Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel vs Insurgency
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is supposed to be the Borderlands game that occurs in between Borderlands 1 and 2 as it details Handsome Jack's rise to power and wealth. The game features a pretty similar frantic gameplay to Borderlands 2 with a few major changes - Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is set in space and on a planet with low gravity and limited oxygen supply. These factors do bump up the difficult of the game by a notch and it is incredibly fun to enjoy the virtually-designed low gravity effect in first person.Like Borderlands 2, this game brings along with it a brand new cast of anti-heroes, each with their own set of special abilities. Interestingly, you get to play the annoyingly amusing (or is it "amusingly annoying"?) little robot - Claptrap - in this pre-sequel too! Of course, being space, you'll get a new line of vehicles to wreak havoc in.
If you're here for the story, then you'll won't find Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel disappointing, but when it comes to its gameplay, it does feel a bit lackluster at times. All in all though, the game bridges the story perfectly and is pretty much a must-buy for fans of the series, but if you're new to the series, it might be best to start with either Borderlands 1 or 2.
Insurgency
Insurgency is, without a doubt, the best game to play if realism is a key criterion for you when choosing your first-person shooters. Unlike other tactical shooters, there is no cross-hairs to help you (just sights) or the bullet-soaking feature that so many games use. In fact, with a well-aimed shot, which in itself can be a pretty difficult feat at times, you can easily take down an opponent even if the fella has body armor. The realism doesn't even stop at the gameplay - the game even provides realistic gun sounds which will allow real-life gun aficionados to differentiate the different types of guns simply by listening to the fire. Your loadout can also be upgraded but each upgrade you make will have realistic effect on your weight, stamina and movement speed. So, you'll need to choose upgrades depending on which aspect you are willing to sacrifice.The game, however, is a fully multiplayer game. It features over 7 PvP multiplayer game modes as well as 5 unique co-op multiplayer modes. That said, if you fancy getting some practice before diving into some actual PvP, you can play the game with bots offline in any of the multiplayer modes you like. The game even has an in-built, squad-based 3D VOIP system that only allows for nearby players, both friendly and opposing, to hear you.
It is rare to find realistic shooters anymore nowadays, but Insurgency aims to change that. With incredible graphics and a painstakingly-detailed and realistic gameplay, it is an impressive first-person shooter.