@Kryptonbornson Comparing Left 4 Dead to Borderlands doesn't really make a lot of sense. They both have guns and co-op. That's about it for similarities. In L4D you run around shooting zombies until you reach the end of the level, go to the next one and repeat. There is very little actual progression in the game, which causes it to get boring very quickly. And in my opinion Borderlands co-op (in both the original and the sequel) is worlds better because there is actual strategy involved as far as when to use skills, which weapon is most suitable for the fight depending on enemies' weaknesses, and using the terrain to your advantage. Last I checked, L4D had none of that (argue it if you will but you'll be splitting hairs). I'm not saying that L4D is a terrible game by any means, but it doesn't come close to Borderlands 2 and the lack of depth really gives you no reason to play for an extended period of time.

And your comparison of GTA4 to Borderlands 2 is completely ridiculous. While I do enjoy the game and it is a lot of fun, what is there to actually explore in GTA? You're just driving cars, running around, flying a helicopter, etc. in a single generic city. Not comparable in the slightest to the exploration in any half-decent open-world RPG.

So, my bad that my game tastes aren't as 'mature' as yours. Sorry if that bothers you. There is no game that will appeal to everybody. It's a simple fact. But making absurd arguments as to why games that are, in the grand scheme of things, wildly different are superior is pretty fucking stupid.

I picked up my copy at the midnight release and didn't stop playing until about an hour ago (11:00am eastern time). I liked Borderlands 1.... but I will agree with some that it kind of lacked the "wow factor". Something about it just felt lacking.

Borderlands 2, on the other hand, has completely blown me away. Literally every aspect of the game has been considerably improved. To anybody who is skeptical, trust me, Borderlands 2 is not Borderlands 1 with some new stuff. It is a whole different experience. Gunplay is better, the story is amazing (from what I've played through so far), the AI is much better, and the skill trees are more interesting. But what really blew me away was the immersion. The maps are huge, incredibly detailed, and just well-made in general. You certainly feel more in touch with the environment.

Also, I'm a very, very picky gamer. The last time I played a game for 10+ hours (hell, for more than about 3 hours) straight, I was about 7 or 8 years old and had just popped in Ocarina of Time for the first time. And trust me, as much as I liked it, there was no way in hell I'd play the original Borderlands that long. The sequel is just that much better.

So, while I disagree with GameSpot's score, I'm not here to complain about that. I'm here to tell those who were skeptical about Borderlands 1 that this is more than a new paint job. Much more. In my eyes, this game gets a 9.5. And the only thing holding me back from throwing the double digits out there is that there are only 4 characters (at launch). Other than that, this game reeks of excellence.