If the idea of adapting a huge RPG in the open world to VR sauce seems audacious, it is not the first time that the industry has tried it with malicious pleasure. To name just him, Bethesda has already offered Fallout 4 and The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, two of its biggest hits, with some success. Borderlands 2 VR was therefore a smart bet, especially since the original game can boast of offering an absolutely formidable adventure that has already proven itself when it was first released in 2012. Precisely, before attacking the unique features of this new version, it seems necessary to come back to the game itself and the fabulous experience it likes to offer and which automatically establishes it as a potentially timeless hit.
IN SEARCH OF THE LOST ARK
The concept of the first Borderlands was particularly good and, certainly, the great strength of its successor was to dig its concept much further. Here, the story takes place again on Pandora, a wild planet populated by more or less barbaric civilizations and bloodthirsty creatures. The good news is that this difficult world conceals treasures of all kinds, including the Arches, mystical portals giving access to unsuspected treasures, are in the crosshairs of all adventurers in the area. One of them, the (genius) CEO of the mega-corporation Hyperion named Le Beau Jack, seems determined to open a new Ark discovered recently. The only problem: its access could well spell the end of the entire planet and it is precisely up to you, a Vault Hunter, to prevent it by all means. It will therefore be necessary to choose one of the four characters offered at the start of the game, whose properties differ minutely, to tackle this epic quest in good and due form. A fairly simple scenario, in itself, but marvelously served by quality writing and absurd humor whose quotes still mark the spirits today. In this universe of varied and shimmering environments, colorful cel-shading contrasts with ubiquitous graphic violence for indelible gaming pleasure. More than this nervous action, the universe is full of main quests as annexes and hundreds of secrets to uncover. With weapon mechanics with random attributes, the longevity of the game is thus assured, especially since this very long adventure is based on tasty cooperative mechanisms. Without redoing the test of the original game (for that, our review and all the details are available by clicking here), know that Borderlands 2 and the various DLCs it has hosted since are small pearls that we warmly recommend to you.
SOMETIMES LIGHTNING REALLY STRIKES TWICE
For this VR iteration, the adventure is the same except for a few details, which are still important: first of all, no DLC is included and it is only the original game, which is a bit pity for a portage occurring seven years later. In addition, the multiplayer is seen purely and simply removed and this is undoubtedly the rub: if Borderlands 2 was so fun and powerful, it was partly due to its cooperation up to 4, online as screen split (at least for the Handsome Collection), which allowed you to share long, very long hours of play with your comrades. Cut off from this essential mechanic, Borderlands 2 VR is thus reduced to the traditional single-player title and this is an obvious counter-argument for some aficionados. That said, this drastic choice is excusable because of a not changing gameplay that is easier to understand for an outside player. Indeed, in order to stick perfectly to PlayStation VR, you can imagine that the developers have opted for adapted gameplay which, like other hits of the genre, is essentially based on teleportation.
Thanks to the Cross or R3 keys, it is thus possible to move instantaneously over a close distance and to repeat the action almost immediately for a rapid movement: the sprint is indeed not part of the game and it was necessary to find an effective way to the player to move, without avoiding the dreaded turns. Similarly, to turn, each stroke of the right stick directs the character a few tens of degrees: the rest of the observation is done by moving the head, as it would be done in real life. Aiming and gunfights are also tweaked to better suit the situation: now, the traditional aiming sight no longer exists, in favor of a classic reticle that can be moved instinctively by directing its face in the desired direction. It's inevitably destabilizing at first, but it's clear that everything is quite easy to understand and even proves to be very effective after a good hour of play. However, the disappearance of the jump or squat button flattens a level design which previously relied heavily on true verticality. Now it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to climb certain steps or get off the beaten path, which limits exploration or simply prevents getting out of an unfortunate position. Gearbox still had the good idea to offer a host of settings in the dedicated menu, allowing you to optimize your gameplay according to your preferences. In this way, it is thus possible to find the jump (to the detriment of teleportation, it will therefore be necessary to choose), to walk more or less quickly, to turn more or less abruptly, to decrease or to widen its field of vision, and so right now. It's frankly appreciable and it allows you to settle in for a real comfort of play for the tens of hours ahead.
In the end, the gameplay is tamed rather well under these auspices of virtual reality: only the driving of the vehicles left us a little more skeptical even if, once again, everything is a question of habit and adaptation. Diving into this brilliant universe remains a real delight, thanks in particular to this artistic direction that is still as great as ever and this punchy soundtrack that does not age. Admittedly, the game has taken a bit of a beating graphically, but its cel-shading serves as an effective hide-and-seek and, above all, the resolution of the headset shows very little clipping for an honest rendering. It only remains to see if you are ready to take on this long adventure alone, originally thought to be shared with one or more friends. It is nonetheless excellent and, here, more atmospheric.
