Review: Borderlands (X360)

It says a lot about a game when you can't stop playing long enough to put together a review of it.  The fact is, Borderlands is very much a game without an ending, in some ways that will keep you playing interminably, and others that will make shout "You call that an ending?!"  By now, almost everyone has either read about or played the game, and so I'm just going to hit a couple of the major highs and lows (a concept I in no way picked up from Kotaku's Love/Hate template).

Highs

"Holy crap, it shoots rockets!" -- Much was made of the constantly changing number of guns, shields, and other equippables that Borderlands is capable of generating, and for good reason.  You can feel the differences in each weapon you pick up; I found myself running a few rounds through each so I could get the experience of firing it before selling it off.  There were pros and cons to every weapon; maybe this sniper does more damage, but the rate of fire is atrocious, or maybe rate of fire is great, but the accuracy is just a bit worse.  Hell, there were some weapons I didn't use simply because I couldn't stand the shape of the weapon sight.  But, by and large, Borderlands delivered on its promise of gun variety, certainly performs as a first person shooter by making each weapon fun and rewarding to fire.

Cheer for me, and I'll never stop playing -- Borderlands is filled, and I mean filled, with positive reinforcement.  Almost every action you do provides you with instant, useful feedback, in particular the spot-on cues for opening and picking up items.  Pick up money, and you hear and see your money count whir up to your new total.  Pick up ammo, and it flies to you and lands with a satisfying ammo belt-esque rattle.  Miscellaneous containers pop open with distinct sounds, and large chests take a moment to unseal themselves and open with a satisfying pneumatic whoosh, slowly presenting their contents to you after a few moments of anticipation.  Combine this with a great "just-one-more" quest structure that will keep you playing long after you told yourself playtime was over, where success is greeted with a cash register ka-ching and level ups are celebrated with horns, confetti, and cheering, and it is very hard to stop playing this game once you get into a groove.

Good God, he's bleeding math! -- It's a small thing, but I love that damage is actually represented as numbers that drop off of your enemies as you bring the hurt, especially when you've hit 'em hard with an elemental weapon and the hit points just fall away in a cloud. It gives you a great sense of how powerful your weapons are when you shoot an enemy and see them stagger and drop a handful of triple digit damage numbers.

Lows

I love this freakin' gun...almost -- I understand that an effect of the weapon system in this game is that there are so many guns, you shouldn't get too attached to any one weapon in particular.  But if I had a nickel for every time I came across a gun that I wanted to use so badly except for one dealbreaker, man I'd be a couple bucks richer.  I understand the appeal in randomly generated inventory, but I really wanted to use the weapon creation tools myself and see what kind of combinations I could create...like Spore for weapons!

I'm serious...there's no ending here -- So far, there have been three game endings that nearly resulted in a controller less than lovingly nestled in the bowels of my TV:  Halo 2, Assassin's Creed, and now Borderlands.  None of these games had endings so much as they had giant middle fingers pointed at the gamer; it made me feel like all I had done was play through an enormous commercial for the inevitable sequel.  Heed the words of this backweb blogger, all ye creative teams: end your game before the credits roll.  I don't care how much fun I've had playing your game, if it doesn't end when it's over, you have failed.  There are ways to leave threads open for a sequel while concluding a story, and comics and other books have been doing it for years.  Figure it out, and end your damn game!

Worth the Money?

Yes.  Go buy it, play it, and love it, then dive back in for a second and third playthrough with the new game "plus" feature; I haven't gotten a chance to investigate this too much, but I hear that's where all the real good loot is at.  This game has legs, and it's only going down in price from here on out.

Finally Out of the Aughts

Happy New Year!  Kindly ignore my revisionist history, and accept my wishes for a safe, prosperous 2010 for everyone!

False Traveler's Holiday Wishlist V1.0

The spirit of rapidly escalating holiday shopping madness (pick your flavor of holiday) and at the suggestion of a colleague, I've decided to regale you with the tales of my holiday wishlist. Mind you, I have no anticipation of receiving any of these gifts from anybody, but if I had a whole lot disposable income, or a rich uncle, this is what I'd blow my money on.

Playstation 3

I want. Full stop.
Ok, maybe not a full stop. I want a Blu-Ray player, I want access to PS3 exclusives, and most importantly, I want to have an option when I buy games. The PS3 gets all those jobs done. Also, this would help get rid of my crippling need to play Little Big Planet.

Kindle

I don't even really want a Kindle...but by not? The idea seems great; new books anywhere, for a flat rate.

Nikon D3000

Sure, it may be "baby's first DSLR," but that's what I want; a cheap, entry level camera that will help me show the world my majestic, artistic vision of reality*

Droid

Let's forget for a moment how much the Droid actually costs with two-year contract, various docks, etc. Let's also assume I don't have to go through the trouble of switching carriers. The fact is that this is currently the most powerful Android device on the market, and I want to own an Android phone. I got the opportunity to get hands on with the device this past weekend, and after I used it for bit, I've gotta say, it's pretty sweet.

Droid Eris

Quick reality check here. One of the main reasons that the Droid is so awesome is because it's the only Android 2.0 device. It's not going to hold that status forever. Eventually, almost all of the "Hero"-class devices are going to end up sporting 2.0, and that should make all of them just awesome enough to ease the pain of not getting a Droid. Also, I wouldn't mind the light weight of the Eris; the Droid's slideout keyboard is a missed opportunity, and deadweight.

Wii

I need something to keep my wife entertained while I'm rocking the PS3 and 360. Also, if you're going to own two of the consoles in a three console generation...the collector in me can't resist adding the third. Also, it's been a while since I got to play some Zack & Wiki.

Video Games:

I reserve the right update this list often. These are just the games that come to mind first.

Assassin's Creed II

I was a rabid fan of the first, and it seems they've listened to fans in building the sequel. I am pumped to play this game, but I've made myself a promise that I won't play it until I collect every single flag in the first game.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Do I really need to explain further?

*I, unfortunately, do not have a majestic nor artistic vision of reality.

Ultra Time Waster: Amorphous+

After I tired of The Gun Game (shocking, I know), I started poking around some more on SilverGames.com.  This led me to find another ridiculous time sink:  Amorphous+. Think Geometry Wars with a shotgun...except your shotgun is actually a sword.  When I first started playing it, I didn't think much of it, and immediately bounced to another game.  In time though, I was drawn back to it, and found a much deeper experience than my first play had shown.  For instance, I found awards, rewards, a well thought out and useful bestiary, and challenge.  I've put more than an hour into the game over the last few days (in between binging on turkey, roasts, and delicious, delicious sides), and I have yet to clear even one small nest of the games villains, the Glooples.  This game is tough, but the awards and the all encompassing urge to see all the Glooples keep me coming back for more.  I urge you to take it for a spin, and give it ten minutes...it will grow on you.

Amorphous+ [V2.1]

[Update]
In trying to find more by Innocuous Games, I came across the real home of Amorphous+: Newgrounds.com (apparently the splashscreen in the beginning didn't cue me off).  Newgrounds hosts Amorphous+ V2.3, giving you a less buggy experience and a bigger playing area.  I almost got to the end of a nest in my first play on Newgrounds, and was only foiled by a horrifying first encounter with a Queen.

Ultra Time Waster: The Gun Game

So, have you recently decided that you don't want to be bothered with formalities like "getting things done," or "paying attention to your family," or even "playing Modern Warfare 2?"  Well then step up, my friend, I have the perfect game for you.  Beyond this link is a simple, fiendishly addictive game about guns.  It has all the things you'd expect in a Flash based web-game with legs; there's a reliable physics engine, achievements, unlockables, challenges, and three different "campaigns" (really just renamed challenges).  I've wasted far more time playing this little procrastination machine than I'm willing to admit, and now I think it's time to pass it on to you, beloved readers.  Go ahead, give it a try.  I dare you.

The Gun Game

Originally discovered on Digg.com.