Borderlands 2: Game of the Year Edition

Why recommended

• Features intense, fast-paced first-person shooter combat against hordes of alien enemies, requiring constant movement and strategic use of diverse weaponry, much like Borderlands 2's action-packed gunfights.
• Criteria — Action is central to the gameplay loop, with constant battles, stratagem deployment, and objective-based missions driving the experience, while the overarching galactic war provides a 'Strong Story' of humanity's fight for survival.
• The game encourages cooperative play and tactical decision-making with friends, replicating the joy of tackling challenging encounters and boss battles as a team, a core appeal of Borderlands 2.

Why recommended

• Features a first-person perspective with intense, tactical gunplay against both human and mutated enemies, emphasizing resource management and strategic engagements.
• Criteria — Delivers a 'Strong Story' set in the highly atmospheric and dangerous Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, where 'Adventure' is found in exploring its vast, open world filled with anomalies and secrets, and 'Action' is a constant threat.
• Incorporates robust RPG elements, including character progression, equipment modification, and faction reputation, allowing for deep customization and varied approaches to the game's challenges.

Why recommended

• Combines robust first-person shooter mechanics with RPG elements like character progression and equipment upgrades, allowing for diverse combat strategies and character builds.
• Criteria — The game is a true 'Adventure' with exploration of a vast open world, uncovering new Pals, resources, and biomes, while the 'Action' is constant through combat with wild Pals and enemy factions, and there's an emergent 'Strong Story' through base building and survival.
• Features a distinctive art style and a sense of irreverent humor, creating a unique world that, while different in tone, shares Borderlands 2's willingness to blend genres and offer a fresh experience.

Why recommended

• Offers deep customization and progression for your spaceship, akin to Borderlands 2's character and weapon customization, allowing players to tailor their combat style.
• Criteria — Provides a 'Strong Story' with named characters and narrative arcs within an expansive 'Adventure' across a vibrant galaxy, where 'Action' is delivered through thrilling space combat and dogfights.
• The game features a unique, stylized art direction and a strong emphasis on player choice and freedom within its open-ended mission structure, reminiscent of Borderlands 2's sandbox-like qualities.