Parents' Guide to

Borderlands

By Brett Molina, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Stylish but super-gory shooter where you kill with abandon.

Borderlands Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

Community Reviews

age 13+

Based on 36 parent reviews

age 13+

Phenomenal game for teens and adults

I originally heard about this game from my son who said he had a lot of friends who were playing it and said it's fun. I picked it up to play for myself before allowing him to play it. The vast majority of the violence in this game is against non-human enemies and there is not a ton of blood. The only tiny problem is that there is some language that I wouldn't want my kids using. But it isn't as if they haven't heard this language before at school or just out in public. And just because they're hearing the language, doesn't mean that they're going to repeat it. Overall, it's a really fun game that is appropriate for teens and adults.

This title has:

Too much swearing
1 person found this helpful.
age 12+

it a good game

It is ok for 12, they curse a few times but not really bad. There is not really any blood.
1 person found this helpful.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (36 ):
Kids say (71 ):

Borderlands' big draw is its huge arsenal, which consists of thousands of guns randomly generated throughout its environments. The weapons feel quite different compared to other shooters and are really fun to use. Ammo contains elemental properties that can add acid, fire or electric damage. The urge to test out newly discovered firearms is often enough incentive to march through the lengthy campaign.

Complementing the unique arsenal is a vibrant world that employs a cel-shaded animation reminiscent of a comic book. The game features a wide variety of enemies, both big and small. They're not always very smart, however. While you would expect animals to run toward you without a thought, it's hard to watch human enemies present themselves as such easy targets. The game also includes an impressive, seamless online experience where up to three players can join your game at any time. Alternatively, you can join anyone else's game. Groups of players can also enter arenas for four-player competitive multiplayer, making it very easy to get lost in the world of Borderlands.

Online interaction: Players can join others games at any time in cooperative and competitive play, and the game includes open chat with others. That means the range of language and ideas (good or bad) that could be encountered online is unknowable.

Game Details

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