It’s definitely long enough to be considered a “full game,” whatever that means, and it’s backed by a full story and new lore. Sure, plenty of work has gone into this piece of content in terms of writing, voiceovers, et cetera. In just two (short) paragraphs I’ve listed literally every new feature in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. You’ll also have to monitor your oxygen levels, as most outside areas don’t have an atmosphere. Rather than fighting on the planet of Pandora as in the last two games, this time you’re going to the moon-thus the low gravity. This latest iteration of Gearbox’s loot-driven shooter series takes place story-wise between Borderlands and Borderlands 2 and explores the rise of the second game’s villain Handsome Jack. In Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel it’s the ability to jump higher. Revelations had that hook-thing that made you a bit more nimble while climbing, but otherwise felt like just another Assassin’s Creed II expansion. Arkham Origins had the audacity to place you on the exact same map as Arkham City except everything was Christmas themed.
Merely charged with regurgitating what’s already popular while the primary studio works on something actually innovative, these games are inevitably just retreads of what we’ve already played with enough story hooks to keep core fans interested and maybe one or two new features. With the “main” product still in development, a secondary studio is called in to create something to keep the franchise relevant and make a bit of cash while also (hopefully) not screwing everything up in the meantime.