Borderlands 2 is great. The combat is fluid, the enemies diverse, and the environments both vast and varied. However, players have to do a hell of a lot of running, and, unfortunately, that grows tiresome eventually.
It is true that there are two different vehicles in the game, but they aren’t always readily available, nor are they particularly satisfying to drive. More importantly, the game features Fast Travel Stations that teleport players to the various stations in each region. Unlike the first game, which didn’t introduce this feature until roughly halfway through, Borderlands 2 allows gamers to utilize Fast Travel Stations almost immediately. While this is a welcome change, there are still issues.
I have poured hours into Borderlands 2, beaten it with one character, and started it with four others (one of each character class, including the new Mechromancer), and, unfortunately, I often find myself having to quit the game to play the game. Let me explain.
Upon completing missions, you have to turn them in to receive your reward. Some of these quests take you way out into the outskirts of a region, five or ten minutes away from the nearest Fast Travel Station. Instead of running back the way I came, past the chests and lockers that I’ve already opened, around the creatures and bandits I have killed, I just save and quit. Once I hop back into the game, my character spawns at the Fast Travel Station of the place that I’m in, allowing me to then take it back to the hub town of Sanctuary, the place where most quests are turned in.
Now, most RPGs allow players to use a portal, scroll, or some type of feature to be taken straight back to the main city or camp. Why can’t players just travel immediately back to Sanctuary? Gearbox Software treats Borderlands 2 as an FPS first and an RPG second. Travel is where this mentality fails them and the gamers.