Borderlands 2: More explosive

Oct. 1, 2012, 9:25 a.m.

Borderlands 2 improves on its predecessor in almost every department.

The original Borderlands holds the Guinness World Record for the most guns in a video game: an incredible 17.75 million. Borderlands 2 has even more of them.

But what’s astonishing in a game with so many weapon choices is that you will really care about what you are brandishing. The guns actually have real “personality” and you will find favourites.

Developer Gearbox has chosen not to dramatically alter the formula of their 2009 cult classic. The original was a game that the Screen Play community embraced like no other, and few will be disappointed that the same template of first-person shooting action blended with role playing elements remains.

The good news is that this is a much-enhanced sequel improved in almost every way.

Borderlands 2 offers a more fully-realised and convincing world and a more complete story populated with a terrific cast of vivid characters.

It is certainly not just a case of more guns, more enemies, more loot and more laughs.

Other improvements include better inventory management, more varied and aggressive enemies, an engaging challenge and rewards system, and more emphasis on intimate, intense battles.

The game has four character classes which are similar to the original game. But how you choose to distribute skill points gives them wildly different abilities, ensuring significant depth and the freedom to tackle foes in markedly different ways.

Experimenting with the varied and unique abilities and enormous assortment of weapons offers long-term and highly tactical fun, particularly when teaming up with up to three friends in co-operative mode.

The huge number of entertaining quests include tasks as diverse as assassination duties, organising birthday parties, solving murders, repairing robots, providing inspiration to poets, searching for voice recorders in alien manure and train robberies.