A handful of players, unyielding tides of foes, and smallish, cramped arenas. The resultant bloodbath is the new clique-defining feature that no self-respecting developers want to see themselves left out of. Bungie, Epic Games and Treyarch have all been happily splashing around for quite some time, wrestling each other for claim to the deep end while other developers look on enviously and wonder why they’d forgotten their swimsuits at home. But with the newest DLC instalment for Borderlands, Gearbox has tossed Moxxi into the pool to flirt with all the guys and to share uncomfortable stories about past husbands.
What this means for players, though, is that Borderlands now has its own Firefight-mode-that-isn’t-really-like-Firefight-mode-but-actually-is. Of course, you’ll just replace Grunts with Skags, Brutes with Bandits and Elites with Guardians. You get three new arenas to best, two skill points to earn, 75 gruelling rounds (of five waves each) to cleave your way through, and some extra storage space to hoard your gains. The first tier of the tournament, comprising of 15 rounds divided equally between the three regions, is a challenge but not the real test. However, the second tier and its 20 marathon rounds in every area introduce the only set of Borderlands achievements that are worthy of the name. You probably won’t manage on your own; the only kindness offered to players here is a checkpoint every 5 rounds and the promise of loot at every round end.
If you’re looking for an extensive new campaign with new enemies and sights to see, look elsewhere because this isn’t what you get. But if being thrown into difficult situations with tons of enemies whose heads are just waiting to be exploded and then blaming your friends for losing at the final wave of the last round sounds like a fun way to spend some hours, then Mad Moxxi’s Underdome Riot is the Borderlands DLC for you. No experience, loot from boss waves only, tournament rules. Good luck.
Pros:
- Powerful loot to plunder
- The crowd cheers for you!
Cons:
- It probably won’t last you as long as Dr. Ned.
Rating: 
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