Unless if you absolutely hated the first Borderlands, definitely give this phenomenal sequel a play.
What is there to say that hasn't already been said? Everything about this game comes together into a seamless whole. The guns are far more varied in terms of appearance and performance, the animations look much better, the enemy A.I. is more intelligent, the variety of enemies and environments has been improved DRASTICALLY since Borderlands 1, and the writing is even more clever and enjoyable.
GAMEPLAY: As far as gameplay goes, Borderlands 2 stays very true to the original. On one hand, some may see this as a lack in innovation, but others, me included, loved the "shoot 'n' loot" gameplay of the first title and are happy to see it return. This is something to bear in mind: if you did not enjoy the core gameplay of Borderlands, the sequel won't convert you.
Borderlands 2 once again is essentially a hybrid between a shooter and an RPG. The game takes place in the first-person perspective and most of the weapon at the player's disposal are guns, but there are quests, skill trees, special abilities, and other customization options that add the role-playing aspect to this self-proclaimed "RPS" (Role-playing shooter). I found the action and questing in Borderlands 2 to be tons of fun, even more so than that of the original. This was most likely because the combat zones were far more open and allowed for different ways to approach gunfights, and the enemy A.I. has been noticeably improved. Enemies will actually take cover and behave unpredictably, unlike the suicidal grunts in BL1.
Like the first game, Borderlands is best played with some friends in tow, as not only does the action become more intense and multi-faceted, but the loot becomes better and the experience is just flat out more enjoyable. Unfortunately, I did have OCCASIONAL frame-rate issues when playing online with my friends which did slightly hurt the experience.
The RPG elements were very well implemented. The skill tree system was a ton of fun to mess with, especially since skill points can be reset completely for a small fee of in-game currency. This allowed for a lot of experimentation with the role-playing elements, which I very much enjoyed. The customization aspects were also fun, and I especially enjoyed the new "Badass Rank" system, which allows for another method to alter characters's stats in way the player deems fit.
STORY/WRITING: Wow, talk about an overhaul. Borderlands 1 didn't exactly have a plot beyond "find the magical treasure," and didn't even really have a villain until the final hour of gameplay. Borderlands 2, on the other hand, establishes a villain and story immediately in the opening cutscene. Handsome Jack, the arrogant and power-hungry leader of the Hyperion Corporation, is out to take over the people of Pandora and gain control of an artifact so powerful that it will make him nigh unstoppable. Your character(s), being the god guy(s), naturally set out to stop him -- and pick up some loot on the way. This sense of objective gives the player much more motivation to play through the game to the end.
This game is filled with memorable characters, many of whom are familiar faces from the original, but also include many new additions. Their dialogue is funny, enjoyable, and filled with personality. Speaking of dialogue, there is far more of it in this game than in BL1, providing a much better sense of immersion.
CONTROLS: Not much to say here. The controls handle well and the sensitivity feels spot-on. I had no problem with controlling my character from first person and the vehicles were easy and intuitive to use.
GRAPHICS/ART DESIGN: Like the first game, Borderlands 2 has cel shaded art design. If you don't like cel shading, then, again, this title won't change your mind, but I thought it looked great in Borderlands 1, and it again looks great here. Not only that, but the textures and surfaces in the game look far more detailed and interesting when compared to those of the original. The character designs are awesome, with a plethora of cool-looking aliens and human characters to interact with and shoot at. Undoubtedly one of the biggest improvements in this game over its predecessor is the environmental variety. In Borderlands 1, there were few things to see apart from barren desert, but in Borderlands 2, there are arctic regions, tundra areas, mountain ranges, and, of course, some desert zones.
However, this game is not graphical perfection. Texture pop-in, a problem that plagued BL1, is STILL present, and is frustrating to behold. It's not as frequent as in the original, but it's common enough to be a considerable annoyance. Also, some objects look rather sloppily made, with low polygon counts and blurry textures.
SOUND: This really surprised me. The sound design is Borderlands 2 is actually very, very good. I didn't like the sound design in the first game, as the gun sounds and explosions came across as generic, dull, and lacking in impact. However, in this game, the guns sound lethal and have a great amount of variety to them, reflecting the weapon's performance. The explosions sound FAAAAR more powerful, as well, making grenades, rockets, and exploding barrels much more satisfying to use.
The voice acting is, for the most part, excellent, and complements the great writing. The main heroes are far more varied in terms of their voices when compared to the original's cast.
The game's score is solid, and is definitely more dynamic than that of the original. That is in no way a slight to BL1's soundtrack, which I very much enjoyed, but is rather a complement to the sequel, which sounds even better. Unfortunately, the intro song, while good, can't top "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked," which was used in the intro of the first game.
CONCLUSION: All in all Borderlands 2 is exactly what a sequel should be: it takes the problems of the original and fixes them, and it expands upon what made it so great in the first place. This is easily the most fun role-playing experience I've played since Skyrim and lives up to the considerable hype surrounding it.