What makes a great game?

I've been playing a lot of Borderlands recently - pretty much 70 odd hours worth in the last month alone - and the thought struck me that I wasn't enjoying the game as much as I thought I would.

For a title that had garnered so many game of the year awards, and a bucketload of general praise, I was surprised that the final product did not quite live up to expectations. Perhaps it is just not my kind of game, but I do like shooters and I love RPG's so a mix of the two should be ideal and that isn't even mentioned four player co-op which is how I experience most of Pandora.

I think the main problem is the almost total lack of story and interaction. For an RPG the story is pretty sparse and just consists of mission logs that you can read and the occasional character that pops up on screen to yak at you. I do love some of the humourous touches and dialogue but it all seems just few and far between. It doesn't help matters that most of the missions are just the same old thing over and over again - find something then trek back or kill something then trek back. With such a vast open environment the lack of variety really becomes stifling.

Some of the DLC also does not help matters as the Mad Moxxi arenas are a longwinded waste of time, and one that does not even net you any experience despite the fact you are offing hundreds of foes. A similar experience is in the Knoxx DLC, with the tiresome Circle of Duty mission dragging on for far too long as well. Not to mention the lack of fast travel between areas within the DLC meaning that you have to trek between missions and drive down the same tiresome roads.

Now don't get me wrong - I have had plenty of fun with the game, especially in co-op. But it is not the diamond in the rough I had been expecting. I suppose it just goes to show, ince again, that games are always going to be a personal preference and nothing, no matter how hyped, will ever appeal to everyone.

The end is in sight for my trek through Borderlands as I just have a couple of odd bits to finish up from the DLC and then I can move on - but I think once that happens I'll be glad it is over rather then sad I'm moving on.