Borderlands: The Handsome Collection delivers a first-person looter shooter experience on Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles through its pairing of Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. Players take on the role of Vault Hunters who explore hostile environments, gather weapons and gear, and battle through story-driven campaigns focused on the Handsome Jack narrative arc.
Gameplay
The core loop centers on shooting enemies while collecting randomized loot that includes guns with unique effects, elemental damage types, and varying stats. Each Vault Hunter class features distinct action skills and three skill trees that allow players to customize builds around damage output, survivability, or support roles. Combat emphasizes fast movement, cover usage, and elemental interactions that alter enemy behavior or create area effects.
In Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, low-gravity environments change movement and projectile physics, while oxygen management adds a layer of resource tracking during extended fights. Oz kits enable double jumps and other mobility options that integrate directly into combat flow. Both titles support seamless transitions between solo play and cooperative sessions, with shared progression and loot distribution handled automatically in groups.
Game Modes
The primary experience unfolds through the main campaign, which includes story missions and optional side content that expands on character backstories and world details. After completing the initial playthrough, True Vault Hunter Mode unlocks as a higher-difficulty rerun that scales enemy levels and introduces tougher variants while carrying over character progress and equipment.
Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode follows as the most challenging option, further increasing difficulty and level caps to encourage optimized builds and repeated runs. Local and online cooperative play supports up to four participants, with split-screen functionality allowing all players to share one screen without requiring separate displays. Cross-save functionality from prior console generations lets players continue existing characters directly on Xbox One or Series hardware.
Visual and Performance Enhancements
The collection runs with improved resolution and frame rates compared to original releases, reaching 4K Ultra HD and HDR support on Xbox One X and Xbox Series consoles when available. Four-player split-screen operates at a stable performance level suitable for couch co-op, maintaining the fast-paced action without major compromises in most scenarios. These upgrades preserve the distinctive cel-shaded art style while enhancing clarity for distant enemies and detailed environments.
Is It Worth Playing?
This package suits players who enjoy looter shooters with strong co-op elements and extensive replayability through multiple difficulty tiers and character builds. The combined content from both games and their add-ons provides hundreds of hours across campaigns, side missions, and endgame challenges. Reception remains positive years after release, with many highlighting the satisfying gunplay and value of the complete experience on modern Xbox hardware.
Those seeking solo-focused narratives may find the pacing better suited to smaller groups, though single-player remains fully functional. Availability as part of larger Borderlands bundles on Xbox makes it accessible for new players or those revisiting the Handsome Jack story. The collection holds up well for fans of action games that blend shooting with progression systems, particularly when played with others.
