While technically a full complete standalone game, Pre-Sequel feels as tho it is simply a substantial extension of Borderlands 2 - and this massive DLC-like dynamic might explain why it feels just as janky and buggy as some of the DLCs do. The fact that this game serves mostly as fanservice for Handsome Jack makes it hard to care too much about its issues (tho maybe Gearbox took the wrong lessons from this)

Personally speaking, I was ready for more diversity in environments, and Elpis provides an excellent change in color palette; neon purples and blues and aquamarines. More time spent in space-age structures, lunar stations, energy refineries. Its a great vacation from Pandora, but I also feel like Pre-Sequel starts to pull the series out of orbit with too much focus on exposition, setting the series up to take itself too seriously. (The Handsome Jack stuff does whip ass tho)

Borderlands: The Pre Sequel feels essentially like a large expansion to Borderlands 2. It looks and plays the same, but with some minor additions that can be a bit hit and miss. In terms of gunplay, The Pre Sequel feels as good as ever, with the new ice weapons being a tonne of fun. The ability to freeze enemies opens up some new possibilities and shattering frozen enemies with melee attacks is very satisfying. Most of the Pre Sequel is set on the moon, and the anti-gravity that comes with this makes for some enjoyable platforming sequences. Moreover, the fact that you can ground pound mid-air is a fantastic design decision. Not only does it give you more control during traversal, but it can be a devastating damage dealer in close combat situations. However, having an oxygen meter that runs out while on the moon was a pointless and annoying mechanic. Also, the moon itself doesn’t have enough visual variety and facing the same enemies repeatedly became stale. Towards the end of the game the visual design and enemy design really picks up, but I wish this quality was there throughout. Additionally, the story itself is pretty forgettable. There are a few interesting characters and one great twist, but for the most part it was a let down.

Overall The Pre Sequel left me feeling very mixed. The developers played things too safe and where they did try and innovate, it was a bit hit and miss. It’s by no means a bad game, but not one I can wholeheartedly recommend given how many better alternatives there are in the genre.

2014 Ranked

This game is the most meh of the franchise

Borderlands: The pre-sequel: The Pre-Sequel is based played after 1 and 2 but you could play it before 2 if you wanted to. The presequel is sort of an in-between story for 1 and 2 and tells some back story to some of the bosses and the main villain from 2 (Handsome Jack) along with introducing us to some new characters as well. This game takes place on the moon of Pandora and because we are outside on a moon our characters constantly have to worry about Oxygen depletion and bounce around in zero gravity. The game definitely isn't as long or interesting as 2 and the gameplay mechanics are exactly the same and only differ with new weapons and the annoying oxygen system. There are some cool ground slam moves you can do with the zero-gravity system but aside from that there isn't a whole lot of variety with the moon. The environments aren't super amazing either since most of them are either traditional moon scapes or indoor city/ base areas. The ending and overall outcome of this game is very cool and the DLC is fun. The graphics, music and voice acting are, for the most part all similar to 2 and pretty much this entire game feels like a standalone expansion to 2 rather than a full new title. The story is complex and pretty cool, so I'll leave that for you to uncover as it sets up 2 and Handsome Jack really good. Overall, I've heard people complain about this game for being boring, having annoying side quests and characters and of course the dreaded oxygen system and I must say I have to agree with the majority on this one. This game feels much smaller than 2 especially with it only having minimal DLC content which probably isn't a bad thing since it isn't as liked as 2. Overall, this game is a big letdown compared to 2 and isn't bad but isn't anything too memorable, I’d give this one a 7.5/10

Enjoyment - 6/10
Difficulty - 4/10

A platinum trophy years in the making!

Overshadowed by the other entries but still an enjoyable game. Challenger and That Helped, Right? can get lost. 🏆

The Pre-Sequel is just another large DLC for Borderlands 2 in hindsight, but that's really not a knock for this game at all. The new characters and world of Elpis are amazing additions to Borderlands world-wise and gameplay-wise. The story of Handsome Jack's upbringing really helped expand upon the previous 2 games while also creating its own identity. The addition of Zero Gravity and jump pads really make levels feel very "Doom-like" and the addition of cryo-damage instead of slag is such a welcome one. It's a very special game and something that should be played as it is an amazing expansion to the wacky world of Borderlands.