Borderlands games are known for humor, bright colors, loot, and DLC that's almost as fun as the game itself. Each DLC is like a game of its own, thus worthy of a review of its own.
**The Secret Armory of General Knoxx**
Published by 2K Games | Developed by Gearbox Software
Released 2009 | FPS/RPG
For all platforms | Review: Xbox 360, PC
For all platforms | Review: Xbox 360, PC
*Rated M for Mature 17+*
Blood and Gore | Intense Violence
Mature Humor | Strong Language
HGG rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ 7/10
Mature Humor | Strong Language
HGG rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ 7/10
Synopsis?
General Knoxx has a secret armory. You need to find it and destroy it. Kill Knoxx and anyone else who gets in your way. Pretty simple, really.
First impressions?
The very first time I played this DLC I groaned. Then I had to resist the urge to throw my controller at the TV. (I do have a problem with rage quitting. Certain games always set me off, usually not Borderlands games, but this one managed to annoy me.) I had some trouble getting past certain parts of this DLC. Not sure why, but the side quest that's thrust on you where you have to survive the assassins thrown at you by...shoot. I can't remember at the moment. I think it's Atlas. Those damned assassins killed me so many times. Rage quit numbers. In my PC playthrough it wasn't so bad. I think I was leveled up more.
Yeah, this vid is me playing. And not very well, I know. If it wasn't for Bloodwing, I'd die a lot more. LOL
Graphics and voices?
Same as the base game, perfect for this story.
There really isn't anything else to say about that. ☺
There really isn't anything else to say about that. ☺
Gameplay?
I mentioned the waves of assassins. There are waves of the Crimson Lance too. Waves. And then more waves. And still more. It's exhausting, and there's no quitting halfway through to pick it up later. All the DLCs in this game have just the one fast travel, thus just the one starting point. So yeah, same gameplay as the base game, but way more enemies, or so it seems.
If you die, you respawn at the most recent save point you passed, so no biggie there. But if you have a family, like I do, with little ones who demand food every so often and simply pausing really isn't an option, you start over at the fast travel. That is the MOST FRUSTRATING part of all Borderlands DLCs. (I should note, this is not the case in Borderlands 2, or the Pre-Sequel. The DLCs for those games have numerous fast travels throughout. I assume the devs listened to player complaints about the first game. LOL)
If you die, you respawn at the most recent save point you passed, so no biggie there. But if you have a family, like I do, with little ones who demand food every so often and simply pausing really isn't an option, you start over at the fast travel. That is the MOST FRUSTRATING part of all Borderlands DLCs. (I should note, this is not the case in Borderlands 2, or the Pre-Sequel. The DLCs for those games have numerous fast travels throughout. I assume the devs listened to player complaints about the first game. LOL)
Storyline?
This one's pretty simple. Athena's pissed and wants General Knoxx taken out, his weapons stockpile destroyed. That's where the player comes in. You have to kill anything and anyone who gets in your way.
As far as DLC storylines go, I thought this was a nice addition to the base game's story. And yes, this does take place immediately after the main story thread.
As far as DLC storylines go, I thought this was a nice addition to the base game's story. And yes, this does take place immediately after the main story thread.
Complaints?
Waves of enemies, first-person, and... drifters. I will never actually LIKE first-person shooters. And when enemies are thrown at me in numbers I just can't handle, I get frustrated. It becomes less like fun, and more like work.
And then there are the drifters, giant spider things that pop out of the sand and kill you so quickly it's not even funny. These nasty things are best killed from afar while in the driver's seat of a Monster. Monsters have homing rockets. I've gotten out of the vehicle to collect my loot, heard a whoosh sound and turned around to see yet another drifter has popped up, right behind me. I jump every time. And this happens more often than I like...
 |
| Drifters kill me. A lot. |
Overall?
Despite the at times overwhelming waves of enemies, this DLC is as good as the base game.
My rating?
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ - 7/10 life hearts. This DLC is worth buying if you already like Borderlands.
Where to buy?
- Amazon
- GameStop
- Xbox Live Marketplace
- PlayStation Store
- Steam
- ...or grab the Game of the Year Edition of Borderlands from your local used games store. ☺
Until next time...
