When comparing Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel vs XCOM 2, the Slant community recommends XCOM 2 for most people. In the question“What are the best multiplayer games on Steam?” XCOM 2 is ranked 29th while Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is ranked 53rd. The most important reason people chose XCOM 2 is:
One of the main aspects of XCOM 2 is preparing your squad for each mission. You need to consider the terrain, objective, and enemy types. Based on these you'll select the appropriate soldiers, weapons, and gadgets. A lot of the missions have some leeway, so you'll be able to form a squad that fits your playstyle. It can either be a group of stealthy rangers, running in with machetes to surprise the enemy. Or it can be a group sharpshooters, allowing you to systematically clear the area from afar with sniper rifles. After each successful mission/kill your soldiers will earn experience. With enough experience you'll be able to promote them and earn learn new skills. You can also research new weapons and build them. A lot of it comes down to looting alien technology and reverse engineering it back at the base. All these things add up and it's really exciting watching your soldiers grow into unstoppable killing machines.
Specs
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Pros
Pro End game takes advantage of all players’ skills and weapons
The end game is the best part of Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel as it requires the player to make the most of their skill and experience while utilizing all of their abilities and weapons. It is quite a balancing act, and when you pull it off it’s very exhilarating.
Pro Low gravity effects
The new low gravity effects work quite well, giving players more of a chance to put distance between themselves and their targets. This makes sniping a lot more viable than in previous Borderlands titles.
Pro Four new playable characters each with different acting special abilities
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel has four new playable characters in the game, each with action skills that feel completely different from one another. The action skill trees add further levels of customization depending on what areas in the tree you choose to level up.
Pro It's fun to manage your squad
One of the main aspects of XCOM 2 is preparing your squad for each mission. You need to consider the terrain, objective, and enemy types. Based on these you'll select the appropriate soldiers, weapons, and gadgets. A lot of the missions have some leeway, so you'll be able to form a squad that fits your playstyle. It can either be a group of stealthy rangers, running in with machetes to surprise the enemy. Or it can be a group sharpshooters, allowing you to systematically clear the area from afar with sniper rifles.
After each successful mission/kill your soldiers will earn experience. With enough experience you'll be able to promote them and earn learn new skills. You can also research new weapons and build them. A lot of it comes down to looting alien technology and reverse engineering it back at the base.
All these things add up and it's really exciting watching your soldiers grow into unstoppable killing machines.
Pro Makes you feel more for your characters than most character driven games
One of the more fun parts about this game is managing your squad. You can customize the looks, voices, and even names of your soldiers. As you take your soldiers on missions you'll get attached to them. This will create a lot of tense moments when your soldiers are about to die and you desperately try to save them.
If you decide to input the names of your friends or family, multiply the tension by ten.
Pro Excellent suspense
Throughout the campaign you'll always be running against the clock. You have a limited window of time to save humanity before the aliens take over completely. Successful missions only set them back slightly. Unsuccessful missions set you back significantly. It always feels like you're in an uphill struggle and failing means the end. It always feels like you're not gaining an advantage and the aliens have something else in store. This is reinforced in the missions. You never know what type of aliens there will be or what their reinforcements will bring. Encountering new species makes you fear for the well-being of your squad. It's rare for a game to keep you feeling like this.
Cons
Con Poor writing
The writing in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is nowhere near as good as in Borderlands 2. The jokes often fall flat or seem like total non sequiturs. Some players may also object to the prevalence that the writing gives to social issues; this has been described as pandering to a certain audience by some critics.
Con Side missions all the same
The side missions of the game are all very similar: Travel to an area on the map, use a key, and maybe kill some bad guys while accomplishing this mundane task.
Con Short
Even if you complete all of the side quests, the game only lasts about 25 hours. Purchasing DLCs or playing through additional times with other characters can extend this considerably.
Con Loot feels limited
Unlike past Bordelands games, the loot in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel feels very limited. Legendary items are almost impossible to find in chests or from enemies; it’s more likely you will find them in an item shop. This means you may have to spend hours grinding for cash in order to purchase the weapons that never drop.
Con Demanding on hardware
Will not run on low-end graphics cards like the GeForce GT 740M or the HD Graphics 4600 / 5600.
Con Complaints about the new launcher
Sadly the Steam rating has dropped because of the new launcher, problems can be solved however: XCOM 2 How to Bypass the 2k Launcher without External Files or Configuration Guide.
Con Steep learning curve
XCOM 2 is not just about managing a squad of soldiers, you also have to manage your base and operations on a global scale. This includes managing your resources, identifying which missions you should prioritize, and allocating research for new technologies. It might take a while to learn everything needed to fully enjoy this game, especially on higher difficulties.