Difference between revisions of "Borderlands"

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[[Image:Borderlands - W32 - USA.jpg|thumb|256x256px|North American box art.]]
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{{Video Game
 +
| Title            = Borderlands
 +
| Image           = Borderlands - W32 - USA.jpg
 +
| ImageDescription = Windows - USA - 1st edition.
 +
| Developer        = {{VideoGameDeveloper|Gearbox Software}}
 +
| Publisher        = {{VideoGamePublisher|2K Games}}
 +
| PublishedYear    = 2009
 +
| PublishedMonth  = 10
 +
| PublishedDay    = 20
 +
| Platforms        = {{Platform|PlayStation 3}}, {{Platform|Windows}}, {{Platform|Xbox 360}}
 +
| Genres          = {{VideoGameGenre|Action video game|Action}}, {{VideoGameGenre|Comedy video game|Comedy}}, {{VideoGameGenre|Exploration video game|Exploration}}, {{VideoGameGenre|Looter shooter|Looter shooter}}, {{VideoGameGenre|First-person shooter|First-person shooter}}, {{VideoGameGenre|Role-playing video game|Role-playing game}}, {{VideoGameGenre|Shooter|Shooter}}
 +
| Themes          = {{MediaTheme|Action}}, {{MediaTheme|Adventure}}, {{MediaTheme|Science Fiction}}
 +
| Series          = ''[[Borderlands (universe)|Borderlands]]''
 +
| Multiplayer      = {{GameMultiplayer|Simultaneous co-op}}
 +
| Distributions    = {{VideoGameDistribution|Commercial}}
 +
}}
  
'''''Borderlands''''' is a first-person shooter RPG developed by [[Gearbox Software]] and published by [[2K Games]] for [[PlayStation 3]] and [[Xbox 360]] on 2009-10-20, and later for [[Windows]]. The game is set on a desolate planet called Pandora which was being mined by a company that employed criminals and the poor, but, once the ore dried up, they left the planet and their employees behind. Now, the remaining people have setup tribes to control the remaining equipment and buildings. However, a scientist who remained has discovered that the planet has a huge secret vault which has led militant groups to return to the abandoned planet to unlock the vault. You are a vault hunter who is trying to get the the vault and open it before anyone else. To do this, you fight against the tribes, avoid the dangerous flora and fauna, and make alliances with some of the inhabitants.
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'''''Borderlands''''' is a [[looter shooter]] in the form of a [[first-person shooter]] [[role-playing video game]] developed by [[Gearbox Software]] and published by [[2K Games]] for [[PlayStation 3]] and [[Xbox 360]] on 2009-10-20, and later for [[Windows]]. It is the first game in the [[Borderlands (universe)|''Borderlands'' series]].
  
I would love to see more games based on this engine, specially high-fantasy, which is a good sign.
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The game is set on a desolate planet called Pandora which was being mined by a company that employed criminals and the poor, but, once the ore dried up, they left the planet and their employees behind. Now, the remaining people have setup tribes to control the remaining equipment and buildings. However, a scientist who remained has discovered that the planet has a huge secret vault which has led militant groups to return to the abandoned planet to unlock the vault. You play as a vault hunter, someone who is trying to find the vault and open it before anyone else. To do this, you fight against the tribes, avoid the dangerous flora and fauna, and make alliances with some of the inhabitants.
  
==Status==
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==Personal==
I own this game and all DLC. I have beaten the main game with 100% quest completion and the Zombie Island of Dr. Ned with 100% quest completion. I have 44/80 achievements.
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{{VideoGameStatus
 +
| Own      = Yes. On Steam with all DLC.
 +
| CantOwn  =
 +
| Won      = Yes. Windows port. I have 44/80 achievements. 100% main quest completion, 100% quest completion in the Zombie Island of Dr. Ned.
 +
| CantWin  =
 +
| Finished = 2014‎-12-09.
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
I don't remember how I acquired this game, but I very much enjoyed it. I would love to see more games based on this engine, which always a good sign for a game.
  
 
==Review==
 
==Review==
{{Video Game Review|8|8|8|6|8|76%|Windows}}
+
{{Video Game Review|8|8|8|6|8|Windows}}
  
 
{{Spoilers}}
 
{{Spoilers}}
Line 17: Line 40:
 
* Character movement, jumping, running, crouching, driving, etc., are all polished and fluid.
 
* Character movement, jumping, running, crouching, driving, etc., are all polished and fluid.
 
* The setting is wonderful and highly detailed. Each map has a lot of areas that reward exploration.
 
* The setting is wonderful and highly detailed. Each map has a lot of areas that reward exploration.
 +
* The main story gives you plenty of play, and game has hundreds of side quests to keep you busy for ages.
 
* The dreary palette fits the game perfectly, especially with the night and day transitions, though it does feel a bit depressing over time.
 
* The dreary palette fits the game perfectly, especially with the night and day transitions, though it does feel a bit depressing over time.
 
* I like that subsequent play-throughs let you [[new game plus|keep your stats]], but implement a [[unlockable difficulty levels|hard mode]].
 
* I like that subsequent play-throughs let you [[new game plus|keep your stats]], but implement a [[unlockable difficulty levels|hard mode]].
  
 
===Bad===
 
===Bad===
 +
* While the game offers many types of guns (pistols, SMG, sniper rifles, launchers, etc.), I found most of them to be considerably inferior to the combat rifle. Every time I found a really expensive, say, pistol, I found it to be much weaker than even an average combat rifle.
 +
* Having to manually pick up items that you'd always want to pick up (money, ammo, etc.) is annoying. These should just automatically enter your inventory when playing in single-player mode.
 
* There are a few glitches with some of the walls, especially near the end of the game, where you can get stuck.
 
* There are a few glitches with some of the walls, especially near the end of the game, where you can get stuck.
* While the game offers many types of guns (pistols, SMG, sniper rifles, launchers, etc.), I found most of them to be considerably inferior to the combat rifle. Every time I found a really powerful, say, pistol, I found it to be much weaker than even an average combat rifle.
+
* Later in the game, much of the game play is repetitive. Many areas feature the same enemies, the same graphics, and the same voice acting.
* The game is extremely linear. Every encounter is scripted. It helps that there are hundreds of side-quests, but they too are scripted.
+
* Several of the bosses in the game can be defeated in complete safety with an accurate sniper rifle. It seems a bit odd that they'd refuse to take cover while being pelted from a distance by gunfire.
* The idea of money and ammo just lying around everywhere is rather silly. While I like not having to have to buy ammo every five seconds, I think I'd find the game more realistic if I got the ammo off of corpses rather than finding full ammo chests every few feet.
 
* Later in the game, much of it is repetitive. Many areas feature the same monsters, the same graphics, and the same voice acting.
 
* Several of the bosses in the game can be defeated in complete safety with an accurate sniper rifle.
 
  
 
===Ugly===
 
===Ugly===
* Money is almost useless throughout the entire game. It is rare to see vendors selling anything better than the equipment you pulled off a corpse or from a chest, even in their over-priced "Item of the Day" sections. By the end of the game, I had over $2,000,000 with nothing to spend it on. Aside from the rare upgrade worth buying, and capacity upgrades, the only time I spent money was from being resurrected.
+
* As with most games which dump out random items, 99% of them are useless. I pick them up to sell them, but I would much rather have an setting I could turn on where anything clearly weaker than your current equipment will just drop its monetary value and save me from having to sell junk.
 +
* Money is almost useless throughout the entire game. It is rare to see vendors selling anything even nearly as good as the equipment you pulled from a chest, even in their over-priced "Item of the Day" sections. By the end of the game, I had over $2,000,000 with nothing to spend it on, and, after starting a second play-through, I quickly maxed out money. Aside from the extremely rare item upgrade worth buying, and capacity upgrades, the only time I spent money was from being resurrected.
 +
 
 +
==Media==
 +
===Documentation===
 +
<gallery>
 +
Borderlands - X360 - USA - Manual.pdf|Manual - Xbox 360 - USA.
 +
Borderlands - BradyGames eGuide.pdf|BradyGames eGuide.
 +
</gallery>
 +
 
 +
==Representation==
 +
{{Representation
 +
| Media                      = Video games
 +
| StrongFemaleCharacterStatus = Pass
 +
| StrongFemaleCharacterNotes  = Lilith is an enjoyable playable character.
 +
| BechdelTestStatus          = Pass
 +
| BechdelTestNotes            = When playing as Lilith, there are several females NPCs you will speak to.
 +
| StrongPOCCharacterStatus    = Pass
 +
| StrongPOCCharacterNotes    = Roland is black and a playable character. Mordecai seems like he might be a person of color, but I'm not sure.
 +
| QueerCharacterStatus        = Pass
 +
| QueerCharacterNotes        = Mad Moxxi is bi and Athena, from The Secret Armory of General Knoxx expansion, is lesbian.
 +
}}
  
 
==Links==
 
==Links==
Line 37: Line 81:
 
{{Link|GameFAQs|http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/942811-borderlands}}
 
{{Link|GameFAQs|http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/942811-borderlands}}
 
{{Link|TCRF|https://tcrf.net/Borderlands_(Windows)}}
 
{{Link|TCRF|https://tcrf.net/Borderlands_(Windows)}}
 +
 +
* [https://borderlands.fandom.com/wiki/Borderlands_Wiki borderlands.fandom.com/wiki/Borderlands_Wiki] - Borderlands Wiki.
  
  
[[Category: Games]]
 
[[Category: Video Games]]
 
 
[[Category: Video Game Prime Order - Action, Adventure, Strategy]]
 
[[Category: Video Game Prime Order - Action, Adventure, Strategy]]
 
[[Category: Game Mechanic - New Game Plus]]
 
[[Category: Game Mechanic - New Game Plus]]
 
[[Category: Game Mechanic - Playable Female Character]]
 
[[Category: Game Mechanic - Playable Female Character]]
[[Category: Game Mechanic - Playable Non-White Character]]
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[[Category: Game mechanic - Playable person of color]]
 
[[Category: Game Mechanic - Unlockable Difficulty Levels]]
 
[[Category: Game Mechanic - Unlockable Difficulty Levels]]
[[Category: PlayStation 3 Games]]
 
[[Category: Windows Games]]
 
[[Category: Xbox 360 Games]]
 
[[Category: Action]]
 
[[Category: First-Person Shooter]]
 
[[Category: Role-Playing Game]]
 
[[Category: Adventure]]
 
[[Category: Trope - Queer Character]]
 
[[Category: Trope - Strong Female Character]]
 
[[Category: Multi-Player]]
 
[[Category: Multi-Player Co-op]]
 
[[Category: Games I've Beaten]]
 
 
[[Category: Favorite Games]]
 
[[Category: Favorite Games]]

Latest revision as of 15:50, 12 March 2024

Borderlands

Borderlands - W32 - USA.jpg

Windows - USA - 1st edition.

Developer Gearbox Software
Publisher 2K Games
Published 2009-10-20
Platforms PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox 360
Genres Action, Comedy, Exploration, Looter shooter, First-person shooter, Role-playing game, Shooter
Themes Action, Adventure, Science Fiction
Series Borderlands
Multiplayer Simultaneous co-op
Distribution Commercial

Borderlands is a looter shooter in the form of a first-person shooter role-playing video game developed by Gearbox Software and published by 2K Games for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on 2009-10-20, and later for Windows. It is the first game in the Borderlands series.

The game is set on a desolate planet called Pandora which was being mined by a company that employed criminals and the poor, but, once the ore dried up, they left the planet and their employees behind. Now, the remaining people have setup tribes to control the remaining equipment and buildings. However, a scientist who remained has discovered that the planet has a huge secret vault which has led militant groups to return to the abandoned planet to unlock the vault. You play as a vault hunter, someone who is trying to find the vault and open it before anyone else. To do this, you fight against the tribes, avoid the dangerous flora and fauna, and make alliances with some of the inhabitants.

Personal

Own?Yes. On Steam with all DLC.
Won?Yes. Windows port. I have 44/80 achievements. 100% main quest completion, 100% quest completion in the Zombie Island of Dr. Ned.
Finished2014‎-12-09.

I don't remember how I acquired this game, but I very much enjoyed it. I would love to see more games based on this engine, which always a good sign for a game.

Review

Video Game Review Icon - Enjoyment.png Video Game Review Icon - Control.png Video Game Review Icon - Appearance.png Video Game Review Icon - Sound.png Video Game Review Icon - Replayability.png
8 8 8 6 8

Best Version: Windows

— This section contains spoilers! —

Good

  • The comic book style graphics are really impressive.
  • Character movement, jumping, running, crouching, driving, etc., are all polished and fluid.
  • The setting is wonderful and highly detailed. Each map has a lot of areas that reward exploration.
  • The main story gives you plenty of play, and game has hundreds of side quests to keep you busy for ages.
  • The dreary palette fits the game perfectly, especially with the night and day transitions, though it does feel a bit depressing over time.
  • I like that subsequent play-throughs let you keep your stats, but implement a hard mode.

Bad

  • While the game offers many types of guns (pistols, SMG, sniper rifles, launchers, etc.), I found most of them to be considerably inferior to the combat rifle. Every time I found a really expensive, say, pistol, I found it to be much weaker than even an average combat rifle.
  • Having to manually pick up items that you'd always want to pick up (money, ammo, etc.) is annoying. These should just automatically enter your inventory when playing in single-player mode.
  • There are a few glitches with some of the walls, especially near the end of the game, where you can get stuck.
  • Later in the game, much of the game play is repetitive. Many areas feature the same enemies, the same graphics, and the same voice acting.
  • Several of the bosses in the game can be defeated in complete safety with an accurate sniper rifle. It seems a bit odd that they'd refuse to take cover while being pelted from a distance by gunfire.

Ugly

  • As with most games which dump out random items, 99% of them are useless. I pick them up to sell them, but I would much rather have an setting I could turn on where anything clearly weaker than your current equipment will just drop its monetary value and save me from having to sell junk.
  • Money is almost useless throughout the entire game. It is rare to see vendors selling anything even nearly as good as the equipment you pulled from a chest, even in their over-priced "Item of the Day" sections. By the end of the game, I had over $2,000,000 with nothing to spend it on, and, after starting a second play-through, I quickly maxed out money. Aside from the extremely rare item upgrade worth buying, and capacity upgrades, the only time I spent money was from being resurrected.

Media

Documentation

Representation

Strong female character?PassLilith is an enjoyable playable character.
Bechdel test?PassWhen playing as Lilith, there are several females NPCs you will speak to.
Strong person of color character?PassRoland is black and a playable character. Mordecai seems like he might be a person of color, but I'm not sure.
Queer character?PassMad Moxxi is bi and Athena, from The Secret Armory of General Knoxx expansion, is lesbian.

Links

Link-MobyGames.png  Link-Wikipedia.png  Link-StrategyWiki.png  Link-GameFAQs.png  Link-TCRF.png