Borderlands: Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot Review

Here's the welcoming party!

Most of the Borderlands community was still working its way through the perilous Zombie Island of Dr. Ned when 2K Games released Mad Moxxi’s Underdome Riot on the Xbox Live Marketplace.  Of course, that didn’t stop us from snapping it up, wondering if it’s just as appealing. 

Mad Moxxi bears a heavy resemblance to the old action film, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.  Your team is a group of lone drifters working your way through a Bartertown-like city, buying items and storing weapons in The Bank (more on that in a second).  Running the show is Mad Moxxi (don’t call her Auntie), a devious woman with a passion for watching people battle for their lives.  Heavily armed maniacs enter, but only the winning team leaves.  When the latest round starts, it’s your turn to play.

This downloadable content has a lot in common with the Horde Mode in Gears of War 2 and Firefight mode in Halo 3: ODST.  You’re basically fighting for your survival against wave after wave of incoming mutants, gunrunners and other dangerous individuals.  The further you go, the more progressively harder each wave becomes.  And considering how difficult Zombie Island of Dr. Ned was, Mad Moxxi is equally tough.  Our word of advice is to not even bother with this DLC until you’re properly leveled up, at least a level 35 or above. 

Difficulty settings aside, Mad Moxxi is great fun if you’re playing co-op with your friends.  Watching each other’s backs is essential in each wave, just as it is for Horde and Firefight.  As each wave passes, new weapons will drop into the arena, and you’ll need to figure out who’s best with what.  If you feel like saving weapons for later rounds, you can access The Bank, a shop within the town where you can save particular guns for future rounds.  This is quite helpful, since you run the risk of losing any weapons and items you have after you die.  Storing them in the Bank keeps them safe until you positively need them.

Gearbox has once again delivered a superb presentation with Mad Moxxi.  The arenas and the town look fantastic, with plenty of neo-futuristic touches and ne’er-do-well citizens lurking about.  The game moves at a frantic pace, especially on the higher difficulty waves.  The diabolical Moxxi provides running commentary throughout, making references to older 80s films (The Running Man) and other humorous quips. 

If you prefer a normal difficulty setting in your deathmatch/co-op sessions, you might want to wait on Mad Moxxi until you’re fully prepared for it.  However, if you’re the “come get some” type, it’s definitely worth downloading.  The arena-based gameplay is a lot of fun (especially with friends), and the presentation is excellent, like the original game and the Zombie Island chapter.  If it’s a Riot you want, a Riot you shall receive.

(The content is available now on Xbox Live, and will be available this week on PlayStation Network.)