Michael Crider
The hits keep coming on the Epic Game Store, and they don’t cost a cent. After killing its servers for almost a full day by giving away Grand Theft Auto V and announcing a brand new freebie collection of Samurai Showdown Shodown games, Epic is giving away one of this generation’s most beloved looter-shooters. Oh, and also The Pre-Sequel.
No two ways around it: Borderlands 2 is definitely the bulk of 2K’s “The Handsome Collection,” and it was much-loved when it launched in 2012. It’s a sequel to Gearbox’s “looter-shooter” Borderlands, which mixes a sarcastic Mad Max-meets-sci-fi story with solid FPS mechanics an obsession on randomized loot reminiscent of Diablo. The sequel ups the ante with more diverse classes, levels, and weapons, and a storyline that’s much more engaging, mainly due to an excellent performance from grating villain Handsome Jack.
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is the third game in the series (which is a different beast entirely from Borderlands 3), and it uses the same engine and mechanics as 2. But it was developed by another studio, 2K Australia, and it shows. Despite the novelty of its moon setting with low gravity and oxygen tanks, the story set between the first and second game is less engaging, and its missions get retentive quickly.
Still, you can’t beat free, and all the post-launch content (DLC missions and extra outfits) are included for both games. You’ll need a Windows machine to play the game, but you can claim it online via the Epic Store’s website. Once claimed, the game is free to play via your Epic account anytime. The offer is available for the next week.
