Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel
Is this game a must-have on your Mac?
A modern franchise with a fervent following, Borderlands is back with a third instalment. And this time the narrative is rewinded and new characters and a gravity-defying moon environment are introduced.
If this is your first experience with Borderlands you will probably be confused, as this game feels like a standalone expansion for existing fans. However, the first-person shooter mechanics are reliable enough, with a barrage of weaponry and loot to pilfer. Everything is larger than life and typically bombastic, the bright visuals backed up with witty scripts and voice acting. Progress is linear with plenty of mini-quests bolted on. But, there’s repetitiveness over the level design and enemies, which may grate.
Although performance excels on OS X, there are moments where the game doesn’t consider the player – suddenly initiating attacks while engaged in NPC dialogue, being a prime example. Regardless of such negativity, publisher Aspyr should be
Great performance on the Mac is somewhat marred by repetitive levels and an old-fashioned vibe.
applauded for a day-one Mac release. Sadly, though, this is a gaming experience that feels out of time.
The bottom line is it’s a solid, entertaining shooter that extends the formula for fans but feels somewhat out of sync with the series and genre. Matt Bolton