Gearbox Software
Borderlands

"Awesome critical hit!"

The first words I heard my character say after heavily slicing off the head of a bandit who foolishly tried to take out an unyielding mercenary just landed on a planet full of bad folks and all kinds of objects.

This is Borderlands: an engaging storyline, an atmosphere that calling it cartoonish is an understatement, a random item generation system that reaches 17 million (among weapons and modifiers), first-person perspective, an absolutely extraordinary co-op mode, and almost total character management and customization (leveling up, skill points to be spent in a tree-like enhancement system etc.) make it a game that combines the most classic first-person shooter with a more sophisticated and lasting role-playing game.

But let's start in order:

The story of this fps/rpg hybrid takes place on Pandora, a desolate desert planet ravaged by the constant comings and goings of mercenaries/bandits/unscrupulous people, the perfect place to spend your holidays! The reason why this God-forsaken little planet is so frequented by the scum of the known Universe is simple: The Vault, a dark and mysterious cave that hides the greatest treasure in history... Small problem: it opens every 200 years and the year in which the game takes place is, coincidentally, the two hundredth, result? Well, simply an army discovering your interest in The Vault and tracking you like a predator would its prey. Yes, Pandora is really a nice place.

The atmosphere felt while playing is on the borderline between Mad Max and a pulp comic full of dark humor: the dialogues between the various characters, the various graffiti scattered around the planet, the way all the tough guys you meet as you progress in the main quest are characterized, and the cell-shading graphics indeed make this game a dream for any fan of science fiction, post-apocalypse, and Frank Miller (I found tons of references to many of his comics while playing...).

The item generation system is truly surprising: apart from the weapons (which are indeed an impressive amount), Gearbox decided to add other equippable items (grenade modifiers that change the type of damage, shields, and class modifiers) perhaps, to make up for the lack of armor (also because in a first-person game it would make little sense).

One of the most interesting and effective elements in defining the atmosphere of this game is the characterization of the four main characters (who, if you play in multiplayer, will form a party of four; otherwise, the game will be exclusively solo): Mordecai (a shy rasta sniper with a falcon on his shoulder that can be used to attack), Roland (a taciturn soldier with an automatic turret at his disposal useful for providing excellent cover), Lilith (a sexy alien capable of vanishing to attack enemies silently and quickly), and Brick (a massive brawler who doesn't mind getting physical); each of them at the time of choice has their own class (modifiable as you progress in the game) and their own abilities (enhanceable to your liking). 

The solo game is spectacular, in co-op it's fabulous: seeing a group of four delinquents dismembering criminals and exclaiming in joy is a truly rewarding feeling.

In summary: an excellent product, recently enriched by 3 expansions, fun and easy to learn.

A must-have.