Borderlands 2

Borderlands 2 refined the unique genre hybrid of shooter and loot-based RPG that the first game brought to the planet Pandora, and became one of the most successful titles of the Xbox 360's final years. Playing as one of four new Vault Hunters, the player battles the tyrannical magnate Handsome Jack, who controls the Hyperion corporation and seeks to seize the power of an ancient alien artifact. Each character has their own action skill and extensive upgrade trees that turn them into either a supportive teammate or a fully self-sufficient force of destruction.

Gearbox Software expanded the procedurally generated weapon system to millions of possible combinations, from classic rifles to absurd special items with unique effects, creating endless motivation for collecting better loot. The weapons are also manufactured by rival fictional companies with recognizable house styles – some bet on elemental damage, others on huge calibers, still others on weapons that are simply thrown like a grenade instead of being reloaded – so even after dozens of hours, finding a new piece still matters. The cel-shaded comic-book visual style introduced in the first game got even bolder and more varied environments, from snowy plains to poisonous swamps.

Handsome Jack became one of the best-written and most entertaining villains of the generation thanks to a sarcastic yet menacing narrating voice permeating the entire game via radio broadcasts. Co-op for up to four players remained the core of the experience, with dynamic difficulty scaling based on the number of participants. Extensive postgame content and the True Vault Hunter Mode system offered dozens of additional hours of play, joined by extensive expansions, of which the one set in a tabletop role-playing game ranks among the best the series has ever written. Critics praised the humor, the depth of the loot system, and the quality of the side content. Borderlands 2 is still considered the peak of the entire series and one of the best cooperative shooter-RPGs ever made.