So you just arrived in the wastelands of Pandora and the amount of loot is simply overwhelming. Everywhere you look you're running into incredible monsters, psycho killers, piles of cash and weapons that can only be described as insane. Chances are if this is your first Borderlands experience you could do with some help, so here are some handy tips to help you survive out there.
Be selective with your loot
It may be tempting to loot absolutely everything in sight however sometimes it is better to be a little more selective about what you pick up. The starting backpack is quite limited and you'll become rather full early on in the game, meaning you can run the risk of finding some awesome weapons and accidentally swapping them when you didn't have time to compare them properly. Why bother looting an item that is only going to sell for $1 - $5? Start low and only loot weapons that will sell for $50, then $100 then $500 and so on.
Black Market Upgrades
Eridium is the chemical of the month on Pandora, powering some super awesome weapons and the entire black market economy. While it may be tempting to buy some absolutely insane weapon mods right from the get-go, we suggest you quickly upgrade your backpack. This will allow you to carry more loot, which should mean more fun, right guys?
Go for the critical strike
It doesn't matter whether you're an Assassin with a sniper rifle or a Gunzerker with a badass assault rifle, always go for the critical shot when possible. Aim for the head, or various other weak spots depending on whom or what you are attacking and take your enemies down with ease. It conserves ammo and as you get further into the adventure it becomes even more important as a method of survival, especially when playing solo.
Be a badass
Borderlands 2 not only embraces it's natural badassery, it pushes the player into being a total badass thanks to some awesome challenges. Not only do these net some badass tokens but they are extremely fun. Use the tokens to get minor player buffs across all of your characters which is always a nice touch.
Hit the side quests
If you're finding a particular story mission just a little too hard then jump onto some side quests to gain some more experience points. Unlike some RPGs the side quests in Borderlands 2 are full of awesome pop culture references that will leave you in stitches. Gain the XP, find the awesome loot and then tackle that pesky mission and gain success!
By Stephen Heller