With “Commander Lilith and the Fight for Sanctuary” a new DLC for Borderlands 2 has been released, which is meant to bridge the gap to the upcoming Borderlands 3 coming in September. MeinMMO author Robert explains why this new DLC is his personal highlight of this year’s E3.
Admittedly, there have been a few cool new things to see at this year’s fair. Watch Dogs Legion looks interesting, I also expect a lot from Elden Ring. However, concrete gameplay and more detailed information were in short supply. Moreover, the release of many titles is still a long way off.
Not too far away is the release of Borderlands 3, for which there was also new content to see. To bridge the wait until September 2019, Gearbox released a new expansion for the predecessor in 2019, which was also directly playable. I extensively played the expansion and can only say: Well done, Gearbox!
The mere fact that the creators of Borderlands are releasing a DLC for Borderlands 2 seven years after its release is remarkable. That the expansion is completely free to play and not just a few measly missions surprised me very much.
The quality of the expansion also impresses me, and in terms of creativity and scope, it is only topped by the mother of all Borderlands DLCs, Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep. Anyone who loves Borderlands will not be able to avoid the new story. But even those who have never dealt with Borderlands should take a look.
What is the new DLC about? In “Commander Lilith and the Fight for Sanctuary” you accompany the Siren Lilith in the battle for the abandoned mining site of the planet Pandora. This is essentially the “hub” from where players set off. The expansion not only closes the gap between Borderlands 2 and the upcoming Borderlands 3, but also explains the various motives of the characters involved.
Without giving away too much: Those who have played through the DLC will be able to understand and place the already released trailers for Borderlands 3 much better. Thus, open questions about some characters, the Crimson Raiders, or even the fate of the vault key are answered.
What contents does the DLC offer? Besides the story missions, you can also take on a new raid boss. Additionally, after many years, the level cap has been raised and even a new rarity level has been introduced. Some found weapons can now even glow in rainbow colors.
With the new weapons and the elevation of the level cap, you can once again spend dozens of hours in Borderlands 2 to collect the perfect equipment. The new weapons also offer opportunities for new builds and setups. Not bad, considering that the title is already seven years old.
How do I get the DLC? Anyone who owns Borderlands 2 on PC or the Handsome Collection for PlayStation 4 or Xbox One can jump right in. Also, those who are PlayStation Plus members can get the Handsome Collection for free in June – giving them access to “Commander Lilith and the Fight for Sanctuary”.
This is how the new expansion plays: My last adventure in Borderlands 2 was a long time ago, time to dust off my highly specialized Gunzerker to shoot a variety of nasty creatures again. I actually had problems at first getting my weapons and gear in my inventory used correctly.
Borderlands 2 is an extremely complex game, especially at higher difficulties (Overpower levels). So if you don’t want to risk taking damage in the ultimate vault hunter mode, you should choose an easier difficulty until you get the hang of things again.
After that, you go against new enemies, along with new and familiar allies. Even if the big bad guy doesn’t represent the pinnacle of creativity, the expansion is very entertaining and, as is typical for Borderlands, filled with Easter eggs. With the increase in the level cap and the new weapons, my collecting passion has been reignited. All the strengths that have characterized Borderlands 2 are almost immediately evident here.
What story knowledge should one have for the expansion? To really understand everything, you should have completed both the main story of Borderlands 2 and the Telltale series “Tales from the Borderlands”. Those who have never played the Tales should at least finish the main quest in Borderlands 2 before visiting the new area.
Chronologically, the fight for Sanctuary is set between the events of the Telltale series and Borderlands 3, which takes place seven years after the events of Borderlands 2.
How did you like “Commander Lilith and the Fight for Sanctuary”?
