Borderlands

 Xbox 360
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 850 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 661 out of 850
  2. Mixed: 124 out of 850
  3. Negative: 65 out of 850
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  1. youlouz
    Jan 20, 2015
    7
    This game is worth checking out when on sale, but gets surprisingly boring after a while.

    PROS
    -The best graphics
    -So much to do
    -So many guns
    -Fun unrealistic abilities
    -Funny story

    CONS
    -Boring from time to time
  2. RPGROB
    Jul 11, 2011
    6
    A mediocre game. At first the experience is a bit new and seems fun, but the game quickly drags on. The original campaign is very short and anti-climatic. The online co-op is a joke, riddled with shameless cheaters and bugs that still exist from release. Instead of fixing the bugs, Gearbox decided it was a better idea to release 4 DLC add-ons. I only paid 10 bucks for the game and all theA mediocre game. At first the experience is a bit new and seems fun, but the game quickly drags on. The original campaign is very short and anti-climatic. The online co-op is a joke, riddled with shameless cheaters and bugs that still exist from release. Instead of fixing the bugs, Gearbox decided it was a better idea to release 4 DLC add-ons. I only paid 10 bucks for the game and all the DLC and I still feel cheated.… Expand
  3. stevev45
    Oct 14, 2011
    5
    This game plays like a buggy and empty world of warcraft with guns. There is no
  4. ChrisS
    Dec 21, 2009
    7
    I have only played this game through 1 time with 1 friend (2 people playing) and I gotta say it is pretty underwhelming. The idea is there, SOME guns are cool (the fact that their are "bazillions" of them is lame considering many are the same), but I never really felt involved in any way. Its just "go here, do this go back, repeat and none of it is particularly fun. Bottom Line: Fun if I have only played this game through 1 time with 1 friend (2 people playing) and I gotta say it is pretty underwhelming. The idea is there, SOME guns are cool (the fact that their are "bazillions" of them is lame considering many are the same), but I never really felt involved in any way. Its just "go here, do this go back, repeat and none of it is particularly fun. Bottom Line: Fun if you have friends to play with and dont mind doing mindless (and imo pointless) quests killing things and backtracking. If you want substance from a game, look elsewhere.… Expand
  5. DWlubu1998
    Apr 14, 2011
    5
    I was very disappointed when i first played this and I got my game of the year addition and sold it 2 days later. This has to be the most difficult game i have played in my life, the only way to acually win is to have a mod. The game design is good and looks like a cartoon (which isnt bad) crap load of guns, cool upgrade system but overall if there is another one im not gonna waste moreI was very disappointed when i first played this and I got my game of the year addition and sold it 2 days later. This has to be the most difficult game i have played in my life, the only way to acually win is to have a mod. The game design is good and looks like a cartoon (which isnt bad) crap load of guns, cool upgrade system but overall if there is another one im not gonna waste more money unless they make the AI less difficult.… Expand
  6. DH.
    Oct 29, 2009
    5
    While not a bad game, it gets boring as all you are doing are basic "go get this item" or "go kill this number of bad guys/monsters" for the bulk of the game. The result of many of those quests is simply a boss battle and then you repeat. Like some others have said, I would not compare this to Fallout 3 or Oblivion because the world is simply not there. It is not "open world" in my While not a bad game, it gets boring as all you are doing are basic "go get this item" or "go kill this number of bad guys/monsters" for the bulk of the game. The result of many of those quests is simply a boss battle and then you repeat. Like some others have said, I would not compare this to Fallout 3 or Oblivion because the world is simply not there. It is not "open world" in my opinion, but a series of small maps that you will travel to. You don't really get involved in any kind of story or atmosphere and there are no NPC's to interact with to make the game feel alive. There is no real atmosphere to the game either like there was with Fallout 3 or Oblivion. The game is also somewhat frustratingly difficult in the beginning if you are playing solo and at times, I almost stopped playing due to the initial difficulty. The enemy respawn system is also annoying when you are lower level because you will often find yourself out of ammo and low on health just to have to face the same enemies you killed a minute ago. The zenith of this game is co-op play and unfortunately for me, I can't play too much online. If you can readily get online to play with friends, it is a much more enjoyable game. If you are playing it solo (like I am), it's a very basic FPS game that gets overly repetitive (again the "quests" - go here, get that, kill him, etc.). It also begins to get a bit easy once you level up and having to endlessly fight lower level bandits over and over again (that you've already killed 5 times) gets old and detracts from the game.… Expand
  7. BeanyBean
    Sep 20, 2010
    7
    Borderlands is an extremely fun and interesting, new experience... for a few hours. I've had friends that have played it until they've maxed out their levels, and I don't honestly understand how that's possible. It's another game where the first play through can actually be quite amusing and contain things that no one else has had the mind to create yet, but at a certain point, youBorderlands is an extremely fun and interesting, new experience... for a few hours. I've had friends that have played it until they've maxed out their levels, and I don't honestly understand how that's possible. It's another game where the first play through can actually be quite amusing and contain things that no one else has had the mind to create yet, but at a certain point, you realize that you just wanna put the controller down. It's also far from lag-free, and unless you're willing to shell out the money for the many DLC's, I'd suggest a rental.… Expand
  8. DerekM
    Jan 2, 2010
    7
    The gameplay was pretty fun overall,except some repeativeness. All you had to do was aim and pull the trigger. Also aiming down the sights for most weapons was terrible. Other than some bad voice acting,a dull story, short game, and a disapointing ending, the game was pretty good. The bad ending gave players the "Aww damn, I did allt hat for nothing?" feeling. Has some room for The gameplay was pretty fun overall,except some repeativeness. All you had to do was aim and pull the trigger. Also aiming down the sights for most weapons was terrible. Other than some bad voice acting,a dull story, short game, and a disapointing ending, the game was pretty good. The bad ending gave players the "Aww damn, I did allt hat for nothing?" feeling. Has some room for improvement but overall it's a fine game that most games would like to play through.… Expand
  9. Les
    Nov 2, 2009
    7
    For single player the difficulty is often frustratingly high and respawned enemies (including bosses) make it worse - Lost Cave anyone. I'm all for respawning, so you don't constantly traipse through large, empty landscapes, but lets be reasonable. There is no expansive open feel, as with Fallout 3, and the failure to have any sort of interaction with NCPs means there is For single player the difficulty is often frustratingly high and respawned enemies (including bosses) make it worse - Lost Cave anyone. I'm all for respawning, so you don't constantly traipse through large, empty landscapes, but lets be reasonable. There is no expansive open feel, as with Fallout 3, and the failure to have any sort of interaction with NCPs means there is absolutely no emotional content to make you feel more immersed in the story (very old fashioned in that respect. Think of Doom etc when you just killed hordes of enemies until you worked through the level). With F3 you had the father/daughter relationship as well as the moral decisions and, even better, with Mass Effect you developed personal realtionships with your crew. On a postitive, driving is easy and intuitative (unlike say Drake's fortune where it's a chore), the weapons are mostly fun, though in single player you are forced to rely heavily on sniping as rushing in with machine guns and shotguns will get you killed faster than roadrunner delivers pizzas. Graphically the cell shading is lush and the soundtrack great. All in all this is a good shooter that will fill the time before Bioshock 2 and Mass Effect 2 come out in 2010… Expand
  10. MrC
    Oct 21, 2009
    7
    Awesome art, the world wasn't logistically created, so it felt more like an arena. Wish I could customize my avatar beyond colors, UI was difficult to read. Where are all the people, even for a desolate game, pockets of humanity always exist. Lost of run and gun, not so much strategy or rpg elements.
  11. AdamB.
    Nov 7, 2009
    5
    For a game that prides itself on its multiplayer, the matchmaking is slow and buggy, and it's difficult to find players matching your level. Games and duels are incredibly mismatched if players have different levels. Powerful enemies sometimes spawn-camp, creating situations where you cannot move from a single spot, as you die over and over. Weapons and enemies are largely similar For a game that prides itself on its multiplayer, the matchmaking is slow and buggy, and it's difficult to find players matching your level. Games and duels are incredibly mismatched if players have different levels. Powerful enemies sometimes spawn-camp, creating situations where you cannot move from a single spot, as you die over and over. Weapons and enemies are largely similar and there's no real character customization. Most of the environments are linear and bland, and cutscenes cannot be skipped. On the plus side, vehicles and special attacks are fun, the controls are responsive, and the graphics and sound are unique. Borderlands is a solid rental, but after a few months the initial hype will die down as hardcore players realize (and become disappointed in) the game's numerous shortcomings. Borderlands is a game in the style of Diablo or Phantasy Star Online, but with none of the charm.… Expand
  12. JimmyB.
    Oct 28, 2009
    5
    The only thing cool about this game is the cell shading. and thats not even a big deal anymore. it is so repetitive. every enemy looks the same. every gun, is virtually the same. to have a 40 minute shootout, where you will be killed over and over, just isn't any fun. head shots rarely matter if at all. i played this game for at least six hours straight and felt like i completely The only thing cool about this game is the cell shading. and thats not even a big deal anymore. it is so repetitive. every enemy looks the same. every gun, is virtually the same. to have a 40 minute shootout, where you will be killed over and over, just isn't any fun. head shots rarely matter if at all. i played this game for at least six hours straight and felt like i completely wasted my time. sure i leveled up, but so what. thats exactly what it feels like after every mission is completed, SO WHAT!! the co-op is only worth playing if the people you play with are the exact same level you are, and haven't done any missions you haven't done. if not, the enemies will totally overwhelm you or you'll wind up doing the same missions over again and again. the enemies re-spawn every time you walk past where you just killed them. which will be a lot since you always have to backtrack. i think this game SUCKS!!!! a lot of horse crap in a pretty bag. there is NO WAY this game even comes close to fallout. trust me, i have nothing to gain from telling you to play it or not to play it. don't buy it. rent it first. i don't think i'll even put it back in the console. FAIL!!… Expand
  13. JamesF
    Oct 29, 2009
    6
    I was very disappointed. Co-op is good, but this games is FULL of bugs! Co-op causes even more bugs. RPG, with no roll playing, no RPG style choices, but lots of guns and equipment to trade and fiddle with. Its the worst of MMORPG thrown into a 4 player MORPG. Cars limited. NPC limited, Cut scenes limited, ending BAD.
  14. DanielS
    Oct 31, 2009
    7
    It seems that the developers lost interest as the game went on. The first area is good; it's large and there is allot to do. By the time you have finished there you will know the area inside out and feel slightly sad to leave. However, this NEVER happens again. Each progressive area gets shorter and shorter, until you barely even look at the scenery on your way to kill/collect the It seems that the developers lost interest as the game went on. The first area is good; it's large and there is allot to do. By the time you have finished there you will know the area inside out and feel slightly sad to leave. However, this NEVER happens again. Each progressive area gets shorter and shorter, until you barely even look at the scenery on your way to kill/collect the next thing. This all builds up to the ending. Ooooh the ending. It's like they left the intern in charge of that bit and he hadn't bothered reading the story up until that point and just decided he liked squid. Of course, it is still a good game, strangely enough. The gun play is fun, the co-op is wonderful. It's just that the good bits are so good that the bad bits are unforgivable.… Expand
  15. JudgeMental
    Aug 13, 2010
    5
    Was it "OK?" Yes. Was it "good?" Maybe. Was it as good as the magazine reviewers said? Absolutely not. This game might have several hundred thousand weapons, but that's been done before, I can think of Diablo II right off the bat. Mildly creative, but heavily lacking, with little replay value and a poor online component. Funny at times, downright annoying at others, I give this game aWas it "OK?" Yes. Was it "good?" Maybe. Was it as good as the magazine reviewers said? Absolutely not. This game might have several hundred thousand weapons, but that's been done before, I can think of Diablo II right off the bat. Mildly creative, but heavily lacking, with little replay value and a poor online component. Funny at times, downright annoying at others, I give this game a solid 5 out of 10.… Expand
  16. SFN
    Jan 9, 2011
    7
    the first few missions of this game were extremely boring and it was just repetitive combat over and over again but after awhile the game became so much fun that i found myself playing it for 4-5 hrs. a day, the graphics to me coud've beeen alittle better and the storyline was confusing but all and all this game to me was one of the best games of 2009 and it should be given more credit
  17. Makaveli
    Oct 24, 2012
    6
    Been a long time since I played this and never got a chance to do a review. I hate the art stlye in this game, I find it's horrible. Others may like it. Although I did not like this game what so ever and Borderlands 2 aswell. I wont give it a low score just because of that because I do believe that there is fun to be had in this game for most people, but it definatly isn't my cup of tea.
  18. CarsonRGB
    Oct 8, 2011
    6
    Story: 3
    Characters: 7
    Graphics: 8
    Setting: 3
    Multiplayer: 6
    Technical: 5
    Audio: 7
    Gameplay: 6
    Re-Playability Value: 7
    Fun Factor: 6

    Score: 5.8/10 = D+
  19. SupaChigga
    Nov 19, 2013
    7
    Single Player/Multi Player (2/2)

    (If the single player is better than the multiplayer, review this section as if it had no multplayer) (If the multiplayer is better than the multiplayer, review this section as if it had no single player) Gameplay (1/2) Visuals/Story (1/2) (If the visuals are better than the story, review this section as if it had no story) (If the story is    Single Player/Multi Player (2/2)

    (If the single player is better than the multiplayer, review this section as if it had no multplayer) (If the multiplayer is better than the multiplayer, review this section as if it had no single player)

    Gameplay (1/2)

    Visuals/Story (1/2)

    (If the visuals are better than the story, review this section as if it had no story) (If the story is better than the visuals, review this section as if the visuals didn’t matter)

    Accessibility/Longevity (2/2)

    (Review this section only on Accessibility if the game has no longevity) (Review this section only on longevity if the game isn’t accessible)

    Pricing (1/2)

    Wildcard (0)

    This is a guideline for how to properly review games. Many reviewers like to get a “feel” for a game, and arbitrarily give a game a score that they believe it deserves. This results in wildly different scores between different reviewers, and vastly different scores between similar games. This guideline addresses these problems and scores games fairly and consistently. This guideline also gives scores that are usually similar to the metacritic score.

    The review score is based out of 10 points. There are no “half” or 0.5 increments. It is impossible to have a score above 10 or below 0. The review score will change as the game gets new dlc, drops in price, or if more secrets are found through the game increasing its appeal.

    The scoring is split into 6 sections. The first five sections can add a possible 2 points to the final score. The first 5 sections are Single Player/Multi Player, Gameplay, Visuals/Story, Accessibility/Longevity, and Pricing.

    Notice that 3 of these sections have two parts. These particular sections will be scored based on the stronger part of the game of the two. For example, if a game has a lousy single player campaign, but an excellent multiplayer component, that section will be based solely on the multiplayer as if the single player did not exist. This allows games to be based on their own merits, as many unnecessary features are shoehorned into video games by publishers to reach a “feature quota”. Games that excel in both areas of a section don’t receive should be noted in the written review, but cannot increase the score past 2 in that section. However, it can be taken into account in the final section

    The final section can add 1, add 0, or subtract 1 to the final score. This final section is the “wildcard” section. This section is for how the reviewer “feels” about the game, but limits this only to this section, rather than the entire 10 point review. This section can include any positive or negative point that was not covered in the previous 5 sections.    … Expand
  20. Broyax
    Jan 7, 2020
    5
    Un jeu étonnant et innovant dans sa présentation qui marie avec un certain talent le FPS et le "jeu de rôle" ou du moins ses mécaniques -basiques- de progression : la tendance reste en effet cantonnée ici au hack & slash mais avec des flingues, des tas de flingues...

    L'ambiance clairement décalée mêle un humour souvent grotesque et des graphismes assez cartoonesques (pour masquer des    Un jeu étonnant et innovant dans sa présentation qui marie avec un certain talent le FPS et le "jeu de rôle" ou du moins ses mécaniques -basiques- de progression : la tendance reste en effet cantonnée ici au hack & slash mais avec des flingues, des tas de flingues...

    L'ambiance clairement décalée mêle un humour souvent grotesque et des graphismes assez cartoonesques (pour masquer des graphismes un peu pauvres) mais l'effet produit reste tout-à-fait original.

    C'est néanmoins très répétitif sur le long terme même si la maniabilité impeccable et la bonne interface compensent un peu... malgré un système de loot bien fatigant... Borderlands demeure évidemment trop bourrin et sa partie "rôle" est insuffisamment développée voire inexistante...

    On attendait un peu plus que du sempiternel "pan-pan boum-boum" ; on espérait également autre chose qu'un "scénario" aussi indigent. Une sorte d'amusant défouloir mais un brin pénible sur le long terme.    … Expand
  21. Locke_Cole
    Jan 2, 2018
    7
    Lleno de carisma, inspiración y sentido del humor, Borderlands aparece como un juego que como paquete completo es superior a la suma de sus partes. El sistema de disparos está bien cuidado y da espacio para la personalización, sin embargo es bastante superficial, ya que la clase elegida pone limitaciones insondeables y por lo tanto, poco moldeables.

    Sin embargo lo importante de este    Lleno de carisma, inspiración y sentido del humor, Borderlands aparece como un juego que como paquete completo es superior a la suma de sus partes. El sistema de disparos está bien cuidado y da espacio para la personalización, sin embargo es bastante superficial, ya que la clase elegida pone limitaciones insondeables y por lo tanto, poco moldeables.

    Sin embargo lo importante de este juego es lo que ofrece como experiencia general, un mundo inspiradísimo y la curiosidaa de explorar sus cuevas, la sorpresa de los dialogos, el carisma de sus personajes. Lamentablemente a nivel mecánico deja mucho que desear, y creo que como primera entrega es poco generosa respecto al guion, es básica y no termina en nada. Es un juego con excelentes ideas y diseño artístico, crearon un mundo entrañable, así como un sistema de recoleccion de armas divertido y variado.

    Como juego de hace casi una década no me detendré en aspectos técnicos, aún viéndolo con visión histórica me parece un buen juego, pero no uno especialmente destacable, y más aún en la generación que apareció. Jugaré la segunda entrega para ver como desarrollaron las interesantes ideas que veo aquí.    … Expand
  22. asylumspadez
    Nov 15, 2011
    7
    Probably one of the most unique games you will ever play. Borderlands has that creativity to it that you know will keep you coming back for more, However - an uneven difficulty, poor and repetitive mission objectives, countless back tracking, and a poor multiplayer ruin the overall value. Its enjoyable but not as good as it could have been.
  23. CursedKnight187
    Jul 7, 2013
    6
    A strangely addictive first person shooter that gets a lot right, but a lot wrong. The diverse wide spectrum of guns in this game is mind boggling, and the looting that can be done is extensive and very fun, but as far as story goes, only a few wacky characters stand in the way of this being one of the most mundane stories to trudge through in gaming. I found it hard to keep going in theA strangely addictive first person shooter that gets a lot right, but a lot wrong. The diverse wide spectrum of guns in this game is mind boggling, and the looting that can be done is extensive and very fun, but as far as story goes, only a few wacky characters stand in the way of this being one of the most mundane stories to trudge through in gaming. I found it hard to keep going in the game, and in my opinion, the combat isn't all that so it doesn't grip you that much. However, its worth a buy simply for the fun that can be had with your friends online.… Expand
  24. drlowdon
    Feb 27, 2013
    6
    Playing as a hybrid between an RPG and a First Person Shooter Borderlands, much like the Left 4 Dead games, only really comes to life when played on XBox Live with Friends.

    If you've ever play an MMORPG such as World of Warcraft you will be familiar with the games structure. Missions are given out by computer controlled characters, once completed you return to that character to receive    Playing as a hybrid between an RPG and a First Person Shooter Borderlands, much like the Left 4 Dead games, only really comes to life when played on XBox Live with Friends.

    If you've ever play an MMORPG such as World of Warcraft you will be familiar with the games structure. Missions are given out by computer controlled characters, once completed you return to that character to receive experience with which to level up your character as you see fit (improve the power of your weapons, increase the amount of life you have etc) and sometimes receive an extra reward. Unlike any MMORPG however the first person shooter element means that there is actually some level of skill to the combat, although you will not be able to defeat certain enemies until you reach the required level. In this respect the game is very helpful as it will always suggest a recommended level for each mission.

    The game allows you to choose from four different classes, each with their own special abilities, as well as featuring a huge range of weapons with which to survive the wastelands. Your ability with each weapon type increases as you use them allowing each you to customise your character as you wish. The only criticism that can be levelled at the game is the lack of variety as the game progresses. Running in excess of twenty hours my interest did begin to wane before the final few missions. If you are looking for a single-player FPS there are far better alternatives available, if on the other hand you are looking for a multiplayer experience with a far amount of depth then for under twenty quid Borderlands could be the game for you.    … Expand
  25. MechMarine
    Jun 8, 2011
    7
    Borderlands is definitely a first person shooter with RPG elements. It is focused on the massive amount of guns, powers, and enemies you can fight. While it does have a lack of captivating events in the main story, the DLC and side quests make up for that in some ways. This is a game for those who like a lot of guns, not for those who like a lot of storyline.
  26. OmnipotentGamer
    Aug 5, 2013
    5
    This game could've been so much more, but as a solo player the game was fairly boring,with the exception of a couple boss fights, and the story was just god awful.....so much wasted potential.
  27. neilsmif1980
    Sep 22, 2012
    5
    I reviewed this game too harshly last time I gave it a 0! Because of a stupid glitch at the beginning that caused me to lose my level. So I tried again and this score is more honest. It's boring. Its glitchy, it really is samey! It's fun for the 4 person co-op but when I'm playing by myself I can't really be bothered! It's just like Borderlands!
  28. djWAX
    Jul 13, 2012
    7
    I give this a 7 because it is far from perfect. Online co-op is miserable unless you're playing with 3 other people you know you can trust, as most random players run around with "modded" items that make them invincible, kill everything in 1-shot, and just ruin the game in general. Some of these random players also glitch your characters. I found myself learning all of this the hardI give this a 7 because it is far from perfect. Online co-op is miserable unless you're playing with 3 other people you know you can trust, as most random players run around with "modded" items that make them invincible, kill everything in 1-shot, and just ruin the game in general. Some of these random players also glitch your characters. I found myself learning all of this the hard way, and had to delete my first character at level 26 because of a glitch that put one of the first quests back into my checklist, unfinished, without any way of completing it. Another con is that the game is very grindy, usually sending the same enemies at you in droves. Skags, raiders, midgets, spiderants and the occasional rakk will be the only noteworthy foes you face for the first 8 hours of the game. The variation is paltry. Final con is that the ENTIRE game is set in a brown wasteland that gets incredibly boring to look at rather quickly.

    All of this being said, the pros far outweigh the cons. The gameplay/gunplay is solid, and the looting and constant improving is incredibly addicting as you're constantly finding new guns that are slightly better than the ones you have and toying with those weapons and their wide variety of attributes. The graphic style is perfect for this game, and the audio, including the voice acting, is very satisfying in both humor and vulgarity.

    Overall, this game accomplishes its top 3 goals of gunplay, looting and humor very well. The online component, occasional feeling of grinding, and the drab landscape are detractors, but very minor. This is a buy if you like RPG-FPS hybrids, and if you're a fan of the Diablo games, especially now since it's been out for a few years.    … Expand
  29. SilentDogwood
    Dec 15, 2011
    6
    Borderlands has a lovely art direction and a solid FPS focus. That's it. Tales of RPG elements are complete lies, the story is nonexistent, the mission structure is repetitive as are the character diversification. Multiplayer is useless as all players need to be off the same levels to play together. Of course you can play online with people who are the same level, but multiplayer reallyBorderlands has a lovely art direction and a solid FPS focus. That's it. Tales of RPG elements are complete lies, the story is nonexistent, the mission structure is repetitive as are the character diversification. Multiplayer is useless as all players need to be off the same levels to play together. Of course you can play online with people who are the same level, but multiplayer really only comes together playing with people you are farmilar with, and the chances of you and a friend picking this up at the same time are slim unless you were waiting for it in anticipation.
    Borderlands does some things right, but a lot of things wrong.    … Expand
  30. spadenx
    Jan 19, 2012
    7
    Its an original and insanely addictive shooter game. However it features a lot of flaws - An insanely long and boring campaign. Pathetic multiplayer. No replay value. Takes too long to get anything decent (weapons) in the game. Also there are more then a few annoying glitches. Its a fun but flawed shooter.
  31. sammydeedge
    Jun 22, 2013
    6
    Borderlands is a different kind of FPS known as a RPS (Role-Playing Shooter). I can definitely understand the merit of such a game and it had a very solid base in XP, leveling up and such. Personally I didn't enjoy this game, possibly due to the fact that I'm not really good at gaming, but I can totally understand the love of the gameplay style and the overall presentation-based flair.
  32. Compi24
    Jun 25, 2013
    7
    Though story and character are definitely sacrificed in favor of savory visuals and gameplay, the latter elements bolster "Borderlands" to a fairly enjoyable level.
  33. Rem
    Apr 4, 2017
    7
    An essentially stripped back version of the core shoot n' loot experience, the original Borderlands started a well recognized franchise now known for off the wall humor and endless fun grinding for gear with friends. However, this was apparently at the expense of an interesting setting and polish, with poor performance on the 360 and little incentive to continue playing other than toAn essentially stripped back version of the core shoot n' loot experience, the original Borderlands started a well recognized franchise now known for off the wall humor and endless fun grinding for gear with friends. However, this was apparently at the expense of an interesting setting and polish, with poor performance on the 360 and little incentive to continue playing other than to receive a minuscule increase to your weapons' stats.

    Borderlands smells of promise form the getgo, with you taking the role of a treasure hunter in the apocalyptic-esque planet of Pandora in search of a famed Vault filled with endless amounts of wealth. Even with this, Borderlands doesn't so much fall flat in telling its story, more so having a story to tell. Plot threads are so bare, it honestly feels the developers cared little for this aspect, which would be fine if the game didn't have a pathetic ending to make all your grinding go to waste. You really won't care what happens, and for a game with definite strengths elsewhere, the story won't sting as much. Unlike the plot, characters in Borderlands receive slightly more attention with discernible characteristics and sometimes genuinely funny things to say. Nobody other than ClapTrap will stay in your mind, but they serve as cool looking quest vendors, so there's that.

    The meat of Borderlands and for the series in general has been the endless grind for loot in the same vein as the Diablo games, and Borderlands absolutely excels in this. As exaggerated as a "bazillion games" might seem, there's enough variety in your tools of destruction to warrant continuous hours of play. You get your standard arsenal of destruction but it's how on the fly you can tweak and spec your character that supports this grind for the best loot, which is further heightened with friends along. Upgrading your character is definitely something to consider since you can generally play any sort of combat role you wish, which is admirable and makes multiple playthroughs with the four different characters a good time sinker. What's not so fun? With a game only about shooting baddies in the face, shooting baddies eventually gets monotonous. It's understandable that you can't make every enemy encounter unique but when your solution is to add more hit points to your enemies, often times resorting to bullet sponges, the once competent combat just fades into a chore. Borderlands is definitely alot more fun with friends for the ride, so that's your best bet for an optimal experience. Overall, the gameplay has its bright spots, but hasn't aged well for a game from 2009.

    For the more recent games in the franchise, Pandora served as the biggest character with its interesting set of locations, and this much is true for the first Borderlands..most of the time. For 2009, Borderlands' cell shaded look and larger scale helped cement Pandora's personality as a desolate, campy apocalypse, but for an 60+ hour experience going through most of these locations wear you down quickly. The color palette is often times either rust brown or ashy grey, and the game's overall art style borders (no pun intended) on boring. On the technical side, the game runs like complete ass. Whether its the aging Unreal Engine 3 or the lack of optimization on consoles, Borderlands' frame rate can tank when you add more than 5 enemies on screen at once. The frames can dip below 10 in the most hectic of situations and when you're getting peppered from all sides by gunfire and you go into last stand with a character giving you quest details over a radio, it just becomes too chaotic to be any substantial fun.

    Make no mistake, Borderlands is a genuine good time when you just don't care about blasting away at enemies, going into a predictable rhythm of killing and looting, but when even that becomes tiresome in a slew of other problems, Borderlands just lacks the staying power of other titles in the series. This can only be a good sign for the franchise that made substantial improvements moving forward, but the original title still isn't a bad way to pass the time, just don't look beyond skin deep.    … Expand
  34. cmyk
    Jan 29, 2014
    7
    Awesome game. Story might be a bit short, a few bugs here and there, but overall I had a blast. From an artsy-fartsy standpoint, it's fresh! Neat sense of humor, likable characters, staggering customization if that's something important to you. You might not love it as much as some others, but I don't think you'd lose much either if you decide to give it a go.
  35. raccoondaddy
    Apr 8, 2017
    7
    It's pretty hard to retroactively review a game that already has a superior sequel. But, in all honesty, it doesn't hurt!

    When I first played this, I fell in love with dusty western setting, first hearing Cage the Elephant's "No rest for the Wicked" and blasting away at enemies at a distance and in frantic close quarters. But Borderlands has its moments of boredom, like when you    It's pretty hard to retroactively review a game that already has a superior sequel. But, in all honesty, it doesn't hurt!

    When I first played this, I fell in love with dusty western setting, first hearing Cage the Elephant's "No rest for the Wicked" and blasting away at enemies at a distance and in frantic close quarters.

    But Borderlands has its moments of boredom, like when you doing the damn fetch quests. Honestly, we can do without em' at this point. It's kind of like getting a doughnut at the shop. Some places just fill them up with jelly, custard or pudding; then there are the ones that AWFUL white sugar filling!!
    Seriously!!! WHO LIKES THAT SH*T!! But you know, you're going to eating around it! (Sorry, had to do that) THAT is what it feels like to do fetch quests.

    Ultimately, Borderlands is a great game that suffers it's points of boredom and truly lacks a good story. (FYI, there barely is one) I recommend you play with friends, as the experience can get boring for some.    … Expand
  36. Sarian263
    Mar 17, 2021
    7
    Borderlands...a interesting game which really kick started the "Looter Shooter" genre. And a very good game to kick off with at that! Set on the planet of Pandora, you play as one of 4 "Vault Hunters" on the hunt for well The vault! Apart from that, there isn't too much to go over.

    Story wise like I say, you get to choose from one of the 4 classes or Vault Hunters each one with their    Borderlands...a interesting game which really kick started the "Looter Shooter" genre. And a very good game to kick off with at that! Set on the planet of Pandora, you play as one of 4 "Vault Hunters" on the hunt for well The vault! Apart from that, there isn't too much to go over.

    Story wise like I say, you get to choose from one of the 4 classes or Vault Hunters each one with their own seperate abilities/talent trees. This is where the RPG aspect sorta comes into it but it is not as fleshed out in this one as the sequels. Overall you don't really play this game for its story. The NPC characters and side quests are very unique. This is a game that goes for the comedy factor and does a very good job at that!

    Gameplay and visuals is where this game really shines. it is 4 player Co-Op which is great as each player can choose their own Vault hunter and go on a crazy open world adventure together! The world itself is huge in its own right so there is PLENTY to do and explore. However I don't feel like the hunter's all gel as well together as they could. It seems a lot of the time you and your mates would all pick the same character based on what that character can do which is fine but at the same time, I feel like the talent trees could be expanded a little...(again this got changed as the sequels went on). Also it felt like some characters had better abilities than others? By this I mean that other characters would have cool epic moves where as some others may not. Visuals wise, the game goes for a cell shaded cartoony look for it and works well. Also guns...LOADS OF GUNS!

    Overall, Borderlands is a very unique game. It was the first of its type and it did the job quite well. Yes the sequels for this got ALOT better but the original I wouldn't consider "classic" but still deserves the respect for what it paved.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

28
#28 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2009
5
#5 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2009
8
#8 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2009

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 83 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 80 out of 83
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 83
  3. Negative: 0 out of 83
  1. RPG Fan
    87
    In short, Borderlands is a top-quality shooter and grind-fest.
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  2. X-ONE Magazine UK
    90
    A furiously successful RPG and FPS combination that doesn't fall short on either front. [Issue#52, p.86]
  3. Gamer Limit
    90
    When a game has such vicious combat, an intriguing skill system, and full co-op capability, a mediocre story can be overlooked. Borderlands is a necessity for any fan of the FPS and RPG genres, or just down-right looting fun.
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