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In a beautifully chaotic melting pot of genres, Borderlands places high-octane first-person shooter action into large open-world environments alongside a robust RPG system. Developed by Gearbox Software and published by 2K Games, the title was released to much critical praise in 2009 with versions for Xbox 360, PS3, and Windows, followed by a Max OS X port in 2010.
The story takes place in the year 2864, where several planets have been reduced to resource mines at the hands of mega-corporations. On planet Pandora, rumors of a weapon-filled vault attract adventurers known as “vault hunters” in large numbers, but previous corporate attempts have left the planet riddled with dangerous gangs. What it lacks in complex narrative, it makes up for with its unusual tone and fiercely engaging gameplay. A steampunk influenced aesthetic sets the stage for a 25-hour campaign filled with darkly comedic writing and excellent voice acting. Its striking art style is achieved by texturing 3D models with gritty hand-drawn art.
With the option of single-player or co-op mode, players are given the choice of four vault hunters, each equipped with a unique skill and set of strengths. To progress, the player must complete missions of increasing difficulty in a quest to locate the rumored vault. Defeated enemies will generously drop goodies along the way such as money and procedurally generated weapons, which can also be purchased from vending machines or found in chests and lockers. XP is earned throughout the game, allowing skills to be improved and new abilities to be unlocked. Though entertaining, the grind can become repetitive due to a fairly slow leveling-up system.
Borderlands laid the groundwork for a successful franchise and helped put the looter shooter genre on the map. The series includes multiple sequels, re-releases, and spin-offs, with Borderlands 4 expected to release in 2023 as of this writing.
