Borderlands 2 First Impressions

[vectordream]

Keeping up with my tradition of writing first impressions for games that give me joy I played this game for a couple hours last night and here are my first impressions:

In my short playtime(around 3-4 hours) with Borderlands 2 this evening I felt the game was everything the original Borderlands was and more! I noticed some good improvements over the first game right away. I had trouble deciding on which of the four new characters to select because they all look really fun. Of course, I picked Maya making it a tradition to run through with the Siren class first.

First off it seems much easier to jump right into a friends game from the main screen. You get a dialog that tells you what is going to happen when you go in. Start a new character or continue your current one? I loved that gamers on my friends list old and new were popping in and out of my game with ease. Many were already a few levels ahead of me. Most of the people on my list are trustworthy with loot drops so I did not mind.

Secondly, while playing the game I noticed that if money or ammo were on the ground I simply just need to walk over it to collect it. I enjoy this improvement. For guns and equipment you still need to hit "X" to pick them up but that is how I expected it to be. It gives everyone a chance in the group to compare who might need or want it most. If you open a chest you still need to pick up money and such but as in the first one holding down "X" sucks it all in.

I also liked the new trade feature. Holding "B" while near an ally you can trade guns back and forth. There is also the classic just toss it on the ground method for all to see as well. The new pause menu is very slick but does take some getting used to. After a few minutes messing around it becomes second nature. Another subtle but neat feature is when an ally is busy digging around in their menus a little curved faint computer type screen appears in from of them to indicate such activity. It is helpful to know your ally is busy especially if your in a hot zone where you might want to hold up for your friend to finish up.

When in your character menu there is also a way to rotate your guns in full 3D to see it in all it's glory. I really appreciate that because they have done a much better job of having the guns I found right from the get go look more unique with varied skins. Speaking of that there are also more skins for your character this time. Some I noticed are quest rewards.

It also appears they have dumped the way proficiencies are handled from the first game. It is now called Badass rank. This is located in your character menu. As you play you complete challenges that in turn give you tokens to spend on things such as gun damage, proficiency etc.. This in my opinion is a much better system over the first game because it gives the player some control over it. Best of all when you buy upgrades they work across the board on all your characters. However, the game does not do a good job of explaining this. By the time I found it I had quite a few tokens to spend.

Enemies appear more skilled this time around. They dodge and roll much more making them unpredictable. I like this since it spices up the gameplay a bit. Just when I was about to take a pesky bandit out he rolled and took cover then I noticed Psychos running at me from different directions. I though I was going to run in and own these guys but I was the one running for cover!

I am only 3-4 hours in and have already encountered some awesome loot. An orange colored grenade mod that spawns 10 child grenades that fly out and pretty much level the whole area with a zero fuse time? Oh yeah, even I run when I throw one! Best of all the fun crazy humor is back and as good as ever. What is not to love about Claptrap going crazy falling on his face with all new fun, crazy and memorable characters. Couple that with four new vault hunters to level up, new guns, environments to explore and basically just more of everything including future DLC. I figure I will be playing this for quite some time. Finally, this looks like a game worth getting crazy over.

[PeeKnuckle]

Excellent first impression.

If I had one thing I didn't exactly care for in this second game, it'd be too much information to track. Fuse times for grenades, elemental chance, elemental damage and so on. I preferred the X1-x4 for elemental damage on weapons. I want to see X4 Fire Damage and just know that this thing is going to torch almost anything it touches. Instead, I'm looking for bonus elemental damage flavor text, elemental chance and elemental damage. Seems everything else in the game was designed to be quick and get you back into the action faster. Everything but that, though.

It's just something I'll need to get used to. I'm sure over time I'll even prefer it over the original system.

[vectordream]

Excellent first impression.

If I had one thing I didn't exactly care for in this second game, it'd be too much information to track. Fuse times for grenades, elemental chance, elemental damage and so on. I preferred the X1-x4 for elemental damage on weapons. I want to see X4 Fire Damage and just know that this thing is going to torch almost anything it touches. Instead, I'm looking for bonus elemental damage flavor text, elemental chance and elemental damage. Seems everything else in the game was designed to be quick and get you back into the action faster. Everything but that, though.

It's just something I'll need to get used to. I'm sure over time I'll even prefer it over the original system.

Thanks man! I enjoyed writing it. When I started outlining what I was going to write for this and thinking on the new features I encountered during play I was like wow there is quite a few things changed most of which, it not all, are improvements to the first game. Excellent game so far.

I totally agree with you on that elemental change. I did not really think about it much till you mentioned it. I did like the X1 - X4 treatment from before but will probably grow to love this one too. I do however like the fuse time thing on grenades. A welcome change for me because I think it just gives some of that loot a little more depth. I love min/maxing my character. One of the biggest draws for me is finding more varied stuff like Diablo and I think the more varied loot there is the longer life this game will have. DLC will only improve this game if it is anything like Knoxx. I won't be so quick to blow through this game like I did the first one.

Oh and Maya is pretty sexy Siren fo life even though I will level all classes haha!

[vectordream]

Oh and if anyone on Gamercide has this on Xbox hit me up. Like I said most of my friends list is ok with the exception of a couple that I encountered last night. Some good players from ME3 multiplayer came in but I had to kick them out do to loot mongering haha. Opening all the chests and just cleaning everything out then running to a machine to sell it all. I did not expect it since we all had fun in ME3.

I know most of this lower level loot is not a big deal and I am not saying we have to stop and analyze every chest, gun or mod but if there is something really good that someone could use then let the party know or for example, if you open a good chest with multiple guns then let others pick up some stuff to sell off later as well. It is just common decency but you guys here at Gamercide already knew that

I am not a loot monger and would not put up a fight if someone really wanted a certain gun or whatever but people that horde from the rest of the group in this game bug me haha. This is a game I could never random match make with (...shudder) haha.

Vec

[vectordream]

I am so long winded on forums lol

[PeeKnuckle]

I'm the same way, Vec. It bugs me when my co-op team isn't outfitting themselves, and each other. My biggest pet peeve from both games was, what weapons should go to whom. Siren is a SIMPLE one. Elemental. She is geared for those weapons and can make the most of them. When a co-op partner and I come across one, and they want the elemental we just found, it honestly drives me a little nuts. In the first game, guns were tailored to characters. Brick/RPGs, Siren/SMG, etc etc. But even with the first game, I'd have c-op partners who wanted to snatch up all the elemental SMGs. Something that a Siren could destroy a small country with.

[Siren]

I never played the first Borderlands, but watched Jason play it and honestly I could never get into it. However I was watching him playing Borderlands 2 lastnight and I think I might play this one. Something seemed different....I don't know what, but it caught my interest.

[PeeKnuckle]

Do it, Siren. So much fun. Hilarious, too.

[Siren]

I watched him play through the first part with Claptrap and I was laughing at each of his sarcastic comments. It is definitely hilarious

[LGWyant]

Its pretty fun.

[Elite Effect (Jon)]

I never played the first Borderlands, but watched Jason play it and honestly I could never get into it. However I was watching him playing Borderlands 2 lastnight and I think I might play this one. Something seemed different....I don't know what, but it caught my interest.

If you do end up playing, you just about have to play as the Siren class. It's kind of a given.

I'm really enjoying Borderlands 2 though, it's so much fun. There's a bigger focus on story this time too just like I had hoped, that was my only real issue with the first game and it's improved in the second. Everything feels tightened up and streamlined, especially the sidequests. I didn't have much to complain about in BL1, so I really don't have anything at all to complain about now in the sequel. Gearbox gets two thumbs up from me.

[ThermoNukePanda]

I also have this on XBox and would play with anyone who'd like to. I'm only a level 10 Commando (looooooove my turrets!!! Woot!), but I never loot monger or anything. Hell, if I join a game I never pick up any loot or open containers. I let other people do it and if there is something I'd like to have I just ask nicely first. I've been using pistols and assault rifles right now. I have a gnarly spinnergun thats sprays out explosive bullets. Pretty awesome.

[vectordream]

I'm the same way, Vec. It bugs me when my co-op team isn't outfitting themselves, and each other. My biggest pet peeve from both games was, what weapons should go to whom. Siren is a SIMPLE one. Elemental. She is geared for those weapons and can make the most of them. When a co-op partner and I come across one, and they want the elemental we just found, it honestly drives me a little nuts. In the first game, guns were tailored to characters. Brick/RPGs, Siren/SMG, etc etc. But even with the first game, I'd have c-op partners who wanted to snatch up all the elemental SMGs. Something that a Siren could destroy a small country with.

Totally! Elemental SMGs are so important for Sirens in the first game. Interested to see how it plays out in this game. I think people get the new shiny object syndrome. They just want it because everyone else is interested haha. Even my brother-in-law on the first game wanted the elemental SMGs we found even though he was playing Mordecai and Brick all of the time. Since he was Mordecai alot he wanted all the snipers too which I can understand. He never tried Siren!

[vectordream]

I also have this on XBox and would play with anyone who'd like to. I'm only a level 10 Commando (looooooove my turrets!!! Woot!), but I never loot monger or anything. Hell, if I join a game I never pick up any loot or open containers. I let other people do it and if there is something I'd like to have I just ask nicely first. I've been using pistols and assault rifles right now. I have a gnarly spinnergun thats sprays out explosive bullets. Pretty awesome.

I will play with you Panda! I will add you to friends if you are not already. I thought your old Xbox Tag was on my list though. My brother-in-law plays alot with me. He is really fair and not a loot monger. At times though he might push for something he really wants when it drops but won't just grab things if it is something decent. He likes to trade weapons and such to make the group better. Good player overall.

[vectordream]

I wish PK would defect with us to Xbox haha

[LGWyant]

I got in the 360 version today, i'll take a break from ps3 version this weekend if ya'll want to play.

[PeeKnuckle]

Totally! Elemental SMGs are so important for Sirens in the first game. Interested to see how it plays out in this game. I think people get the new shiny object syndrome. They just want it because everyone else is interested haha. Even my brother-in-law on the first game wanted the elemental SMGs we found even though he was playing Mordecai and Brick all of the time. Since he was Mordecai alot he wanted all the snipers too which I can understand. He never tried Siren!

Bugs me even more when they really want the weapon, I say "go ahead" to avoid the uncomfortableness and then they don't even use it. Just sits in their inventory or they sell it.

I'm thinking elemental will be even bigger for Sirens in this game. We're outfitted for it in our skills, mods and in the bad ass points. That's three different ways to make our elemental guns just obliterate enemies.

[sedington86]

Bugs me even more when they really want the weapon, I say "go ahead" to avoid the uncomfortableness and then they don't even use it. Just sits in their inventory or they sell it.

I'm thinking elemental will be even bigger for Sirens in this game. We're outfitted for it in our skills, mods and in the bad ass points. That's three different ways to make our elemental guns just obliterate enemies.

Give me all shotties/assault rifles. Please.

[vectordream]

Bugs me even more when they really want the weapon, I say "go ahead" to avoid the uncomfortableness and then they don't even use it. Just sits in their inventory or they sell it.

I'm thinking elemental will be even bigger for Sirens in this game. We're outfitted for it in our skills, mods and in the bad ass points. That's three different ways to make our elemental guns just obliterate enemies.

I took a closer look at our skill tree. Your right! Hopefully peeps understand that we are gonna really want those high end SMGs. Besides my Siren being able to use it to its fullest SMGs were always one of, if not my top favorite weapon in the game.

[PeeKnuckle]

I'm not enjoying the SMGs as much this go around. However, I am loving the elemental sniper rifles. Oh Em Gee. I had an electric burst fire when scoped SMG that I liked, but I lost it through the floor when I dropped it.

Invest in Cloud Kill early on. So worth it, and it only costs one skill point. I snipe with my OP fire sniper, a cloud of corrosive goes up in their face and they eat both elements and get wrecked.

[Kevnvek]

That's called a game changer. There's one in the middle and bottom of each skill tree and you only have to put one point in them to get the full effect. I got my first one earlier today for Zero; Execute from his melee tree. When you have the reticule aimed at an enemy and press melee, he dashes forward 3 meters and does extra damage when he hits. Now this doesn't sound that amazing at first, until you see that the range is unlimited (you can keep swinging and flying around until you hit something or the 5 second timer is up). I was having way too much fun flying at helicopters.

I can only imagine how awesome it will be to get the final melee skill that puts you right back into Deception mode if you kill something with it. I want to fly around killing Rakks a la Mario jumping on a trail of winged turtles lol.

[PaNfOoT]

SMGs are definitely a little different this time around, I played Siren up to about max level in the first game(pre-DLC) so I used them quite a bit, and just started using one on my commando in this game after unlocking the 4th weapon slot. The hyperion ones are neat though with that accuracy increasing the more you fire. You can just get tons of critical headshots with those things. Also, I love my sabre turret with missile launchers.

[ThermoNukePanda]

One more level and I get my missle turret as well. Can't wait.

Also found such a KICK ASS assault rifle last night. 133x3 damage. It's a Jakobs spinnergun thingy, but for some reason it's semi-auto. Uses 2 ammo per shot but does crazy damage. It's almost like a AR/Shotty hybrid the way I've been using it. Wrecking house lately with it.

[PaNfOoT]

I've kinda moved away from those burst fire jacobs ones to the slow projectile, explosive Torgue ones.

[ThermoNukePanda]

I generally like explosive weapons too, but the damage output on this thing is ridiculous. Been taking down brutes in two hits and one hit just about any basic shieldless psycho or similar enemy.

Loooooove it