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Gearbox Software’s witty post-apocalyptic Borderlands franchise has enjoyed phenomenal success in all its various incarnations and now, the fourth game in the story’s timeline, Borderlands 2, is available on SHIELD Android TV and SHIELD Tablet. But how can this be possible you ask? Isn’t it an epic sprawling PC action RPG and surely too ambitious for an Android device? That would be true if not for the power of SHIELD and the Tegra processing technology contained therein. The result is a spectacular experience that is every bit as muscular as the PC version.
Whether you want to play the epic sequel on an HDTV or while on the go, Borderlands 2 on SHIELD boasts vibrantly detailed high-definition visuals and gameplay that make full use of the immense power of the Tegra processor under your SHIELD’s hood. The game’s arrival on SHIELD joins Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel’s launch on SHIELD Tablet, which was previously available on Android only on SHIELD Android TV.
This chapter in the ongoing Borderlands saga takes place five years after the first game and follows on from both Tales from the Borderlands (Telltale’s episodic adventure series) and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (the wild low-gravity spin-off set on Pandora’s moon).
At the opening of Borderlands 2 we find ourselves back on planet Pandora whose inhabitants are being ruled over by a brutal and oppressive regime run by none other than Handsome Jack. He has exploited the element Eridium discovered inside the fabled Vault in the original game.
However, rumors have begun circulating that there is a second Vault somewhere on Pandora and a new wave of vault hunters has turned up to discover its location.
Borderlands fans familiar with the arid desert environments of Pandora will see several new sides to the planet, most just as harsh and unwelcoming as the desert plains. For example, there are bleak highland areas, unforgiving blighted regions full of flowing lava and volcanic ash and punishing arctic regions. There’s even an underground network of tunnels called the Caustic Caverns, characterized by corrosive pools and deadly creatures like spiderants.
The quest for the second Vault is this time taken on by a new roster of vault hunters, and what an interestingly diverse bunch of adventurers they are. Axton is a commando and his deployable Sabre Turret can be strategically placed to take out waves of attackers from a remote position, while Salvador the Gunzerker can wield multiple weapons to devastating effect. More exotic is Maya, a Siren who has a Phaselock ability that she can use to temporarily trap enemies in an alternate dimension. Finally there Zer0, the assassin, whose holographic decoy distracts enemies so that he can get busy invisibly running around and taking them out by stealth.
The available arsenal of weapons is even more gloriously inventive than before. There are a number of elemental modifications you can make to the standard firearms. For example, corrosive attacks are useful against heavily armored opponents while explosive mods create area-of-effect weapons. Now there is also a useful thing called Slag. It’s a fifth elemental mod in effect and any enemies that have had the purple goo splashed on them will receive extra damage from any subsequent attacks. So, for example, Axton’s Sabre turret can be modified to spray slag over a bunch of enemies leaving them vulnerable to attacks by the rest of the squad. It’s an awesome multiplayer experience although still fantastic in single-player mode.
Download two of the most celebrated action games on the best Android gaming device, NVIDIA SHIELD, with Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, which are both available now on Google Play.