Barely a month has elapsed since the release of Borderlands, players are treated to the Zombie Island of Dr. Ned.  So I see you salivating like a rabid zombie wanting to know how this DLC release stacks up.  Salivate no further…

Gearbox has promised us 6-10 hours of gameplay with this release and it easily does that – if you do all of the side missions.  But if you decide to skip the side missions, it can be beaten in about 2 ½ hours.  Disappointing only because it is a blast to play but over way too quickly.  Still with the time you do have, you will be treated to a zombiefest that plays very different from the rest of the original levels.  The zombies’ strategy to take you out is to overwhelm by sheer numbers as you will be killing droves of them.  There are also different types of zombies to keep you on your toes.  Leave your static and corrosive weapons behind as incendiary and explosive elements will be your savior.  For the Zombie Brains side mission I used an explosive sniper rifle from a far and an explosive shotgun for up close.  These weapons do extra damage to the zombies and you won’t accidently burn them if you miss a critical hit like incendiary weapons do.

Okay, so I wish there was a bit more variety to the zombies and the game length was longer.  Still, the Zombie Island of Dr. Ned is definitely worth sinking your teeth into.  Now download it, call your friends, and let the loot stealing commence once again!

GOD KING GRADE: (B)   ★★★★★

Borderlands Review:

I consider myself more of a diehard RPGer than a FPS shooter fan.  So why is it that a game like Borderlands, which is primarily a first person shooter, the only game I own that I now have a  Platinum trophy for?  Simply put, this game is AWESOME.  Gearbox Software has developed a winning combination while crafting a wonderfully creative and engaging world that is Pandora.  Did I mention this game can be played entirely co-operatively?

I beat this game on 1^st and 2^nd Playthrough (2^nd Playthrough is earned when you beat the game) on multiplayer, and in my opinion it is the only way to play.  Gearbox Software has designed this game with multiplayer in mind and it shows throughout with team bonuses, shared experience and looted cash.  Items however are not shared, but everyone in the group sees what the other players are looting.  It’s fun to stray from your friends when they are fighting hordes of enemies so they can see you opening all of the weapon chests!  Enemies do get stronger when more people play but the items get better as well.  This is a great way to power level your buddies and before long everyone is at the same character level.

When you start the game you choose between four different character classes, each with its own unique traits and abilities.  One character is Lilith the Siren, she is proficient with elemental weapons and has the ability to Phasewalk (turn invisible and run super fast).  The rest of the characters are just as cool.  The beauty is every character can use every weapon and you gain proficiencies based on the weapon you use.  As you level up you gain ability points that you can use to level up your skills.  Don’t like the way you’re character plays because you stupidly spent your points on skills you don’t use?  No problem, as you can respec your character as many times as you like for a dirt cheap price.

Dying in the game isn’t too bad, you lose a percentage of the money you have when you die.  So in other words feel free to go at it guns a blazin when you’re poor, but be methodical in your approach when you’ve got some bank.  And don’t worry, money is easy to come by at the end of the game.  Fortunately you won’t be dying much as you can revive your friends as well as a little something called Second Wind.  Basically there is an incapacitation timer that is displayed before you die and if you can kill an enemy before the timer runs out you come back to life.  It is a compilation of elements such as these that make Borderlands great.

So what are the things I would like to see in the Borderlands sequel?

1. Split screen online multiplayer so you don’t need 4 PS3’s or 4 Xbox’s to get a full team.
2. A friggin’ map without having to go into the menu!
3. Fix the bugs.  My Hunter became unloadable and corrupt.  I noticed when playing with him the name over his head did not match my account name.  Make sure to make save copies of your characters!  Also some of the trophies/achievements are bugged you may have to do them more then once!
4. Melee weapons and the ability to dual wield.
5. More class types, vehicles, and a higher level cap.

To pass the time before the sequel I will be dueling with my friends, searching for better loot and upping my weapon proficiencies. Yup the game is still fun even after level 50!  We are also promised downloadable content.  The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned is on the horizon which I will be reviewing once I get my not so undead hands on it.  And look for the handle SH1NZO online, I may drop you a rare or three.  See you in Pandora!

GOD KING GRADE: (A)   ★★★★★