easy to survive and it is not something that would spoil your gaming experience. You can finish the game in about 20 hours, but you can spend 60 hours with side tasks in the game, which I always and especially for RPG titles welcome when it is possible to extend the game with various side games. Great game for me, which I recommend.… Expand
  28. Cz3rw0ny
    Feb 9, 2021
    7
    I didn't like the first Borderlands as much. It was a fresh looter-shooter, however the graphics, plot etc. didn't really catch my attention that much. I finished it though.
  29. Juli01223
    Jan 15, 2021
    7
    Certainly 2 was a gigantic evolution of this one. But it's still a good FPS, a good start to the franchise.
  30. Xankyo
    Jan 5, 2021
    8
    Everything i said for the second game is acceptable for this game too. Except the main story isn't that good. Not a must play game but a good one.
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Awards & Rankings

31
#31 Best PC Game of 2009
8
#8 Most Discussed PC Game of 2009
17
#17 Most Shared PC Game of 2009

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 37 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 37
  3. Negative: 0 out of 37
  1. IGN
    88
    It's something action role-playing game fans looking for an experience more up-close and brutal than genre entries of the third-person variety should have a blast with, and one of the more memorable products of 2009.
    Read full review
  2. Destructoid
    85
    With tons of weapons to find, a great co-op system, fantastic art, and a whole bunch of exploding bodies, Borderlands is worth your money. Even when I feel that the game is starting to get repetitive, there's something about it that keeps me playing.
    Read full review
  3. AtomicGamer
    92
    I think you'll agree that when you've got guns blazing from four players at once and loot is flying everywhere, Borderlands easily makes up for any perceived shortcomings.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »