Note: This review covers the Enhanced Edition of the original Borderlands game. Please compare to the original by reading the review of that version by editor IBJamon for differences. This review covers both the original core game and the expansions included.

Some games were designed to suck you in with a repetitive game loop that still has redeeming features. In the case of the original Borderlands, the repetitive "looter shooter" grind was compensated for with a blackly comical setting and a fun cel-shaded futuristic aesthetic. Borderlands: Game of the Year Enhanced is a decent updated re-release of the original Borderlands for that purpose.

A bit of background. The original Borderlands was a mix of first-person shooter mixed with the random drops gameplay of the Diablo series, where equipment was randomized. Having started what is now known as the "looter shooter", this means it's a game based on constantly improving your arsenal of guns via random drops and purchases to keep up with ever-increasing levels of threats. The first Borderlands has an incredibly simple story: the planet Pandora is rumored to have a legendary Vault full of treasure. You play as one of four would-be Vault Hunters. After that, the plot is to basically get past all obstacles in your way to find the Vault. It's a very simple story light on plot and heavy on combat, but it didn't have to be very deep for those who enjoy first-person shooters.

The original Borderlands is now delisted on Steam, and the Enhanced Edition was provided as a free update for all existing owners of the original title. It comes bundled with all the expansion packs of the original game, many backported improvements from Borderlands 2, and some overhauls to presentation and ensuring compatibility with modern gaming hardware.

The bundled expansions include the following: "Zombie Island of Dr. Ned", a side story to the main campaign where, due to science gone wrong, most of the inhabitants of Jakobs Cove have been turned into zombies, requiring the player to find the cure for this zombie apocalypse like setting. Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot is another side story that introduces Mad Moxxi, a thrill-seeking woman who runs a gladiatorial arena the player can participate in. The Secret Armory of General Knoxx is set after the events of the main story and follows up on them. Claptrap's New Robot Revolution is another side story in which the Claptrap robots launch their own "war of liberation", forcing the player to stop this robot revolt.

Much like the original title, each of the four characters you can play as has their own unique abilities and weapon specialties. The various weapon classes have their own advantages and disadvantages and can come with various added effects like acid or flame effects for added damage. Due to engine changes from the original, there are some changed weapon drops. While saves are importable from the original Borderlands, some weapons are not due to the engine differences. Some of the improved net code from later releases has been backported. Both single-player and online cooperative multiplayer have been retained and are still supported.

Graphically, this title retains the cel-shaded comic look of the original release, except now the textures and models have been improved to 4k resolution. The art style tends to amusingly clash with the sparse and Mad Max-style backdrop of the planet Pandora by making it all look like some wacky, brutal cartoon. Given the black comedy of the voice acting and story, this fits like a glove. Colors are generally bright regardless, though the zombie apocalypse DLC does dip into more dreary but still evocative colors. Some additional set pieces are interactable compared to the original for more loot drops as well. Unlike the original, this has better support for widescreen monitors and scales better for them without the need for third-party solutions or INI tweaks.

Sounds and music tend to be ambient with some sci-fi western style tracks for combat. Aside from the opening vocal music, most of the game music tends to be understated, letting the sound effects and voice acting pick up the slack. Voice acting tends to be hilarious and campy, with all sorts of goofy accents, and is very in-jokey. The sound effects tend to be satisfying for the various weapons and their effects when used.

Much like the original Borderlands, this game is playable with either a keyboard and mouse or with any Steam-supported controller. Both are rather viable, though I found the controller to be the most comfortable. Keys can be remapped, but I found the default controls easy to get used to. The user interface has been greatly overhauled to use the same style as the second game. Weapon favoriting has been backported from Borderlands 2, and dropped enemy ammo and health pickups will automatically be grabbed without manual pickups. Also, navigation has been made much less tedious with a minimap and more exact locations for objectives. The original release featured only a compass.

Unlike the original game, the much-improved engine has higher requirements, requiring a 64-bit processor and much better graphical hardware. There is a known memory leak in this version compared to the original, which can be a problem after several hours of play. This runs natively on Microsoft Windows, but will run well on Linux via Steam Proton. It will run on the Steam Deck, but despite being rated Playable may require some manual tweaking.

It must be noted, even with the DLCs and improvements, this game still suffers from the same problems as the first game. Pandora has a lot of repetitive barren areas and the loot gets tedious to manage. Enemies tend to spawn from set places, and each area becomes predictable quickly. Unless you enjoy having a massive shooting gallery, the gameplay loop will get boring fast.

Morally, this game has a lot of concerning elements, even more so with the packaged DLCs.

Violence is going to be rather graphic. There will be frequent displays of gore, fire/acid destroying limbs, and other graphic violence. There is an option to tone this down in menus, but cutscenes will still have gruesome displays. The cel-shaded comic style makes this look somewhat less realistic, but in no way hides the gore or blood from being explicit. The Zombie DLC also features necrotic flesh and brains you can pick up.

Language is going to be pretty graphic. Expect to hear frequent use of every profanity under the sun, from f**k on down. There is also frequent crude sexual commentary, including references to genitalia and sexual acts. Mad Moxxi and a few other characters are openly gay or bisexual, with every other line laden with sexual passes and offers. There are several female characters (including one of the main playable characters) with revealing outfits and the presence of crude sexual magazines and other imagery as well. The Lord's name is frequently taken in vain as well.

This is set in a soft science fiction universe and generally lacks any display of the occult. The Zombie DLC does feature zombies of the science fiction variety, but that's about it. Morally, you generally can't hurt anyone who is not firing back at you, and while your only goal is to find the Vault, you generally don't have any outright evil options. Regardless, you are still playing an amoral mercenary who is outright encouraged to use everyone and everything to get to your goal.

Overall, despite the enhancements, Borderlands: Game of the Year Enhanced is much like the original release in that gets repetitive fast if you get bored of shooting things. Technically, it's quite an improvement over the original game in many ways. Morally, it's still going to only be fit for mature audiences given the many adult themes. If you like shooting gallery games with a dark sense of humor and aren't bored by having little else to do, it's a decent title to pick up and frequently goes on sale for cheap.