borderlands 2 game review
Three years after the release of a first episode as colorful as it is explosive, Borderlands returns to HD and PC consoles to the delight of fans of action and second degree. Always as barred and more dynamic than ever, will Borderlands 2 meet their expectations? Answer in this test.Borderlands is both an FPS boosted in cel shading and a mature role play, irreverent, and to be honest, completely crazy. In 2009, the original episode allowed us to go in search of an alien Ark full of treasures on the mysterious planet Pandora. Immersed in a sort of ruthless post-apocalyptic far-west, the player could play 4 completely different characters to massacre the cohorts of bandits or hungry critters who got in their way. Long, nervous and well-made, Borderlands had quickly become a release of choice for FPS enthusiasts tired of reliving the Second World War for the twelfth time or constantly defending a well-meaning Western world threatened by terrible fanatic terrorists. Here, no great ideals, hypocritical morality and above all no political correctness: the inhabitants of Pandora are all crazier than each other, we swear, we drink, and the only goal of our Ark hunter is simply to enrich themselves by eliminating all those who want to prevent it.
Five years after the outcome of its predecessor, Borderlands 2 invites us today to return to Pandora in the shoes of 4 new characters who are determined to put their pockets full too. Salvador, the first of them, is a forrier so experienced in the handling of weapons that thanks to his special skill, he can momentarily use two at a time while regaining health points. Brutal and resistant, this easy-to-play character will naturally suit players who like to rush into the pile without asking questions. Maya, on the other hand, is a Mermaid capable of neutralizing an opponent for a few moments by using her Locking power or by healing her allies. Particularly useful in multiplayer, it will allow experienced players to implement complex and effective strategies. Axton is a Commando armed with a Scorpio 2.0 turret, very useful for defending a position or piercing enemy lines. Finally, the enigmatic Zer0 is an original Assassin as gifted for long distance combat as for hand-to-hand combat. Versatile, very stylish, with the Leurr3 ability to make it disappear 5 seconds to flee or launch a critical attack, it's a safe bet that it will become the new darling of the fans of the series as soon as the software is released, even if a fifth class, the Mecromancer, is also likely to be a hit with pre-orders or DLC.
Still as inhospitable, Pandora is now led by the charismatic and tyrannical director of D'hyperion Corporation known as the Beau Jack. Deceitful, idle and completely devoid of scruples, the latter has succeeded in bringing the population in step with his army of robots and plans to call on an evil alien entity to definitively establish its domination over the world. Left for dead by this new super villain notoriously allergic to hunters of the Ark, the player is saved in extremis by Clap Trap, the unbearable bloating droid of the first opus. Throughout the adventure, he will be forced in spite of himself to join the resistance led by Roland (one of the four heroes playable in 2009) for a chance to survive in the surrounding chaos. Needless to say, this scenario, which after all is fairly classic, is only a pretext for us to meet or fight the most delusional characters on the planet. From the eccentric Sir Hammerlock (an azimuthed gentleman) to this good old doctor Zed passing by the cruel Captain Flynt (a new boss) or the whimsical Scooter, the gallery of portraits, known or unpublished, that we will meet is worth his weighing peanuts. The very raw dialogues are sometimes excessively outrageous and the dubbing in French is a bit heavy but they are often funny as long as we know how to appreciate the trash humor.
While we thought we had seen everything from Pandora in the original episode, Borderlands 2 allows us to explore a host of new regions in new environments. From the arctic tundra in which we are making our debut, to the meadow through caves full of traps, there is plenty to see in the country, especially since the total playing area is considerably larger than before . Of course, the beautifully made decorations that we will go through are full of looters, psychopaths and other bloodthirsty monsters. In addition to skags and bandits, the player will this time have the pleasure of facing new opponents such as huge ape-like Garogos, cruel Rangers or the Hyperion robots. Good news, their intelligence has been greatly improved so that they are able to interact with each other (wild beasts regularly attack humans) and that most gunfights now have a very real tactical dimension. There is no longer any question of running in the open by stupidly emptying our charger on static and stupid enemies; the latter regularly take cover, they cover each other and flee when the situation requires. In addition, the fights are much more dynamic than in the first opus. It shoots in all directions, grenades fly and hand-to-hand units are thrown at us in heartbreaking howls. This is all the more true in multiplayer since the number of enemies increases according to the number of players (2 to 4 online or in a local network). The slightest skirmish is thus likely to take on epic proportions and adrenaline rushes are frequent.
Overall, the gameplay in subjective view of Borderlands 2 takes all the bases of its predecessor. Easy to master and widely configurable, the commands allow us to very effectively control our character to exploit its many resources. We can use countless weapons, equip ourselves with various shields, customize our grenades, specialize in several skill trees, etc. In the chapter of the innovations, one will note for example the appearance of disposable weapons which one balances on the enemy instead of reloading. We can race on the roads behind the wheel of new vehicles capable of taking on our entire team. The treatment no longer requires going through the menu and, once on the ground, our character is able to crawl for a few seconds in the hope of obtaining a Second Breath. The different challenges that we can meet during the adventure (killing enemies at night, opening so many chests ...) now allow us to gain Brutasse levels and tokens to permanently increase the statistics of all our heroes and all the equipment related to our profile. The skills of people divided into 3 areas have been revised while remaining consistent with their class. Thus, a Mermaid can now focus its progression on the support of its allies (Harmony), on its agility (Movement) or on its damage capacities (Cataclysm). It will therefore not be played in the same way as in 2009. The murderer, formidable in close combat, also has little to do with Mordecaï and his famous familiar even if we find for example the same affinity for long distance shooting. Last detail that matters, it is now possible to customize the appearance of our characters and our vehicles down to the smallest detail, which is not luxury when we remember the lack of options that we once had in this domain.
However, despite Gearbox Software's efforts to renew the gaming experience, Borderlands 2 remains so close to its predecessor that an untrained user could almost be mistaken. No good gameplay mechanism has appeared and with a few exceptions, the way to use our equipment (Shields, grenade mods, etc.) is practically the same as before. Same observation for the course of the scenario which approaches furiously the previous one or for the variety of the missions. The latter are more numerous but in substance, they hardly differ from those which we used until now. Clean up an area, go get a battery, find an NPC ... Nothing new under the sun. We would also have liked that the developers further optimize the driving of the vehicles or seriously consider the problems of ergonomics of the menus and in particular of the inventory. Indeed, the latter are still as badly worn and it is not uncommon to commit false manipulations inadvertently.
Nevertheless, to let off steam, Borderlands 2 is probably the best in terms of offset FPS. Benefiting once again from splendid graphics and a soundtrack that sublimates its universe wonderfully, the app is a veritable summary of action and adrenaline. Very good solo, the experience becomes downright exhilarating for many. Subject to appreciating his outrageous humor and not being too demanding in terms of innovations, Borderlands 2 is clearly one of the major titles of this fall 2012. Whether you are a fan of FPS boosted, role playing atypical or simply a good politically incorrect action game, we could not help but add it as quickly as possible to our toy library.
The notes
Graphics 17/20
Keeping the very successful cel shading design of the first episode, Gearbox Software has once again managed to create an original universe, combining both the codes of traditional westerns and modern post-apoclyptic films. Unless you hate comics and bright colors, you can only adhere to them.
Gameplay 17/20
Relying largely on the achievements of its predecessor, the gameplay of Borderlands 2 is both more dynamic, more fluid but also more tactical than in 2009. Our opponents react in a coherent manner and the battles are very rhythmic. Well balanced in terms of difficulty, the experience is even more enjoyable for many (online or on a split screen). We regret, however, the lack of major innovations and the menus are still just as confusing.
Lifespan 17/20
Much larger than the original episode, this sequel allows us to discover new environments, new monsters and tons of weapons. Despite the redundancy of certain confrontations and the monotony of a few sets, we are bored all the more rarely as there are many challenges to be met and many bonuses (elements of customization, eridium to improve our weapons ...) to collect throughout the adventure.
Soundtrack 16/20
Once again, the different musical themes of Borderlands 2 perfectly match the atmosphere and the spirit of the software. The sound effects are realistic and if the dubbing in French sometimes turns into caricature, they remain most of the time very convincing.
Scenario 14/20
The story is really basic and the exaggeration of rudeness and dark humor can end up boring in the long run. However, the world of software is so crazy and its characters are so crazy that you inevitably end up laughing with a good heart at one time or another.
Quite cautious in terms of innovations, Borderlands 2 will however have no trouble convincing the informed public for which it is intended. Well done, fluid, dynamic and absolutely exhilarating to many, this irreverent title currently constitutes a first-choice release in the fairly formatted category of contemporary FPS. Given its replay potential and the many DLCs that are sure to land in the coming months, we are not ready to let go.
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