Borderlands 2

Borderlands 2 is a pretty special experience. The game that first shot up console and PC screens a couple of years ago feels as good now as it did then.

It's just as boisterous, just as addictive, and just as silly. And the newly born Vita version is almost as impressive as its older brothers.

A man with a plan

Handsome Jack, the game's antagonist, is a monster. But he's charismatic, and, more importantly, he knows how to work people.

He suffers from delusions of grandeur. He believes he has a god-given right to lead, and that any who oppose him - namely vault hunters - should die a grisly death.

He's also a fine example of the thought that's gone into Borderlands 2's story. The script is top notch, and the voice-acting matches it. The lines are crisp and clear, and the plot crackles along at a brisk old pace.

From start to finish the game tells a compelling and intelligent story of dictatorship and revolution. It does things you wouldn't expect a first-person shooter to do, and that shouldn't be sniffed at.

Class war

The game is a mix of FPS and RPG that sees you storming across the planet Pandora, shooting pretty much anything that moves. There are six classes for you to choose from, each with its own specialisations and style of play.

Axton is the gung-ho Rambo-type. Salvador is a violent midget capable of wielding two guns at once.

Maya is the resident siren, capable of a form of telekinesis that lets her fling enemies around like ragdolls. Then there's Zero, the badass stealth assassin.

There's also Gaige the Mechromancer and Krieg the Psycho. Gaige can summon a scrap metal robot to whack about enemies, and Krieg is a chaotic, grunting, buzz-axe wielding lunatic.

There'll be a class that suits you, and you can further customise them using detailed skill trees that give you new powers as you level up.

There's a massive open world here that's ripe for exploring, and it looks almost as stunning on the Vita as it did on home consoles.

There is the occasional dip in frame-rate, and some effects have been taken out and tweaked.

But these are all problems you can live with or work around, and they don't dilute the rich rhythm of violence and levelling up at the heart of the game.

Your guns still fire out flaming hot bullets that incinerate your enemies.

TL;DR

If you come to Borderlands 2 on Vita expecting the full console experience, you'll be disappointed. If, however, you understand that this is a port that's been squished down to fit in your pocket, you're in for a special treat.

Borderlands 2 is a game unlike any other, and it's as impressive today as it was in 2012.

It's a clever port, for a clever game, and it delivers a small-screen experience that's about as close to the AAA quality of the original as you're likely to come.

If you loved Borderlands 2 on consoles, you'll love the Vita version just as much.

Borderlands 2

Borderlands 2 is an essential purchase. It's as simple as that
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Wesley Copeland
Wesley Copeland
Wesley Copeland loves video games. Probably more than he should. In fact, while you're reading this, he's probably Googling how to find a specific piece of armour or beat a certain boss. It's a disease.