Should I play the original Borderlands?

[The White Hunter]

For fifteen standard currency units, get it. Unless you are severely underfunded, as in it's either Borderlands or eating next week, it will be worth the money. It's a great sequel, and the consensus seems to be that "if you liked the first one, you'll like the second one." And by that same token, if you liked the second one, you'll like the first one.

Sure BL2 is the better game, but only by increments. BL is the same running-gunning-looty-goofy fun. And getting the full game with all the dlc means you get to play The Secret Armory of General Knoxx, possibly the single greatest dlc package I've ever purchased. Robot Revolution is really good too. 15 pounds is a great deal for all that.

Dr Neds Zombie Island thing or whatever it was called was a great piece of digital expansion too if you ask me, not quite so much as Knoxx, but still a great expansion.

Not like Underdrome Riot....
Can you say boosting Gearbox? Cuz it's the only bloody way I was getting it done.

 

[Hazy992]

I've got him tooled up with plenty of Vladofs. Oh Em Gee I love Vladofs.

Oh hell yeah Vladofs are fucking awesome My first playthrough was a Assassin Sniper class so I rarely used Vladofs (mainly Jakobs for sniper rifles and revolvers, and Maliwan for the elementals) but I've started using them with my Siren and Mechromancer classes and I haven't looked back

Don't care what anyone says the Anarchist is one of the best pistols in the game, especially with the Mechromancer's Better Half skill. DAT DPS.

 

[drzoidbergmd]

As I've certainly been beaten to it, I will re-inforce. If you've played the second one, you have an essentially identical experience to playing the first one.

 

[WoW Killer]

Oh hell yeah Vladofs are fucking awesome My first playthrough was a Assassin Sniper class so I rarely used Vladofs (mainly Jakobs for sniper rifles and revolvers, and Maliwan for the elementals) but I've started using them with my Siren and Mechromancer classes and I haven't looked back

Don't care what anyone says the Anarchist is one of the best pistols in the game, especially with the Mechromancer's Better Half skill. DAT DPS.

Oh yeah, Acarchist pistols are sweet no question. Tell me you've seen the light as far as Vladof Snipers are concerned though. As an individual I've never been too much of a fan of attrition mechanics, e.g. ammo, but BL2 changed my mind on this with the Vladof Snipers. They're undeniably some of the most powerful weapons in the game (the way they rip through constructors...) but they burn through ammo so fast that you can't use them all the time. I actually like the ammo limitation in BL2 for this reason.

Edit: Look for a Lyuda.

 

[Hazy992]

Oh hell yeah Vladofs are fucking awesome My first playthrough was a Assassin Sniper class so I rarely used Vladofs (mainly Jakobs for sniper rifles and revolvers, and Maliwan for the elementals) but I've started using them with my Siren and Mechromancer classes and I haven't looked back

Don't care what anyone says the Anarchist is one of the best pistols in the game, especially with the Mechromancer's Better Half skill. DAT DPS.

Oh yeah, Acarchist pistols are sweet no question. Tell me you've seen the light as far as Vladof Snipers are concerned though. As an individual I've never been too much of a fan of attrition mechanics, e.g. ammo, but BL2 changed my mind on this with the Vladof Snipers. They're undeniably some of the most powerful weapons in the game (the way they rip through constructors...) but they burn through ammo so fast that you can't use them all the time. I actually like the ammo limitation in BL2 for this reason.

I still tend to use Jakobs sniper rifles cause of their high critical hit damage, which is great for headshots. I keep a Vladof handy though as it absolutely wrecks anything with a large critical hit spot.

 

[Dosbilliam]

The story is complete crap and the gameplay in Borderlands 2 is better, so there really is no point to play it.

The first does the sidequests better, though, since you don't have 6 strewn in 3 different areas that require two transitions to get through, instead having them all in one place that is just large.

 

[AuronFtw]

If you really enjoy killing the same species of bug (reskinned into various colors), jason vorhees and *nothing else,* Borderlands is definitely the game for you.

If you like RPGs, or shooters, or adventure games, or having fun, skip it.

 

[Odbarc]

BL1 borrow from a friend for a play through just to hear all the jokes and fun.

 

[Dosbilliam]

Borderlands 2 is a higher-quality game, but for me, the first one is more fun. As I said, the side-quests are done better since the vast majority of them can be done in one area instead of having 2 quests in 4 different areas that are so spread out it takes 5 minutes just to get to the next quest area. Aside from that, 2 does about everything else slightly better: the vehicles handle a bit better and have more variety (still handle like ass though), the weapon types are a bit better balanced, and the characterization of the NPCs is done MUCH better.

 

[Aabglov]

In my opinion, no. I liked the original Borderlands, but it doesn't hold up as well. The combat is nearly the same, but there's very little story. You could do a heck of a lot worse for the money, but you could also do a lot better. I'd check out something else.

Currently I'm running a Gun Lust/Rampage Gunzerker with Pink Pandaracorn skin and Jolly Rodgers Head. That last part wasn't really important, but I'm proud of his psychopath appearance.

 

[Darks63]

Honestly, as much as I loved the first borderlands, 2 is overall better.

OVERALL. 2 also ruined certain things that were better in 1 (No health regen shields, no exp for weapons, no artifacts, no way to replay the funny echos, overall better loot experience, seems more solo friendly than 2, and a few more I cant remember right now), but again, overall 2 is better, most of those are mainly because they were in 1 and I was a little dissapointed than they didnt returned, but since you didnt played 1 first... you wont quite feel that.


You are too fucking OP in 1 while in 2 this is not the case for the most of the part. But if you dont mind that, and just want some shooting, leveling up and exploring... then I dont see why you wouldt give 1 a try either.

Just how solo unfriendly is BL2? i managed to clear BL1 solo and i would like to pick up BL2 at some point in the future.

 

[Ignatz_Zwakh]

I think the sequel surpasses its predecessor, but it's still a pretty snazzy title.

 

[EHKOS]

The first one paled so much in comparison, it's pure white. There is merit to running through the zombie DLC, but the guns are almost generic after playing the second one.

 

[aguspal]

Honestly, as much as I loved the first borderlands, 2 is overall better.

OVERALL. 2 also ruined certain things that were better in 1 (No health regen shields, no exp for weapons, no artifacts, no way to replay the funny echos, overall better loot experience, seems more solo friendly than 2, and a few more I cant remember right now), but again, overall 2 is better, most of those are mainly because they were in 1 and I was a little dissapointed than they didnt returned, but since you didnt played 1 first... you wont quite feel that.


You are too fucking OP in 1 while in 2 this is not the case for the most of the part. But if you dont mind that, and just want some shooting, leveling up and exploring... then I dont see why you wouldt give 1 a try either.

Just how solo unfriendly is BL2? i managed to clear BL1 solo and i would like to pick up BL2 at some point in the future.

Well...

I cant honestly quite tell you EXACTLY how much of a friendly (or not) the game is towards solo play, simply because I havent played it solo just yet (Just like it happended with the original borderlands, I do the first playthougt with my friends, then the 2nd one I do it by myself since they arent fans of playing the exact same game again for no reason... even thougt thats not quite the case, but whatever, thats another theme entirely). However, I can already tell some elemets and stuff than this game was definivitly designed more towards co-op than solo than 1 so far.

Such as the fact than theres enemies than have shields, and you have to flank them. Obviously quite hard solo when considerating theres bound to be a lot more than just that one enemy. Enemies in this one are a little more intelligent, and actually take cover when you go into fight for your life, so you cant kill them as easily as 1 either, and while its still very possible than you kill on yourself, its also probable than you either die or get resurrected by an ally... that you dont have when soloing, obviously.

Those are just a couple of example I could remember now, but thers more stuff and in general it would defeinitivly seem like its less solo friendly than the original. Althougt at least this is partially because the whole game is harder than the original, specially the 2nd playthougt I have heard its pretty damn hard.

Also, raid bosses. For what I heard, this time around they are also meant for 4 level 50 players. Not for solo. Althougt theres some people that are going to try it solo anyways. Such as me, for one. LOL.

As a last point. This is not just me. Theres LOADS of people who complaing about how singe player is a little unbalanced. From what I have seen, they are overexaggerating it a fair bit, but, for stuff that I already said, it would suprise me if this game was a fair tad harder for solo people. Especially in the 2nd playthougt (Because thats what we are talking about right? the first playthougt is nothing insane, I dont think it wont be THAT hard even solo. But the 2nd... well, its going to take time to pass thougt that).

EDIT: In any case, if there IS something people actually agree with: If you are going to solo the game, chosee Axton or Gaige as you character. They both are definitivly the most solo friendly chars of the game due to the fact than their action skills are pretty much as if you have a 2nd player on the move anyways, plus they are fun! (I main Axton for one, and the turret is just awesome). Also, the Turret of the Commando and the Death Trap of gaige can provive distraction (Good VS the shield guys I stated earlier, for one), are aggro imans, and they can even REVIVE you if you are in FFYL when they score a kill (no more turret suddenly vanish when you are down!). You cant get more solo friendly than that, really.

 

[Fijiman]

If you can get it cheap I don't see why not. The only reason I haven't got the game yet is because my console's hard drive is almost completely full and I really want to get a bigger one first so that I wont have to worry about it for a while. Unfortunately, I can't get both at the moment.

 

[Dosbilliam]

Honestly, as much as I loved the first borderlands, 2 is overall better.

OVERALL. 2 also ruined certain things that were better in 1 (No health regen shields, no exp for weapons, no artifacts, no way to replay the funny echos, overall better loot experience, seems more solo friendly than 2, and a few more I cant remember right now), but again, overall 2 is better, most of those are mainly because they were in 1 and I was a little dissapointed than they didnt returned, but since you didnt played 1 first... you wont quite feel that.


You are too fucking OP in 1 while in 2 this is not the case for the most of the part. But if you dont mind that, and just want some shooting, leveling up and exploring... then I dont see why you wouldt give 1 a try either.

Just how solo unfriendly is BL2? i managed to clear BL1 solo and i would like to pick up BL2 at some point in the future.

Take the number of times you needed to catch a Second Wind, then triple it. That's about it.

 

[Dosbilliam]

Also, one of the things the second didn't do that well was the chest-opening...just had to leave a red weapon chest behind because I couldn't get the contextual command to appear.

 

[octafish]

I guess on XBOX maybe. It is a dull piece of diseased shit on PC. Avoid!

 

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

Honestly, as much as I LOVED the first game, the sequel improved on it so much that I can' even bring myself to go back and finish the last DLC I have for the first game. It just...doesn't feel as good (well, aside from the MAgnums, I really miss those in BDL2).

Personally, I'd wait until it goes on sale for about 5 bucks. Then you could pick it up. Definitely don't get it for more than 10.

but Maya's abilities are so much more useful. Like, if you name me an annoying enemy type (e.g. anything melee, anything flying, Ion loaders), I bet you the Phaselock is useful against it. There seems to be nothing that move doesn't have an answer for.

Heh, try out her Cataclysm Tree. Ruin is AMAZING. Fire explosion, slag explosion, thunder explosion Corrosive explosion!

Phaselock = whatever was inside is pretty much dead. And if you wanna be sure, just fire a couple rounds into it while the enemy is being slagged by it.

 

[regalphantom]

Borderlands 2 is pretty much better than Borderlands 1 in almost every way (there are a few small changes I'm not crazy about, but that's it really). However, Gearbox really started to figure out where they wanted to go with the series once they started the DLC, which is arguably some of the best DLC I have ever played (its in the quality range of something like Bethesda, although for a completely different game style). I've even heard some people claim that General Knox's Armory is the best piece of DLC that has ever been released (at least on the Xbox). So ultimately I would suggest picking it up. While the campaign might be a grind, once you clear it and get into the DLC the game really starts to shine.