Borderlands 2 PC Games

Released on 21-Sep-2012

Borderlands 2 furthers the distinct blending of First Person Shooter and Role Playing genres to create the true evolution of the Role Playing Shooter. Team up with up to three other players for four-player online goodness or go old-school with two-player split-screen couch sharing mayhem as you spend hours leveling up your character and equipping them with one of the millions of badass weapons. Borderlands 2 features a new visually stunning array of procedurally generated guns, shields, grenades, artifacts, enemies and more. Choose one of the four new character classes to be taken through a carefully crafted and connected story to all new and surprising environments across the living planet of Pandora. Make new friends, arm them to the teeth and fight alongside them on your relentless quest for revenge and redemption.

Preorder for access to the Borderlands 2 Premiere Club for bonus in-game content!

Borderlands 2 on PC Features:

• Gunzerker Leads a Cast of All-New Characters and All-New Classes: Step into the role of the Gunzerker, whose highly deadly skills allow him to dual-wield any two weapons found in the game. Not only that, you will build on that skill to do more things with two guns than you ever imagined possible. Dual machine guns? Cool. Dual rocket launchers? Of course! Dual Sniper Rifles? Sure, if that’s your thing! Want to try other styles? More tactical perhaps? There are multiple classes to choose from!
• Dynamic Co-op online, split-screen and LAN: Share your adventures with friends both online and via LAN. Borderlands 2 features a seamless system enabling you to drop in and drop out of a campaign without ever having to restart the game. On top of that you can even take your new gear from any game to any other!
• World Connected Story: You will find yourself left for dead in the frozen tundra of Pandora as you begin your quest of revenge and redemption. Expose the evil surrounding the Hyperion Corporation and take on the perpetrator of a universe-wide grand deception -- the nefarious Hyperion CEO, Handsome Jack. (Oh, also: he's stolen credit for the opening of the Vault.)
• New Badass Gun System: An entirely new take on the groundbreaking procedural system means millions upon millions of possible weapons. The variety and style of guns in Borderlands 2 is staggering, and you’ll see tons of new and innovative ways to engage foes on Pandora. Fire, electricity, corrosive acid, and much more will all be at your disposal as you fight your way through the Hyperion Corporation’s forces!
• 87 Bazillion...Everything: In addition to the new gun system, you will lust after procedurally generated shields, grenades, Alien Artifacts, class mods and much, much more. And you thought the original Borderlands had a ton of loot!
• Brand new environments on Pandora: Hunt through entirely brand new areas of Pandora that are more alive than ever! From the arctic tundra, through the dangerous grasslands, past the mysterious corrosive caverns to beyond, you’ll be surprised by the unpredictable world of Pandora at every turn!
• Brand new enemies: A whole slew of new enemies are out there to kill you in Borderlands 2. Hulking, gorilla-like Bullymongs, vicious predatory Stalkers and the Hyperion mechanical army, run by Handsome Jack, are just some of the new enemies you will be facing off against on Pandora. New strategies will need to be created for every fight, as enemies now interact and aid each other to ensure you don’t get far in the world of Pandora.

• New Year Revolutions: The games of 2012 that we want to play now

  New Year Revolutions: The games of 2012 that we want to play now

  Towards the end of last year, we saw veritable avalanche of amazing games roll over us, leaving us swamped but happy with top-notch titles such as Modern Warfare 3, Batman: Arkham City, Skyrim, Super Mario Land 3D, Assassin's Creed Revelations, Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Saints Row The Third and, oh, you get the idea.

  Surely that's more than enough new games to leave even the greediest gamer feeling stuffed and satisfied? Well, yes, but don't pretend you can't hear that little voice whispering in the back of your mind. What's next? it says.

  Here's the answer: our guide to the big games of 2012 that we can't wait to play.

  GTA V (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  The genre-busting open-world crime caper makes its long-awaited return, with an all-new tale set in the pseudo-L.A. of Los Santos. Details are limited to one cryptic trailer, but where Rockstar is concerned it's safe to set expectations high.
  

  Mass Effect 3 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  Bioware brings its grand space opera to a cataclysmic finale, as the world-devouring Reapers declare open war on Earth. The game adds optional multiplayer modes, as well as Kinect voice features for Xbox 360.
  

  Halo 4 (Xbox 360)

  Who seriously thought that Halo 3 would be the last we saw of Master Chief? He's back for the start of a brand new trilogy, which will find the Spartan super soldier confronting his own destiny as well as an ancient evil poised to destroy the universe. No pressure then.
  

  Bioshock Infinite (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  Swapping the bottom of the ocean for the top of the world, this continuation of the smartest sci-fi shooter in recent memory casts you as a Pinkerton agent in 1912, trying to escape a dystopian city in the clouds. Expect gorgeous views and gruelling terror in equal measure.
  

  Borderlands 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  Return to Pandora for another round of co-operative role-playing mayhem. The game promises more dynamic quests which will alter the path of the story, as well as smarter enemies and more independent non-player characters. Bring it.
  

  Hitman: Absolution (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  It's been five years since Agent 47 last graced our joypads in Blood Money, and his latest adventure will take full advantage of the updates in technology since. Expect to be able to set up more elaborate assassinations, as well some form of multiplayer.
  

  Max Payne 3 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  Rockstar's other big game for 2012 finds the dual-wielding anti-hero cop disgraced and working as a bodyguard in Brazil. Of course, it all kicks off when the family he's guarding are targeted by gangsters, and slow-motion shooty-diving is the only way to settle the score.
  

  The Last Guardian (PS3)

  The latest game from Ico and Shadow of the Colossus creator Fumito Ueda follows a young boy attempting to escape from a grim castle with some help from his friend, a giant griffin-creature called Trico. Action, puzzles and beautiful loveliness ensue.
  

  Tomb Raider (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  After drifting out of the spotlight, the first lady of gaming returns with this series reboot which follows a more vulnerable teenage Lara Croft, as she grows into the confident adventurer we all know and love.
  

  PlayStation Vita

  Sony's incredibly powerful handheld drops in February, bringing next-gen muscle to the portable gaming market. With 3G and Wifi-enabled models available - and boasting exclusive Uncharted, Wipeout and Call of Duty games - it's the console to watch in 2012.
  
  

• Gearbox reveals the DeNiro game they never made

  Randy Pitchford, bossman of shooter studio Gearbox, has revealed that the developer almost made a game based on the 1995 Michael Mann movie, Heat. The film was a full-blooded heist thriller, and starred Robert DeNiro as a ruthless bank robber and Al Pacino as the relentless cop on his trail.

  Speaking with GameInformer, Pitchford explained that he agreed terms with Mann and film studio New Regency, but that the game never went into active development. "It was never a project, but there was intent," he said, adding that other projects took precedence. "If the deal would have gotten done three months earlier than it had, that's where our attention would have gone. I eventually told New Regency we missed the window after the deal got done."

  Admitting that it "would be cool to play an awesome heist game", he went on to give some glimpses of what attracted him to the Heat license. "It tells you this approach to a heist game isn't going to be 'passively work out the secret plan,' this is going to be an in-your-face action game, which is the way we wanted to approach it," he said. "I also like how the movie Heat looked at it from both the point of view of the sociopathic killer and the law enforcement. It's fun to use the safe medium of a video game to explore dark side kind of things."

  Gearbox is currently working on a movie tie-in of a different kind - the long-awaited Aliens: Colonial Marines, due later this year. Also in the pipeline are free-roaming combat RPG sequel Borderlands 2 and demented war game Brothers in Arms: Furious 4.

• Borderlands 2 takes aim at Autumn release date

  Fans eager to get back to business in Borderlands 2, the sequel to Gearbox's inventive first-person role-playing loot-dropping genre hybrid, can finally put a big red heart around September 21st on their calendar. That's when the game launches in the UK and Europe, three days after its American debut.

  Pre-order and you're allowed into the Borderlands 2 Premier Club which offers access to exclusive downloadable content and gameplay perks. The Vault Hunters Relic, for example, will improve your loot-finding odds while playing. The Golden Key unlocks the Golden Sanctuary Loot Chest, and with a name like that you know the contents must be exciting. Firearms enthusiasts, meanwhile, will enjoy the Gearbox Gun Pack, which is a pack of guns. Special ones, mind you.

  The game takes place four years after the events of the first game, and finds you - and up to three other players in drop-in co-op play - butting heads with Handsome Jack, an entrepeneur who wants to industrialise the planet of Pandora and clear out all the treasure hunters and mercenaries. That'll be you, then.

  The original game was a surprise hit in 2009. Expect to see the sequel causin' a ruckus on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

• Borderlands 2 stakes out September 2012 launch date

  2K Games and Gearbox Software's eagerly-awaited "shooter-looter" sequel Borderlands 2 will be bringing its rowdy brand of action to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC in September 2012.

  The follow-up to the multimillion-selling 2009 hit Borderlands will build on the unique foundations of the original with new characters, skills, weapons and enemies, as well as boasting more imaginative environments and missions.

  Like its predecessor, Borderlands 2 blends first-person action with role-playing elements, encouraging players to horde loot and upgrade their abilities as they progress.

  It will also feature tonnes of drop-in, drop-out multiplayer options for up to four friends both online and offline, making it easy for players to team up and explore the world of Pandora together.

  Randy Pitchford, president of Gearbox Software, said: "Borderlands 2 is a passion project, through and through. The result is a sequel that has improved every successful aspect of Borderlands while innovating with an all-new experience."

  Borderlands 2 is one of two hotly-anticipated shooters coming this autumn from Gearbox, which will be releasing Aliens: Colonial Marines around the same time.

  Published: 23/02/2012

• Borderlands 2 will have as few cutscenes "as humanly possible"

  Gearbox, the developer behind surprise RPG shooter hybrid Borderlands, has said that Borderlands 2 will have as few cutscenes as possible. "The key is not breaking flow," writer Anthony Burch told Game Informer. "A big part of that is as few cutscenes as is humanly possible."

  Although the sequel will have a stronger and more focussed story than the first game, it will largely be told through gameplay rather than pre-rendered narrative scenes. All told, Burch claims the game will only feature "maybe three" actual story scenes.

  "The story informs the gameplay and makes you feel like the things you're doing in the gameplay are for a bigger reason. It's never, 'Hey, I'm going to grab you by the neck and make you watch this nine-minute cutscene about this character I really like, so deal with it,'" he explained.

  Borderlands 2 finds the junk planet of Pandora ruled by a shady character called Handsome Jack who wants to get rid of the treasure hunters and mercenaries who flock there seeking their fortune. The game will feature all-new playable characters, but that doesn't mean your favourites from first time around will be missed. "Generally any character from the first game or previous DLC is back in some form or another," teased Burch. "Unless they're dead. And even some of them still make it back in some ways."

  Borderlands 2 hits Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC this September.
  

• Borderlands 2 'to feature much more story development'

  Gearbox Software has revealed that its forthcoming Borderlands 2 will tell a much more robust tale than its hit predecessor.

  The game's lead writer Anthony Burch has informed GamesRadar that the forthcoming action sequel will include a "huge, huge, huge focus" on narrative, with as much as ten times more dialogue than the original Borderlands.

  According to Mr Burch, the first game limited most of its storytelling to static text before and after missions, leading fans to demand more elaboration on the story and characters.

  As such, Borderlands 2 will aim to convey its plot through dialogue and level design, creating a more immersive experience.

  "We've done a whole lot of work to integrate what you're doing with the missions into the story and to have a lot of new characters talk to you," the writer explained.

  The shooter/role-playing hybrid sequel will be released on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC in September 2012 and will be hoping to build on the surprise success of its 2009 precursor.

  Published: 20/03/2012

• Borderlands 2 is Super Badass

  Borderlands 2 is Super Badass

  
  

  The first Borderlands had a pretty simple plot: Find the alien vault. Job done. But it also had an awesome 4-player co-op, and 2K were the first to admit Borderlands success was a bit of a surprise.

  Now Borderlands returns with Borderlands 2, a game that remains true to the original while addressing all the feedback from fans.

  Simply put, Borderlands is bigger, better and cheekier this time round. The distinctive comic book colouring and look is back as are the crazy voices and thumping back beats. The script is clever and all the humour is back. This game definitely stands out from the rest when it comes to style.

  And what about story? After the alien vault was found, you become the gladiator of the man who said he found it. It was OK for a while, but then he became threatened by your skills and banished you. In Borderlands 2, you're on your way back and you're out to get him...

  The demo level is 'Statuesque' and you have three objectives: to escort the Overseer, destroy the statues, and keep the Overseer above 50% health. But don't stand on your laurels in this game as your objectives will change depending on how you play. Each character also has a special ability and in this demo you can use your gun but to attack.

  It's worth giving the weapons a mention all of their own. There are a 'gazillion' of them - 2K's word! Yes, there's even more than last time, in fact, there's so many weapons they've just been awarded a Guinness World Record for most weapons ever in a videogame!

  Expectations for Borderlands 2 are already huge and you can decide on the results yourself when it's released this September.
  

  Published: 07/06/2012

• E3 News - Borderlands 2 is Super Badass

  The first Borderlands had a pretty simple plot: Find the alien vault. Job done. But it also had an awesome 4-player co-op, and 2K were the first to admit Borderlands success was a bit of a surprise. Now Borderlands returns with Borderlands 2, a game that remains true to the original while addressing all the feedback from fans. Simply put, Borderlands is bigger, better and cheekier this time round. The distinctive comic book colouring and look is back as are the crazy voices and thumping back beats. The script is clever and all the humour is back. This game definitely stands out from the rest when it comes to style. And what about story? After the alien vault was found, you become the gladiator of the man who said he found it. It was OK for a while, but then he became threatened by your skills and banished you. In Borderlands 2, you're on your way back and you're out to get him... The demo level is 'Statuesque' and you have three objectives: to escort the Overseer, destroy the statues, and keep the Overseer above 50% health. But don't stand on your laurels in this game as your objectives will change depending on how you play. Each character also has a special ability and in this demo you can use your gun but to attack. It's worth giving the weapons a mention all of their own. There are a 'gazillion' of them - 2K's word! Yes, there's even more than last time, in fact, there's so many weapons they've just been awarded a Guinness World Record for most weapons ever in a videogame! Expectations for Borderlands 2 are already huge and you can decide on the results yourself when it's released this September.

  Published: 07/06/2012

• Badass system for Borderlands 2 offers infinite character growth

  The upcoming RPG/FPS mashup Borderlands 2 will introduce a new feature that will allow players to progress their characters forever.

  Understandably dubbed Badass, the system rewards good play with Badass tokens that can be traded in for a random stat boost. What makes it different to the levelling system in other games is that your Badass rank is connected to your profile, not any particular saved game or character, and has no level cap. In theory, it can be used to enhance your skills forever.

  The idea came about when developer Gearbox broke down the player data from the first Borderlands, which became a surprise hit in 2009 and is still an online favourite today. "Borderlands was a weird thing in the sense that, a lot of games are designed to be a story you consume and then you're done," Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford told Eurogamer. "Whereas Borderlands was this thing that launched and then both in sales and in playtime it kept accelerating, instead of just launching big and then dropping off."

  The result is that Gearbox has been able to not only design the sequel for a lifespan of six months, but with the knowledge that people could well be playing over two years later. "I want [players] to feel like, man, the value I'm getting out of this, it's not only worth the $60 or whatever, I'm getting more value out of this than the last $500 I spent on other video games," says Pitchford. "We want that goodwill."

  Borderlands 2 is due for release on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC on September 21st.
  

• Borderlands 2 campaign is 58 hours long

  Gearbox has already revealed that the new "Badass" system in Borderlands 2 ensures players will have an infinite number of character levels to work through, along with millions of procedurally generated unique gun combinations. Now the developer has added another big number to what is already sounding like an insanely generous game: the single player campaign takes around 60 hours to complete.

  The figure comes after people working on the official player's guide completed their first playthrough and reported back with their times. "Some guide guys just did a playthrough of Borderlands 2 and they reported back to us that it takes 58 hours to play through the campaign - and that's just one playthrough with one character," Steve Gibson, the vice president of marketing at Gearbox, told Gamerzines.

  "We look at it as a hobby," Gibson continued. "We want it to feel like you get more for your money. We're happy for people to pay their money once and feel that they get ongoing value."

  Borderlands 2 is the hotly anticipated follow-up to the 2009 original, which came out of nowhere to become a firm favourite with both critics and gamers. The sequel returns players to the openworld frontier planet of Pandora, where you'll battle against the despotic Handsome Jack by finding and rescuing the four playable characters from the first game.

  Borderlands 2 is out for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC on September 21st.

• Borderlands studio amazed nobody has ripped them off yet

  Randy Pitchford, the enthusiastic mouthpiece of Borderlands 2 developer Gearbox, has expressed surprise that nobody has released a copycat version of their openworld first-person shooter role-playing game.

  "I'm actually astonished that we're about to launch a sequel and no one's stole it from us," Pitchford told Gamasutra. "The formula's right there. No one's stolen it yet. That's weird. We're in an industry where people do nothing but steal from each other. That's kind of interesting, isn't it? Not that I want anyone to steal it, or I'm challenging people to steal it."

  Borderlands came about because the studio realised there was little point trying to repeat the success of Activision's Call of Duty blockbuster. "To do that, you really have to put in a lot," explains Pitchford. "You have to really go for it and spend a lot. You have to basically not only out-brute force the market leader, but you have to out-clever them. The game has to be better. The marketing and production effort - everything has to be bigger and better, and then you might kind of match or come close."

  Instead, Gearbox concentrated on creating something original - and the strategy paid off handsomely, for both the developer and players. The original Borderlands was released with little hype in 2009 and went on to win several Game of the Year awards, shifting over 4.5 million copies.

  The long-awaited sequel, Borderlands 2, is set for release on September 21st for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.

  Published: 24/07/2012

• Borderlands studio amazed nobody has ripped them off yet

  Randy Pitchford, the enthusiastic mouthpiece of Borderlands 2 developer Gearbox, has expressed surprise that nobody has released a copycat version of their openworld first-person shooter role-playing game.

  "I'm actually astonished that we're about to launch a sequel and no one's stole it from us," Pitchford told Gamasutra. "The formula's right there. No one's stolen it yet. That's weird. We're in an industry where people do nothing but steal from each other. That's kind of interesting, isn't it? Not that I want anyone to steal it, or I'm challenging people to steal it."

  Borderlands came about because the studio realised there was little point trying to repeat the success of Activision's Call of Duty blockbuster. "To do that, you really have to put in a lot," explains Pitchford. "You have to really go for it and spend a lot. You have to basically not only out-brute force the market leader, but you have to out-clever them. The game has to be better. The marketing and production effort - everything has to be bigger and better, and then you might kind of match or come close."

  Instead, Gearbox concentrated on creating something original - and the strategy paid off handsomely, for both the developer and players. The original Borderlands was released with little hype in 2009 and went on to win several Game of the Year awards, shifting over 4.5 million copies.

  The long-awaited sequel, Borderlands 2, is set for release on September 21st for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.

• The "Invincible" boss of Borderlands 2 revealed

  
  

  Anyone who played the original Borderlands for a long time will have heard of Crawmerax, the vast boss monster designed to test top level teams of players in the co-op RPG shooter. Well, get ready for Terramorphous the Invincible, the rock hard monster from Borderlands 2 that makes Crawmerax look like a Skag.

  "If you don't curse the design team at least five times on the way to beating this guy, we haven't done our jobs," producer Randy Varnell has told Eurogamer. It at least sounds like putting in the effort to defeat this gruesome worm creature will be worthwhile, though.

  "You can fight Terramorphous multiple times and he's going to drop different loot every time," Varnell says. "Some of the best gear in the game, great legendary items, will drop from this guy. He has specific items that only drop from him in the game. There are some legendaries you'll only find from him...he really is tuned for that end-game, four-player co-op fight, testing your build and your gear and your equipment and your ability to work together as a team. His rewards are great. So, if you are that end-game player, this is your challenge right here."

  Reckon you're up to the challenge?

• Borderlands 2 - Preview

  
  

  

  Opening Pandora

  Combining classic first-person shooter mechanics with the questing structure and customisation options of a role-playing game, Gearbox's Borderlands was one of the surprise hits of 2009. A refreshingly unique title, albeit one with a few rough edges, it has sold over 4.5 million copies to date, and next month we'll be treated to its highly anticipated sequel.

  Borderlands 2 sees players battling across the planet Pandora in a bid to stop the main antagonist and self-proclaimed dictator Handsome Jack from awakening an ancient alien evil known as 'the Warrior'. From the icy tundra, through the dangerous grasslands, past the mysterious corrosive caverns to beyond, Pandora is a vast, unpredictable world overflowing with hostile creatures.

  The sequel looks set to improve on the original in a big way, perhaps most notably in the combat department. While a great deal of the first game's battles involved setting up camp behind cover and trading bullets until one side bit the dust, fighting in Borderlands 2 is far more varied.

  

  This is largely due to the sequel's smarter enemies, who are now capable of banding together to charge and overwhelm you. This in turn means players need to think more carefully about their approach to engagement, and react to a continually shifting battlefield with appropriate manoeuvres and abilities.

  
  

  Guns. Lots of Guns.

  But two can play at that game. The Borderlands series is all about cooperation, and just as enemies can join forces to make mincemeat of players, you can team up with up to three other friends online in drop-in-drop-out co-op mode or play with a buddy locally via split-screen.

  Borderlands 2 lets you choose from four character classes with a range of upgradeable abilities. A Siren named Maya can freeze enemies, the Assassin is an agent of confusion capable of creating clones of himself and even vanishing briefly, the Gunzerker has the ability to dual-wield weapons, and the Commando can deploy turrets that seek out enemies.

  

  Like its predecessor, Borderlands 2 features an array of procedurally generated guns, shields and grenades, meaning there are literally millions of weapon variations available and an absolute tonne of ways to engage foes - you could use a rifle that shoots poison bullets, an RPG that launches fiery rockets or a lightning-spewing shotgun.

  From the time we've spent with the game, the combat feels much more dynamic than it did in the original, the enemies and locations more varied, and the missions have evolved from a series of fetch and carry quests to feature branching paths and unpredictable structures. Needless to say we're hopeful the game will turn out to be everything the great but flawed original nearly was.

  Published: 30/08/2012

• Borderlands 2 given away free to bungee daredevils

  2K Games has come up with a terrifying way to promote Borderlands 2, the eagerly anticipated openworld RPG shooter that launches this week. Anyone who fancies a free copy of the game is welcome to have one - all you need to do is throw yourself off a building.

  The Old Truman Brewery in London, to be precise, where 2K is hosting a special bungee jump event for brave souls who like to combine their bargain hunting with a stomach-churning squirt of adrenalin. Head there on Sunday September 23rd, make the jump and nab a free game.

  "We want to provide an afternoon of extreme fun and discover just how psycho Borderlands 2 fans can get," says Ben Lawrence from 2K Games UK office. "A bungee jump is the perfect way to truly test your nerves and we're excited to bring the insane pleasure of the game into the real world!"

  Of course, if you don't live in London, or just prefer not to risk life and limb for free software, you can just buy the game now and have it delivered to your letterbox, with no stunts required. It's out on September 21st for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and is already attracting glowing reviews, including a 9/10 from IGN, 95% from GamesMaster magazine and a stonking 9.8/10 from Game Informer.

  Published: 17/09/2012

• Review Roundup: Borderlands 2

  Review Roundup: Borderlands 2

  The scores are coming in for Borderlands 2, Gearbox's eagerly awaited co-op RPG shooter hybrid sequel, and it's looking like universal acclaim.

  "An excellent shooter no one even remotely curious should overlook," is IGN's verdict, sitting atop a 9/10 score. "Prepare to level. Prepare to loot. Prepare to get lost in the hilarious, bizarre and wonderful world of Pandora."

  Eurogamer agrees, adding another 9/10 to the stack. "Borderlands 2 is still a hillbilly moonshiner sort of game," says their review, "But it's the hillbilly at his canny, tinkering, big-dreaming best. It's the hillbilly at the peak of his powers. It's the hillbilly made majestic."

  There are also 9/10 scores from both the Official Xbox and Official PlayStation magazines, while Play magazine dished out - yes - a 9/10 while declaring Gearbox's labour of love to be "an excellent lesson in sequel-making and is easily one of 2012's best games."

  Even the posh papers have joined the chorus of praise. "Whether players are ploughing through icy tundra, driving across a desert, picking their way through a goop-filled cavern or blasting through a gang's blood-daubed hideout, Borderlands 2 feels consistently fresh", reckons The Guardian's five-star review. "This is a world to lose yourself in - and thanks to the addictive quality of the game's loot-drops, it's likely many players will do just that."

  Drooling much? Don't worry - Borderlands 2 is out this Friday for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

  Published: 18/09/2012

• Borderlands 2 - Review

  
  

  

  Bigger And Better

  Borderlands 2 doesn't mess too heavily with the successful formula established by the original back in 2009, delivering another customisation-heavy first-person shooter with the questing structure and customisation options of a role-playing game and a big emphasis on co-operative play.

  What it does do is build on the first game in a number of ways that mark it out as a great follow-up. These range from minor things like walking over ammo to pick it up and the ability to trade with co-op partners, to significant ones, like more varied and unpredictable missions, as opposed to the original's series of fetch and carry quests.

  The story centres on your rebel faction's race across the planet Pandora to stop villain and self-proclaimed dictator Handsome Jack from opening a vault and awakening an ancient alien evil. However, you'll spend a lot of time getting sidetracked by non-essential side missions and a desire to go hunting for new items, or just getting distracted by packs of wild animals and hideouts full of bandits.

  

  Your journey through Pandora is made all the more enjoyable by the fact that Gearbox has replaced the samey brown colour palette that defined environments in the original with a more varied colour scheme, from the crisp icy blues of an arctic tundra to toxic neon caves and lurid purple mountains which, in combination with the game's striking art style, make Borderlands 2 one of the prettiest titles of 2012.

  Gun Club

  If you had to sum up Borderlands 2 in one word though it would be 'guns' - bazillions of them, according to the game's promotional material. The title uses a complex procedural generation system to create literally millions of combinations of weapons which you upgrade throughout the game.

  There's a dizzying amount of variables (damage, accuracy, magazine size, reload etc.) and specialist parts that alter how items perform, ensuring you're never short of ways to engage the many hostile creatures that inhabit Pandora's unpredictable alien landscapes.

  

  Rebel Alliance

  Borderlands 2 is at its best with four friends playing co-operatively, combining crowd control and healing abilities with close and long-range combat specialities to devastating effect. The game's four character classes are designed to work together; among their specialities, Maya the Siren can freeze enemies, Zer0 the Assassin can create clones of himself, Salvador the Gunzerker can dual-wield weapons, and Axton the Commando can deploy turrets that seek out enemies.

  Borderlands 2 builds on the template set out by the original to create a bigger, better sequel. The gunplay's great fun, the collection and customisation options are extremely moreish, the art style's gorgeous, and the locations, missions and enemies are more varied than they were in the original. If you liked the first game you're bound to love this, and those new to the series are in for a real treat too.

  GAME's Verdict

  The Good:

  • Markedly improves on the original.
  • Fantastic co-op gameplay.
  • It's lovely to look at.

  The Bad:

  • Not quite as satisfying in single player.
  • The story's not exactly riveting.
  • More weapon slots would be nice.

  Published: 20/09/2012

• Observant gamers discover Minecraft, Dark Souls, Ninja Turtles and more hidden in Borderlands 2

  Borderlands 2, the sequel to Gearbox's 2009 loot-grabbing free-roaming shooter, has topped the charts in its first week on sale and players have discovered all manner of hilarious gags and references hidden off the beaten path.

  Venture into the upper left hand corner of the map in the Caustic Caverns area, for example, and you'll find a familiar looking wall made up of dirt cubes. Bash your way through and you'll discover a homage to beloved indie game Minecraft, complete with Creeper enemies and a bonus character skin. Head to the right hand side of the same area and you'll find an eerie campfire with a ghostly warrior sitting beside it, a nod to the equally beloved hardcore RPG Dark Souls.

  There are TV and film references as well. The mission Too Close For Missiles is chock full of Top Gun jokes, from a map location called Goose's Roost to the quest giver, a man named Loggins after Kenny Loggins, singer of Top Gun soundtrack classic Danger Zone. There's even a volleyball net. Another mission, Splinter Group, sends you into the sewers to track down four mutants who love pizza and fight using melee weapons. They're not teenagers or turtles but they are mutants and ninjas, and their colour coded costumes will tip you off as to who they're meant to be.

  This is surely just the tip of the iceberg. Borderlands 2 is a game crammed with silly little details and gags that are easily missed in the heat of battle. If you haven't picked up a copy, it's out now for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. Hours of entertainment, guaranteed!

  Published: 25/09/2012

• New Year Revolutions: The games of 2012 that we want to play now

  
  

  New Year Revolutions: The games of 2012 that we want to play now

  Towards the end of last year, we saw veritable avalanche of amazing games roll over us, leaving us swamped but happy with top-notch titles such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Batman: Arkham City, Skyrim, Super Mario Land 3D, Assassin's Creed Revelations, Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Saints Row The Third and, oh, you get the idea.

  Surely that's more than enough new games to leave even the greediest gamer feeling stuffed and satisfied? Well, yes, but don't pretend you can't hear that little voice whispering in the back of your mind. What's next? it says.

  Here's the answer: our guide to the big games of 2012 that we can't wait to play.

  

  GTA V

  The genre-busting open-world crime caper makes its long-awaited return, with an all-new tale set in the pseudo-L.A. of Los Santos. Details are limited to one cryptic trailer, but where Rockstar is concerned it's safe to set expectations high.

  
  

  

  Mass Effect 3 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  Bioware brings its grand space opera to a cataclysmic finale, as the world-devouring Reapers declare open war on Earth. The game adds optional multiplayer modes, as well as Kinect voice features for Xbox 360.

  
  

  

  Halo 4 (Xbox 360)

  Who seriously thought that Halo 3 would be the last we saw of Master Chief? He's back for the start of a brand new trilogy, which will find the Spartan super soldier confronting his own destiny as well as an ancient evil poised to destroy the universe. No pressure then.

  
  

  

  Bioshock Infinite (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  Swapping the bottom of the ocean for the top of the world, this continuation of the smartest sci-fi shooter in recent memory casts you as a Pinkerton agent in 1912, trying to escape a dystopian city in the clouds. Expect gorgeous views and gruelling terror in equal measure.

  
  

  

  Borderlands 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  Return to Pandora for another round of co-operative role-playing mayhem. The game promises more dynamic quests which will alter the path of the story, as well as smarter enemies and more independent non-player characters. Bring it.

  
  

  

  Hitman: Absolution (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  It's been five years since Agent 47 last graced our joypads in Blood Money, and his latest adventure will take full advantage of the updates in technology since. Expect to be able to set up more elaborate assassinations, as well some form of multiplayer.

  
  

  

  Max Payne 3 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  Rockstar's other big game for 2012 finds the dual-wielding anti-hero cop disgraced and working as a bodyguard in Brazil. Of course, it all kicks off when the family he's guarding are targeted by gangsters, and slow-motion shooty-diving is the only way to settle the score.

  
  

  

  Tomb Raider (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  After drifting out of the spotlight, the first lady of gaming returns with this series reboot which follows a more vulnerable teenage Lara Croft, as she grows into the confident adventurer we all know and love.

  
  

  

  PlayStation Vita

  Sony's incredibly powerful handheld drops in February, bringing next-gen muscle to the portable gaming market. With 3G and Wifi-enabled models available - and boasting exclusive Uncharted, Wipeout and Call of Duty games - it's the console to watch in 2012.

  Published: 19/01/2012

• SONY's Journey dominates DICE Awards

  Journey, the stunning ambient explore-em-up from designer Jenova Chen, swept the board at the annual DICE Awards. Voted for by the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, the awards are the closest thing the games industry has to the Oscars, although the ceremony inevitably involves less dance numbers.

  Already a favourite with critics and a top selling game on SONY's PlayStation Network, Journey took home eight awards, including the big three: Game of the Year, Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction and Outstanding Innovation in Gaming.

  No other game came close to Journey's haul, but several games came away with multiple awards. The brutally brilliant XCOM: Enemy Unknown took home prizes for best strategy/simulation game as well as Outstanding Achievement in Gameplay Engineering. Microsoft's Halo 4 also took home two gongs, for Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering and Outstanding Achievement in Connectivity.

  Topping off a 2012 that was stuffed with superb titles across all genres, the exuberant Borderlands 2 was crowned Action Game of the Year, while Need for Speed: Most Wanted took the prize for best racing game and Mass Effect 3 was dubbed best role-playing game. Skylanders Giants beat Lego Batman 2 and Nintendo Land for Family Game of the Year, while PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale provided an upset in the fighting game category, as SONY's character crossover mash-up beat such genre mainstays as Tekken Tag Tournament 2 and Street Fighter X Tekken.

  Telltale Games' gruelling episodic adventure series The Walking Dead, based on the hit comic, also won big. It was awarded Adventure Game of the Year, and also took home honours for story and voice acting.

  Published: 08/02/2013

• Borderlands 2 gets new downloadable character

  Think you've milked Borderlands 2 dry? Think again. During a presentation at the SXSW festival in Texas, Gearbox unveiled a teaser trailer for a new downloadable vault hunter character.

  "Deep beneath Pandora, an experiment has escaped," says the teaser. "Bandits beware, a new vault hunter is coming. More mayhem awaits." Shown only in silhouette, the character appears to use melee attacks and looks to be a mixture of Hulk and Robocop. Pretty tempting, eh?

  No release date was given, but Borderlands franchise director Matt Armstrong explained to the crowd that we'll be playing with this new addition sooner rather than later. "DLC is announced on a very tight schedule," he said, "and I don't think you'll have to wait long until you see that character."

  This will be the second additional character for the game. Shortly after Borderlands 2 was released, the Mechromancer Pack added a crazy robot-unleashing little girl called Gaige to the line-up. There have also been three hefty expansion packs released so far. Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate's Booty, Mr. Torgue's Campaign of Carnage and Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt are all available, each offering large new maps and loads more hilarious storyline to an already obscenely generous game. If you haven't given it a try, now's the time.

  Borderlands 2 is out now for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.
  

  Published: 11/03/2013

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