Borderlands 2

Stellar writing and a host of small improvements help Borderlands 2 stand tall on the shoulders of its predecessor.

Compared to the dull, empty-eyed stoicism of so many triple-A games, it's still a welcome blast of idiot humour, too.

Borderlands 2 is unquestionably a better game than Borderlands. The new emphasis on elemental weapons and dismemberment make for better combat scenarios, and the constant character improvement is a great push forward for players looking for long-term rewards. But sticking around for those payoffs requires more patience than I'd hoped.

Gearbox has fleshed out the overall character of the universe from the first Borderlands and come up with a winner

If you are up for a good laugh while shooting things in the face, Borderlands 2 is a worthy game to add to your collection. Soon enough, you'll see numbers popping above people's heads in real life and will feel compelled to search every Porta Potty on the street for cash.

Pick three friends, span the character classes, and get to killing. You won't be disappointed.

Ultimately, it has left me hungry for more - which is probably a testament to how potent a formula this is.

It definitely has problems, but Borderlands 2 is still mighty fun

If you loved your time in Pandora the first time around, you'll absolutely love Borderlands 2.

Borderlands 2 represents an evolution of the first game. If you love this series, get ready for refined gameplay, improved graphics, and twice the playtime—including twice as many DLCs. The nonstop shooting is amplified in the excellent co-op multiplayer mode, which is probably how the game is meant to be played. Fans of the series got exactly what they wanted: a crazy and brutal comic-book world full of dark humor. If the simple plot doesn’t grab you, there’s still the thrill of slicing up robots that announce their damage—and that’s damn good, if somewhat lowbrow, fun. Plus, the sound design is perfect.