10 Video Game Plot Holes You Can't Ignore

4. Borderlands - Why Can't The Enemies Use New-U Stations?

deathloop game
2K Games

Borderlands is a wonderfully chaotic loot-shooter known for its wild characters, tight gameplay, and a gun that yells 'pew pew' in Ashley Burch's voice.

With three games in the numbered franchise, a pre-sequel, Borderlands has also successfully survived several spin-offs, including a D&D-inspired stint and even an adventure game from Telltale Games - of Walking Dead and Batman fame.

One of the major aspects, especially if you die a lot, is the New-U stations. If the various whackjobs and wild monsters on Pandora kill you at some point, you will magically respawn at one of these New-U stations.

The question quickly becomes - why don't any enemies ever use them? We know they're canon because characters in the game talk about them - antagonist Handsome Jack even offers to pay you to kill yourself and try one.

The biggest conflicts are undoubtedly Handsome Jack, himself, and Roland. Handsome Jack dies and doesn't respawn at one - but he owns them. You'd think he'd have himself programmed in there, especially with all the people out there trying to kill him. And then Roland, who was a playable character in the first game, dies in a cutscene in 2. But the machines resurrected him all through the first game, so why not the second? I guess he didn't keep up on his insurance premiums.

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Author of Escort (Eternal Press, 2015), co-founder of Nic3Ntertainment, and developer behind The Sickle Upon Sekigahara (2020). Currently freelancing as a game developer and history consultant. Also tends to travel the eastern U.S. doing courses on History, Writing, and Japanese Poetry. You can find his portfolio at www.richardcshaffer.com.