Borderlands 2: The Video Gaming Experience is a slightly acquired taste - but there is an undeniable flow here once you figure it out. With the Diablo influence finally finding its feet, the game walks the line between Zany and Serious in both its combat and narrative in a way thats riveting and compelling. The sad truth is: Gearbox will probably never write a character as good as Handsome Jack (or most of the cast) ever again.

In fact (hot take) it was probably essential that Borderlands 2 was written with a largely comedic lean, because the unserious attitude helps you feel less seriously about the games cheap feeling gameplay. The games looter-churn means youll be obligated to use guns that suck in a game where the shooting already kind of sucks, the artstyle is pretty but also very poorly assembled and buggy - it all feels less irritating (key word being “less”) when the world is already absurd and illogical.

Borderlands 2 is a strange game. Many of its flaws stand out more than it's positives. The character builds are pretty simple, the dialogue is pretty nonsensical and unfunny (which tbf appeals to me because i have brainrot). While the gameplay is fun, most areas are basically gear checks and the gameplay loop of killing something, and reloading the areas until you get an orange is a time consuming, rng hell, unfun farming method which gets stale overtime.

However, this game still fucking slaps and is just so actually fun despite its many flaws, playing with a group of friends makes the game even more enjoyable and just fun to fuck around in, and making so many stupid and funny memories while playing.

In a simple explanation, the game is not good but it's good.