Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel Reviews
A well-executed but thoroughly unambitious extension of Borderlands 2. Low-grav jumping adds a new dimension to combat.
Low gravity makes The Pre-Sequel more than a simple rehash of the Borderlands formula
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel brings you more of the loot and lighthearted humor you love, though it never quite overcomes the gravity of its predecessors.
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel refreshes gameplay through some new mechanics and a whole new story, including a cast of familiar characters and brand new characters, while diving into the events that lead up to Borderlands 2. Fans of the series can look forward to plenty of new content and locations to explore, all while acquiring plenty of guns and equipment throughout, including a new weapon type and new equipment type. The game can feel focused on multiplayer at times, however the game is still a fun and enjoyable experience regardless, and will definitely give people the best bang for their buck, especially those who wish to know more about the Borderlands universe.
Before you start, you have to make a tacit agreement with Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel: This is one of those times where you'll gaze into the abyss, and the abyss will gaze into you.
If Borderlands 2 was an example of the series coasting under its own momentum, the Pre-Sequel is something of a master class in how to refine the series into a step forward. The underlying game isn't that different and it's filled with the same humor that you've come to expect, but the change of setting and the polishing of the gameplay have done wonders. The game seems more reliant on a central plot than the series is normally known for, and through it, you learn how Jack became such a horrible person. If you're like me and thought the Pre-Sequel is just another game in the series, then Claptrap's class isn't the only "Mistake." For being the third game in a franchise and with a name that implies it to be more of the same, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is a surprisingly fresh experience.
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is a funny cartoon shooter that compels you to keep playing and score more guns. Just like the last two. Laser weapons and moon bouncing add a little extra flavor, but if you don't like Borderlands by now, this won't change things.
Despite that glowing praise, I am torn, because I also recognize that it is far from perfect. The environmental art direction gets dull too quickly, the level design is lacking in basic conveniences, and a general sloppiness is present when looking closely. Some of the cool new features like multi-leveled areas and combining weapons could have been enhanced further if the user interface and systems had been updated to play to those strengths. Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is a solid entry to the series, but I hope that the development team takes some of the failings to heart and delivers excellence in the future.
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel successfully builds on the series' many strengths while repeating its pacing mistakes.
If you've ever played a Borderlands game, this is mostly more of the same. If not, it's a solid albeit unspectacular shooting and loot-hoarding.
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel isn't without its issues, but it's still a fun game. Mostly everything about Borderlands 2 is present in The Pre-Sequel with a few changes, some good and some bad. Overall though, with the excellent gameplay, somewhat higher difficulty and challenge, and the excellent dialogue and narrative by characters both old and new, fans of Borderlands 2 will likely get the same amount of enjoyment out of The Pre-Sequel.
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is a hilarious, fan-focused continuation of the series' core values. But lacking any truly evolution, it makes for a fun diversion rather than a meaningful new chapter.
Much like a Claptrap, parts of Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel try too hard to be liked. The freezing element, although welcome, doesn't add much to the gameplay.