Just about every enemy in this game feels designed from the ground up to fit the medieval fantasy motif. Where the developer truly outdid themselves was in the enemy design, a feat that still amazes me all these years later. One of my favorites was Firestorm, a fireball that summoned a rain of meteors at the initial explosion site. Gearbox got creative with their grenade mods for this release, turning them into magic spells that can regenerate over time and sport legendary versions with some truly impressive visual effects. Everything that made Borderlands 2 so enjoyable, from environmental hazards to wacky, off-the-wall guns is still here. That said, nothing about this slight bit of rust makes the game unplayable, and it still feels great to pull the trigger and watch those numbers fly. Borderlands 2 never had a slide or mantle mechanic, and neither does TTADK. It does feel a bit stale in a post- Borderlands 3 world, though, especially in terms of mobility. The moment-to-moment gunplay in TTADK is largely untouched from the base Borderlands 2 experience, which isn’t a bad thing by any means. The final moments of the game, and Tina’s ultimate acceptance of his passing, still pack an emotional punch that had me on the verge of tears. The pain they feel is clear when trying to gently remind Tina that Roland won’t be joining the game, and their patience wears away as the game goes on. It’s also painful for the other characters playing the game, as Roland was their friend and fellow Vault Hunter. She’s willing to lose herself in this adventure if it means not having to reckon with the loss of her friend. Bunkers & Badasses is a game about imagination and fantasy, allowing Tina to funnel her overwhelming grief into something constructive. It’s a powerful bit of storytelling and not something I expected from the studio that brought us Butt Stallion (who is also featured in this game). She even goes so far as to include him in the game, casting him as a heroic knight aiding the heroes on their journey. But the main thrust of the game’s narrative deals with Tina’s obstinate denial around Roland being gone. Torgue (that’s his first name) crashing the game and causing all sorts of mayhem for our heroes. Sure, there’s plenty of humor, from dice falling out of the sky and crushing people to Mr. Because this game is ultimately about grief and how a 13-year-old girl copes with that all-consuming emotion. I included all of that because Roland’s death plays a huge part in Tiny Tina’s Assault On Dragon Keep (TTADK), and it’s impossible to discuss the game’s story without referencing the plot point. And, of course, there’s the death of Roland. The relationship between Siren and Jack remains one of the strongest moments of video game character development I’ve ever seen. What Borderlands 2 did best, though, was balance humor with honest emotion, and its depiction of loss and trauma were truly inspired. Not only were several returning characters expanded in new and exciting ways, but the original four Vault Hunters were now fully fleshed out NPCs with dialogue and stories all their own. There are a lot of wonderful things I could say about Borderlands 2, but what stands out the most even today is how much better its story was over the original game.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |