For the next week, Borderlands: The Handsome Collection is free on PC via the Epic Games Store until June 4th, as part of Epic’s Free Game Fridays deal. Borderlands: The Handsome Collection is a fantastic FPS package, including Borderlands 2, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, and all the DLC for both games. And all of it’s yours, to keep forever.
That’s an awful lot of game for no money whatsoever, so much that it can be tricky to know where exactly to get going. Lucky for you, we’ve put together this quick-start guide.
Play Borderlands 2 first
While the Pre-Sequel takes place before Borderlands 2, its story is designed to be experienced after having played Borderlands 2. So don’t be tempted to jump straight into the Pre-Sequel, otherwise you may end up spoiling some key story beats for yourself.
Select your class with care
The four character classes of Borderlands 2 each revolve around a different play-style, so ensure you pick the one that best suits you. Salvador the Gunzerker, for example, is the team’s primary damage dealer, while Zero’s ability to cloak makes him more of a stealth-focussed character. If you’re playing the game solo, then you should probably pick the Commando class, as his ability to deploy a gun-turret gives you the extra firepower that would normally be supplied by other players.
Tailor that class carefully
Whichever class you choose, be aware that each has three separate skill trees that can drastically affect how Borderlands 2 plays. In the case of the Gunzerker, Gunlust improves his general damage output and fire-rate with all weapons, while Rampage makes his ability wield two guns at once more powerful, and Brawn makes him more durable in a firefight. The website B2skills.com lets you tinker with character sub-classes before you commit to a certain play-style, so have a browse through all four characters before you decide which one’s best for you.
Make the most of Second Wind
When you run out of health in Borderlands 2, you don’t immediately die. Instead, you enter a “crippled” state, where you have a brief window to revive yourself by killing an enemy, triggering a “Second Wind” bonus. If you’re on the verge of being knocked down, try to get close to a weak or low-health enemy. That way, when you are crippled, you can quickly get back on your feet and into the fight.
Head over to the Epic Game Store now to get your free copy of Borderlands: The Handsome Collection.
