Okay, what better way to start than with something I enjoyed. And what better thing to start with, than a video game! So, the only thing I’ve actually been playing is Borderlands 2, something I expected little of due to the fact the first installation was out-of-this-world-off-the-scale amazingly brilliant. But alas, being about 75% through the main story, I am not bored. A good sign. Unlike the Gears of War trilogy, Call of Duty series and to some extent Batman: Arkham City, it doesn’t try to make too much of a leap. Especially with Gears 3, there was simply too much packed into one game.
However, Borderlands 2 does something very clever, it gives you little choice, despite having the most choices in any game ever. What I mean is, there are “87 BAZILLION GUNS” in the sequel. It may be exaggerated but I’ll take their word for it, but the decision is thrust upon you, and that’s fine, because any gun is a good gun. Each gun is unique, such as a rocket launcher that fires three electric rockets at once or a sniper that has a chance to ignite an enemy, and there’s nothing more satisfying than setting a Burning Psycho on fire. You feel like you’ve made the impossible, possible. Very satisfying indeed.
As for the story-telling, it’s too good to be true. I thought it’d be completely separate to the first installment in the post-apocalyptic series, but no, they entwine magnificently, bringing gasps, laughs and cries of joy, fear and sadness. With more twists than a plate of fusilli, it’s difficult to keep up with, and sometimes too many important things happen at once, but then afterwards the story calms down giving you time to reflect on what has actually just happened.
Borderlands 2 is everything I wanted and more. I think the highlight was attending a bi-polar robot’s birthday party, of which I was the only attendee. That moment summed up that this game is there to make you laugh, cry and have fun. Also, about killing stuff. That’s important too.