Just when you thought you were out of things to shoot in Gearbox’s hit FPS-RPG, Borderlands, they break out with yet another downloadable content pack titled “Mad Moxxi’s Underdome Riot.” This DLC boasts not only a few new areas to roam about, but a new game mode as well. The style and flair that sets this game aside from others remains quite prominent in this addition. Mad Moxxi apparently hosts these arena events in which you and your set do battle with wave after wave of increasingly difficult bad guys. Of course, surviving every frantic round of each tournament will yield some awesome loot. This pack seems to offer much, but is it worth the ten dollars?
One of my personal favorite additions that come with this DLC is the item bank! Finally, we weapon hoarders have a place to store all those rare guns that we just do not use. You can store up 42 weapons utilizing this bank. Have you ever dreamt that you and your friends were armed to the teeth with an array of elemental weapons, fighting for your lives in a twisted cel-shaded parody of the infamous Thunderdome? Yeah, I’ve never had that dream either, but if I had, then this DLC would be a dream come true. Another wild card in the mix are the additions of new rules after level five. Some rules could reduce your accuracy to the point where your only option is to kick ass up close, increase enemy health, strip you of your shield, or even reduce gravity! Waves also have certain rules or themes. For instance, in one wave all enemies will have guns, where as another wave may have nothing more than unarmed, flaming opponents that bum rush you.
There are a few aspects of this DLC that I didn’t care for. For instance, did the big tournament really have to take so long and not have any checkpoints? I mean, what if someone has to run to the store, conceal evidence, or even put out a fire? Finishing that tourney seems to be quite the commitment! Oh, and I think that the loot earned should either be distributed evenly, or awarded to the players that net the most kills. As it is, the loot is just deposited into the middle of the arena, up for grabs. I don’t know about you, but I play with some serious loot whores! Hmmmm maybe a few more maps would have been nice as well.
Mad Moxxi’s Underdome Riot is a good addition to a great game that seems to just get better and better with time. With a refreshing new co-op oriented game mode and the much needed ability to store your hard earned arsenal, this downloadable content pack for Borderlands is well worth the investment of ten dollars and the hours of gaming bliss with your friends. Get on out there, see if you got what it takes to win the tournaments, and argue with your friends about who gets what cut of the loot!
Joseph Bryant – SwiftGlassEater
