Borderlands 2

About

"Borderlands 2" is a shooter and looter game where you play as one of four vault hunters seeking revenge against the ruthful Hyperion Corporation CEO, Handsome Jack. The game offers a vast world filled with diverse creatures, psychos, and treasures to discover. Expansion packs provide additional content, such as new enemies, locations, and skills to enhance the gameplay experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 160,772 reviews

story11.6k positive mentions

grinding2.8k negative mentions

story
25,254 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
50%
4%
The story of Borderlands 2 is widely praised for its engaging narrative, memorable characters, and humor, particularly through the villain, Handsome Jack, who is often highlighted as one of the best antagonists in gaming. Players appreciate the blend of comedic and serious moments, with many side quests adding depth to the overall experience. While some find the mission structure repetitive and the pacing uneven, the game's rich lore and character development keep players invested throughout multiple playthroughs.
- “The story is great, and the gameplay is actually very well done, making it a standout title in the series.”
- “The story is engaging, filled with humor and quirky characters that make each mission entertaining.”
- “The story is top-tier, with Handsome Jack stealing the show as one of the best villains ever.”
- “The story is not very deep but it's borderlands and isn't supposed to be the campaign is very funny with likable characters on the otherhand.”
- “The plot is the star of the whole game.”
- “The story is a huge step up from the boring one in the borderlands 1, the game play is overall better than borderlands 1, this game has one of the best villains i have ever seen in gaming, handsome jack.”
humor
12,591 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The humor in "Borderlands 2" is a defining feature, characterized by its irreverent, dark, and often absurd comedic style. Players appreciate the witty dialogue, memorable characters, and the over-the-top antics of the villain, Handsome Jack, which contribute to a chaotic yet entertaining experience. While some find the humor dated or juvenile, many agree that it enhances the gameplay, making it a fun and engaging looter-shooter, especially when played with friends.
- “The humor, the story, the guns, the characters... it doesn't get better than Borderlands 2.”
- “The humor is top-notch, dripping with sarcasm and pop culture references that'll have you chuckling between firefights.”
- “The game is filled with witty dialogue and hilarious characters that make the world feel alive and vibrant.”
- “Constantly assaulted with unfunny voice acting and poor writing.”
- “Painfully unfunny millennial humor.”
- “The writing is unfunny and terrible, but it honestly becomes noise when you get bombarded with your 15th or so poop joke in a funny accent so you tend to just ignore it.”
gameplay
10,138 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
45%
4%
The gameplay of Borderlands 2 is widely praised for its addictive "shoot and loot" mechanics, offering a satisfying blend of first-person shooting and RPG elements. Players appreciate the variety of characters, each with unique abilities, and the extensive customization options that enhance replayability. However, some critiques highlight the repetitive nature of missions and the grindy aspects of gameplay, particularly in single-player mode, suggesting that the experience is significantly more enjoyable in co-op play.
- “The gameplay is solid, the story is actually very well done, and it really makes me wish that the subsequent releases in the franchise actually even bothered to try to live up to the quality this game provided.”
- “The gameplay loop is addictive—shoot stuff, grab better gear, level up, repeat.”
- “Borderlands 2 is a masterpiece of the looter-shooter genre, delivering an incredibly fun and addictive gameplay loop that keeps you coming back for more.”
- “I also like the concept of mixing RPG elements with shooting mechanics, but when you’re limited on weapons and have to slog through dull, oversized maps—especially in single-player—it starts to lose its charm.”
- “Now I know why players are adding mods to their characters to overcome the game's out-of-balance gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is boring and unspeakable: shooter part and spells work very poorly together, story is not interesting, all characters can give you is a willingness to sleep.”
graphics
7,580 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
48%
4%
The graphics of Borderlands 2 are characterized by a distinctive cel-shaded art style that combines vibrant colors and comic book aesthetics, which many players find appealing and timeless. While some reviews note that the graphics can appear dated compared to modern titles, the unique visual style helps the game maintain its charm and appeal, even years after its release. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's quirky humor and engaging gameplay, making it a standout in the looter-shooter genre.
- “The graphics—though I am hardly versed in such matters—are unlike anything I could have imagined.”
- “The cel-shaded art style makes Pandora vibrant and timeless, while the humor is woven into every detail.”
- “The graphics and designs are of incredible visual quality and have a striking and unique style for the game.”
- “I found the over-the-top visuals of Borderlands 3 completely distracting, if not blinding.”
- “The graphic style is mediocre and the character animation is crap.”
- “Some of these issues are just a result of its age – for example, the cel-shaded graphics of Borderlands 2, while timeless to a degree thanks to the chosen art style, are simply lacking in detail and lighting even on the highest settings nowadays.”
replayability
3,254 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
41%
2%
Borderlands 2 is widely praised for its exceptional replayability, with players highlighting the diverse character classes, unique skill trees, and a vast array of randomized loot that encourage multiple playthroughs. The game's engaging story, humorous dialogue, and extensive DLC content further enhance its replay value, making it a favorite for both solo and cooperative play. Many reviewers note that the game remains enjoyable even after numerous completions, solidifying its status as one of the most replayable titles in the genre.
- “The multiple builds that can be made by the characters and grinding for the perfect gear make this game have replay value without losing fun.”
- “Each of the four playable characters has unique abilities, allowing for diverse playstyles and replayability, whether you're going solo or teaming up with friends in co-op mode.”
- “The replayability is fantastic, thanks to different character builds and the variety of playstyles.”
- “The game also doesn't have much replayability, so even though you start as a certain class, you don't get anything out of playing as a different class the next time.”
- “While the game does have its strengths, such as the variety of weapons, co-op gameplay, and replayability, there are several major drawbacks that detract from the overall experience.”
- “Despite having multiple characters to play as, there is not much replayability.”
grinding
2,965 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
95%
The grinding aspect of Borderlands 2 is a significant point of discussion among players, with many noting that it can be both enjoyable and tedious. While some players appreciate the thrill of farming for rare weapons and the satisfaction of achieving perfect gear, others find the repetitive nature of grinding for loot and completing similar quests to be a chore. Overall, the game is praised for its humor, engaging gameplay, and co-op experience, but potential players should be prepared for a substantial amount of grinding, especially in the late game.
- “This game isn't grindy at all, like a lot of things usually are, and even if you do grind, the game still dishes out threats to you every here and there, which is a really nice thing in my opinion.”
- “One of my favorite games: the story is pretty good, there are a lot of fun ways to play, and it isn't too grindy for a loot and shoot.”
- “The base game I would say isn't grindy at all, you can skip side quests without getting stuck in the storyline, and will get through with ease if you do the side quests.”
- “This game is full of repetitive grinding.”
- “The fact that this game at the start seems like a cool game with a story is a trap; you wake up 3 weeks later grinding your levels to get a little bit of more content to make your dopamine receptors happy again.”
- “The endless farming for loot and challenges keeps gameplay fresh, making every session exciting.”
music
1,275 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
47%
4%
The music in Borderlands 2 receives mixed reviews, with many praising its energetic and atmospheric soundtrack that enhances gameplay and complements the game's humor and action. While some players find the music memorable and fitting for various scenarios, others feel it can be repetitive or forgettable over time. Overall, the soundtrack is generally regarded as a strong aspect of the game, contributing positively to the overall experience.
- “The soundtrack features a diverse array of tracks that perfectly capture the game’s tone, from its intense combat sequences to its quieter, more contemplative moments.”
- “The music gives you an intense feeling while fighting for your life or the most melancholic melodies while feeling utterly alone while exploring the vast wasteland; probably one of the best soundtracks to any game.”
- “The music, gameplay, graphics, dialogue, everything, is just perfect.”
- “Few music tracks are repeated until exhaustion and sound design is generally mediocre.”
- “The music isn't good or memorable (other than 'Short Change Hero' by The Heavy), most of the guns and items are worthless, the enemy design is repetitive and uninspired, the driving is janky, none of the characters are likable.”
- “The music is pretty repetitive and gets old fast after playing the game for a while.”
stability
664 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
87%
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a significant presence of bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, particularly in multiplayer modes. While some glitches are seen as humorous or add to the game's charm, others are frustrating and can lead to crashes or freezes, especially on certain hardware configurations. Overall, despite its stability issues, many players still find the game enjoyable and recommend it, particularly for its engaging content and replayability.
- “Runs great even on lower-end hardware!”
- “For a game as old as this one, the game looks fantastic, runs great, and is just a good game overall.”
- “The game runs great and I love the stylized world and graphics.”
- “Unfortunately, it's quite buggy in its current state/current hardware.”
- “The game is good as a whole, but the spawn point system in the game made me give up on it, since the system is buggy and makes me spawn very far from the point where I died.”
- “I wanted to like this game, but it's just way too buggy and crashes often.”
optimization
572 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
46%
19%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant performance issues, particularly on modern hardware. While some users report smooth gameplay and good performance on lower-end systems, others experience stuttering, frame drops, and inconsistent performance even with high-end setups. Overall, the game is seen as poorly optimized, especially regarding its handling of NVIDIA PhysX, which can severely impact frame rates.
- “Finally optimized for Mac.”
- “The game runs smoothly and holds up great visually even without the crash-happy HD textures.”
- “Great game, been out for a long time, so things have been optimized by developers quite a bit.”
- “It's an amazing game; however, it's so poorly optimized for Steam that getting co-op to run correctly is a coin toss.”
- “The weak aspects of the game are the poor performance optimization (still decent on newer hardware) and restriction of loot quality for the first playthrough.”
- “Great game, but settings are terrible, and even with modern high-end hardware, it has unexpectedly low performance at random.”
atmosphere
375 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
43%
2%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique blend of humor, vibrant visuals, and engaging storytelling, creating a lively and immersive experience. Players appreciate the diverse environments and the way the soundtrack complements the game's tone, enhancing the overall enjoyment. While some feel that the sequel lacks the darker, more atmospheric elements of the original, many agree that it successfully builds on its predecessor's charm with a colorful and dynamic world.
- “The meticulous world design, atmospheric storytelling, and complex combat mechanics make it a truly unparalleled experience.”
- “The atmosphere, voice acting, sound effects, and most of all graphical style are just perfect.”
- “The atmosphere is awesome, it brings another part of Pandora into light.”
- “I disliked the atmosphere of the game, as it felt like there were too many enemies and not enough genuine interaction.”
- “The atmosphere of the first game is gone, less weapons, the boss fights are cool at first but after the first playthrough you realize that most of them were shallow and childish try-hard humor.”
- “Sadly lacks the compelling desolate atmosphere of the first Borderlands, but still decent.”
emotional
315 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
94%
5%
The emotional aspect of the game is a mixed bag, with many players praising its ability to blend humor with surprisingly poignant moments that can evoke genuine feelings, including laughter and tears. While some found the emotional beats to be impactful and well-integrated into the narrative, others criticized the tonal shifts as jarring or lacking depth, suggesting that the emotional moments sometimes felt forced or underdeveloped. Overall, the game is recognized for its unique ability to engage players emotionally amidst its chaotic and comedic gameplay.
- “The narrative is a brilliant mix of humor, action, and emotional depth, with a storyline that is both gripping and endlessly entertaining.”
- “This game has some of the most emotional scenes in fiction.”
- “The story is engaging and hilarious, managing to establish meaningful and emotional characters who are also immensely funny.”
- “Only bad thing, the very very, most very, absolut very sad and boring story:( ask butt stallion!”
- “☐ can be physically and emotionally painful”
- “I honestly went into this game thinking that it was just going to be another boring game with lackluster characters and a boring storyline, but boy was I wrong.”
monetization
292 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
15%
83%
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn significant criticism from players, primarily due to the introduction of intrusive advertisements in a title they previously purchased without such features. Many users express frustration over the forced ads for newer games, which detract from the overall experience and have been perceived as a cash grab, especially given the game's legacy. While some microtransactions are optional and cosmetic, the pervasive nature of ads and the shift towards a more aggressive monetization strategy have left a sour taste among the community.
- “Its only saving grace is that it was made before fee-to-pay games were a thing, so it's not crammed full of predatory monetization, unlike the sequel.”
- “Best of all, free of all forms of microtransactions.”
- “The idea of small, fairly priced DLC versus some other monetization felt fair, and all the content was worth it.”
- “The first thing you see when you boot the game is a Borderlands 4 advertisement that almost takes up the whole screen.”
- “I was disappointed to see ads in the main menu.”
- “Patching in advertisements for a 10-year-old game, what fun.”
character development
258 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
43%
6%
Character development in Borderlands 2 is widely praised for its depth and execution, particularly through the memorable antagonist Handsome Jack and the engaging backstories of various characters. Players appreciate the balance between humor and emotional storytelling, with side quests enhancing character arcs and providing meaningful interactions. While some critiques mention a lack of development for certain protagonists, the overall consensus highlights a rich narrative experience that keeps players invested in the characters and their journeys.
- “The game's character development is equally impressive.”
- “The story in Borderlands 2 is solid, with enough character development to make you care without becoming a distraction.”
- “Character development through the game is one of its strongest points for me; the character is basically a blank space for other characters to grow on, and that's alright for me.”
- “No spoilers, but you don't really understand the emotional motivations of the villain until well over halfway through the game; it would have been more powerful to have these themes present throughout and foreshadow instead of suddenly springing character development twists that don't fit the tone of the scene, or having the player just listen to audio logs in an empty city, or having certain characters just spell things out for you.”
- “After completing the game and playing again, you will notice certain things that coincide with some character development you learn later on, but its inclusion adds nothing to the overall story and could have been left out and changed nothing about the game.”
- “Despite the lack of character development (there are literally like two supporting characters you'll remember after you've beaten the game assuming you haven't played the first game), the main story itself is very memorable with fun boss battles and humorous one-liners.”