10 Brilliant Sequels That Saved Dying Video Game Franchises

If you've played through the first Borderlands game after any of the other instalments in the series, you may find yourself surprised at how safe it plays it.

There's still all the stuff you know, of course - Vault Hunters and Claptrap still facing off against evil - but it's just a little... vanilla.

Though some of the pop culture references of Borderlands 2 have likely aged absolutely terribly, it still has a much more engaging tone throughout, urging you to laugh at jokes while you slake your thirst for (imaginary) murder.

The game also focuses far more on creating solid characters than the first game does, crafting the more iconically merciless version of Handsome Jack that is now synonymous with the series.

As if all this wasn't enough, it also fixes a crucial issue that many games still struggle with today: having different environments. While the first took place almost wholesale in a desert, the sequel learns an important lesson and takes us through icy wildernesses, Jack-owned cities, and various other sceneries that make it feel like we've actually had an adventure, instead of just having played out in the yard for a bit.