If you've been following Borderlands from the get-go, then you won't need much of an explanation. You won't need a reminder that it has been billed as a hybrid between the first-person shooting of Halo and the addictive nature of Diablo. Right now, all you want to know is if it's worth playing; if Gearbox managed to meet its lofty aspirations.

In short, yes. That's not to say the game is free of annoyances and oddities, far from it. But despite the flaws, Borderlands offers an addictive experience that I can't stop playing.

Above all else, Borderlands really nails the feeling of character progression, of ever-increasing power. It feels like every quest, from gunning down an enemy to gathering the scattered pieces of a revolver, actually matters. Each action, each experience point, brings players one step closer to the next level, to being able to afford that nice rocket launcher sitting in the vending machine. And there's nothing quite like waltzing through an area five levels later and mowing through once-troublesome foes with a shot or two.

Further enforcing the notion of constant progression is a steady stream of new equipment and weapons. Players will regularly come across shields and guns as they explore the world of Pandora, be the loot dropped by enemies, squirreled away in some chest, tucked into the back of a locker or a reward for a job well done.

And because all but a few items are randomly generated, the constant flow of loot and the accompanying sense of discovery represents one of the game's most addictive qualities. After all, a powerful new gun could be a few shots or mere steps away. One of my favorite moments in the game was stumbling across a near replica of the assault rifle that I'd been using, with one very noticeable difference--its damage was doubled.

Treasure Quest
It's good that the lure of bigger and better things provides a clear incentive to keep going, because it makes up for the otherwise lackluster quests. Saying that I burned scripture sounds far more exciting that it actually was--I drove from checkpoint to checkpoint and pressed a button to ignite the sacred text. Then I went back to the person that gave me the quest, got a completion bonus, and was informed of the next one.

In essence, the game's numerous quests can often be broken down as follows: go to the marked point, maybe shoot some stuff and collect an item or two, then return for a reward. But to be honest, I didn't mind. Even though many missions had an air of "been there, done that," there was always incentive to keep going. After all, every little bit of experience helps, and maybe I'd run across some new equipment in the process.

Of course, the higher a quest's recommended level and the more people in a given game, the harder things become and the better the loot. Up to four can can quest together thanks to the magic of drop-in, drop-out online cooperative play.

That's not to say you need to play online--my first playthrough was mostly solo--but there are definitely sections made with co-op in mind. One boss challenges you in vehicular combat, and his vehicle is far superior--were one player to distract him and another focus on dealing damage, well, it would have been a much less frustrating fight.

In the same vein, taking down two turrets a bit later would have been much easier with more players, and I probably wouldn't have had to rely so much on sniping from afar. And that three-on-one boss battle near the end would have been way more fair.

The presence (or lack) of multiple players also presents some interesting choices for character development and equipment. For example, the soldier class skill tree involves an entire healing branch that would made him quite useful in co-op. Of course, the ability to heal teammates by shooting them is useless when there are no teammates. Fortunately, skill point assignments aren't permanent and can be tweaked for a cost.

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Likewise, some items, such as one that boosts team experience by 21%, are better suited for team play. On the flip side are items that can turn lone characters into tanks, like the one that boosts ammo capacity by 60% and fire rate by 45%.

And I'd be remiss if I didn't point out the charm and humor that permeates Borderlands. From shooting dried feces off a giant wind turbine or collecting a bunch of dirty magazines after someone's wife threw them away, it's obvious Gearbox was having fun.

Turn the page for a breakdown of annoyances and PC-specific concerns.