Borderlands: The Handsome Collection

88%
Game Brain Score Based on 216 reviews
  • story
  • humor
  • graphics
Borderlands: The Handsome Collection Game Cover
Two amazing first person shooters with all their DLC and polished visuals. Even with its few technical snafus and large update, Borderlands: The Handsome Collection is pure unadulterated fun.
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"Borderlands: The Handsome Collection" is a comedy open-world game featuring 4K Ultra HD and HDR, included in the Borderlands Collection. It includes the definitive versions of Borderlands 2 and The Pre-Sequel, with enhanced graphics and 4-player split screen. The collection offers an intriguing story, fabulous gameplay, and sensational visuals, available on Xbox One with cross-save functionality from Xbox 360.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 216 reviews
story21 positive mentions
grinding4 negative mentions
  • The Handsome Collection offers an incredible value with two full games, Borderlands 2 and The Pre-Sequel, along with all their DLC, providing hundreds of hours of gameplay.
  • The gameplay is fast-paced and engaging, featuring a unique blend of first-person shooting and RPG elements, along with a humorous and entertaining story.
  • The collection supports up to four-player local co-op, making it a fantastic option for playing with friends, and the upgraded visuals enhance the overall experience.
  • Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel suffers from noticeable frame rate drops and performance issues, especially during intense action sequences.
  • Some players find the missions repetitive and the backtracking tedious, which can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
  • The collection does not include the original Borderlands game, which some fans feel is a missed opportunity for a complete package.
  • story65 mentions

    The story in "Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel!" revolves around the rise of Handsome Jack, blending dark humor with an engaging narrative that features a diverse cast of memorable characters. While the main plot is entertaining, some players find the side missions repetitive; however, the witty dialogue and character interactions help maintain interest. Overall, the game offers a rich, immersive experience filled with humor and action, making it a must-play for fans of the series.

    • “The story is funny, engaging, and over the top.”
    • “It has a rich story, an amazing amount of unique and interesting, funny characters that you are genuinely interested in.”
    • “If you missed these games and love shooting things, a great story, and some of the best (and funniest) writing in the gaming community, then the Handsome Collection is for you!”
    • “The storylines are pretty pointless and boring, and serve more as a mechanism for the witty dialogue.”
    • “If you like a pure shooter with lots of guns, with few RPG elements, and if story doesn't matter to you, Borderlands 2 and the Pre-Sequel might be for you.”
    • “The numbing of missions are repetitive and mind-numbing.”
  • humor29 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its dark, twisted comedy and a cast of quirky characters, particularly the villain Handsome Jack, whose dialogue adds a layer of entertainment. Players appreciate the goofy sense of humor that permeates the gameplay, making it engaging and fun, although some feel it doesn't quite reach the comedic heights of earlier installments. Overall, the humor is a significant draw, providing hours of laughter amidst the action and adventure.

    • “You join forces with Handsome Jack (oh wait, I mean Jack), and as you progress, you'll see how Jack rises to power. But don't take this as a grey and too serious story; instead, the game is full of dark humor and an insane cast that will give you hours of laughter (double if you decide to play as Claptrap).”
    • “Borderlands 2 has a very goofy sense of humor throughout the game, which always keeps things entertaining.”
    • “The game is pretty hilarious, specifically with the ongoing commentary from the main villain, Handsome Jack.”
  • graphics24 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received positive feedback for their vibrant, comic book-inspired art style, which enhances the overall experience with a humorous presentation. Players have noted significant improvements in visual quality, especially in the transition from PS3 to PS4, with smoother frame rates and crisper graphics that elevate the gameplay. While some critiques mention that the graphics are not groundbreaking, the unique aesthetic and polished visuals contribute to the game's charm and enjoyment.

    • “The graphics look like a comic book or cartoon that has come to life in HD.”
    • “The graphics upgrade from the PS3 to the PS4 version is phenomenal.”
    • “Highly polished graphically and just as slick mechanically.”
    • “Graphically, the game is a mess.”
    • “The graphics are not stellar by any means but the presentation is pretty funny.”
    • “The graphics are the same, UI is the same, menus are the same, many of the same characters, same types of guns, etc. The 'pre-sequel' is more tedious and difficult.”
  • gameplay22 mentions

    The gameplay of the Borderlands series is highly praised for its smooth mechanics, fast-paced shooting, and RPG elements that allow for character leveling and gear upgrades. Players can enjoy a rich, humorous narrative with excellent combat mechanics, offering over 100 hours of engaging content, both solo and in co-op mode. The games are visually polished and provide a satisfying loot system, making them a great value for money.

    • “Gameplay: the gameplay is far smoother, giving you that perfect fast-paced shooting with touches of RPG elements where you level up, upgrade your character, and get better gear so you can kill even bigger enemies. But beware, enemies will come in powerful ways, so always be ready to have that perfect gear.”
    • “This game will keep its players engaged because of its well-developed plot, goofy sense of humor, excellent combat mechanics, and its extremely addictive loot system.”
    • “Love this game and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in having an incredibly fun time with an adventure/shooter game with plenty of comedic relief and surprises at each angle of the gameplay.”
    • “Game mechanics are the exact same, basic modeling is the same, creatures and sound effects are exactly the same.”
    • “I already finished the game back when it was released; I wanted another visit on Xbox One with all the DLC. This game has tons of missions and gameplay, worth the money, although Microsoft just announced that Borderlands 2 is playable on Xbox One through backward compatibility but still not regret buying it.”
    • “The prequel is set in space and has a gravity and oxygen level mechanic, while Borderlands 2 is similar to the original Borderlands on the Xbox 360 but with more modern graphics.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be repetitive, particularly with side missions that often involve similar tasks. While some appreciate the story elements that can make these missions feel less tedious, others express boredom and frustration with the grind, noting that it can be tedious and difficult, especially in comparison to previous titles.

    • “Not because it was hard; in a game like this, grinding is king, but I got bored.”
    • “It can be grindy. I've finished Borderlands 2 with 2 of the campaign DLCs and I'm only level 37 Commando.”
    • “The 'pre-sequel' is more tedious and difficult.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    Overall, the optimization of the games varies significantly; while the controls are well-optimized for the DualShock 4, both Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel experience notable performance issues, including frame rate drops and stuttering. In contrast, the HD remaster of Borderlands runs smoothly with solid frame rates and improved texture quality.

    • “Controlling the game with the DualShock 4 is effortless and has been optimized well.”
    • “It is as good as you'd expect a HD remaster for Borderlands to be; there is nothing wrong with the games. They run smoothly, the FPS stays solid from my experience, and the texture quality is slightly more noticeably better.”
    • “Unfortunately, as other reviewers have pointed out, there are slight performance issues with the pre-sequel that might affect your enjoyment of the game.”
    • “Both Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel suffer from severe frame rate problems and stuttering.”
  • music3 mentions

    The music in the game features a unique blend of western cowboy themes and dubstep, effectively balancing calm moments with intense action sequences. While the soundtrack is generally well-received, some players noted an issue with music cutting out when playing as Claptrap. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's atmosphere and experience.

    • “The soundtrack is a mix of western cowboy and dubstep, perfectly balancing calm moments with heavy epicness during fights.”
    • “Borderlands 2 is a superb game from start to finish with a decent story, music, combat mechanics, and a decent random loot generator.”
    • “Only issue was an in-game problem where playing as Claptrap seems to cut out the in-game music.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability, allowing players to revisit it with enemies scaled to their level after completing it. Many users feel that the value it provides at its price point makes it an excellent choice, even for those who have previously played it on older consoles like the PS3.

    • “Lots and lots of replay value, since once you beat the game, you can replay it with the enemies bumped to your level.”
    • “So much replay value in this game, it's a steal at this price, even if you played it on PS3.”
    • “Once you beat the game, you can replay it with the enemies bumped to your level, but it feels more like a chore than a fresh experience.”
    • “While there is some replay value, it quickly becomes repetitive and lacks meaningful changes to keep it engaging.”
    • “The game offers a few different modes, but they don't significantly alter the experience, making replaying feel unnecessary.”
  • stability1 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, with users reporting frequent freezes occurring at least once during each play session.

    • “The game freezes usually once every single time I play.”
    • “I experience frequent crashes that disrupt my gaming sessions.”
    • “The stability issues make it nearly impossible to enjoy the game.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Players appreciate the game's robust character development, featuring extensive weapon upgrades and skill trees, which enhance the overall experience. The quirky cartoon graphics and clever writing, infused with black humor, contribute to a fun and engaging narrative.

    • “If you haven't played it before and like character development, weapon upgrades, and skill trees aplenty, this is the game for you. The cartoon-style graphics are quirky but fun once you leave the serious games behind. The writing, story, and black humor are simply brilliant.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
    • “I was disappointed by the limited choices in character progression; it feels like you're on a predetermined path.”
    • “The characters don't evolve in meaningful ways, leaving their arcs feeling flat and unengaging.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

83% average critic score

Buy Borderlands: The Handsome Collection

Play time

89hMedian play time
77hAverage play time
54-100hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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