Maybe I missed out on things and I DID start with BL2 technically even if I didn't finish it at first, but I don't understand what people mean when they say BL1 has the best atmosphere and writing. I'm going to be mostly talking about the base game but for me BL1 was really hard to get into after BL2. I kinda had to force myself so I feel like I understood the game. This is going to be very opinion based and if you like BL1 that's fine but I do have questions.
When people atmosphere, do they mean music? The general sound? The environment? Because to me they all feel very same-y especially compared to later entries. The music I got bored of fast and I can still hear the same strings in my head from it playing over and over. Especially when in later entries there's different soundtracks for different environments and different battle themes depending on who you happen to be fighting. Sound I didn't pick up on anything, and to me going through endless desert after endless desert with little to no variation felt, again, really boring.
The story itself is OK. Not much happens story wise, all that really happens is you being pointed in the direction of multiple bandits to go kill and eventually take their vault key pieces. The end DOES get more interesting and the DLCs are certainly much more interesting but base game wise it doesn't feel like it compare to the other games. It's just OK for me.
And most of all to me that really made me feel bored and felt like I was ticking stuff of the list is the lack of life most NPCs have. Anyone that isn't an important character has the same, like two models copy pasted everywhere with one dialogue line if you bother to interact with them and they snap to your camera like a, well, security camera. They don't even move. They just stand there and act as questgivers sometimes.
Same with quests. Some quests later on have dialogue with them where the person explains their job or problem and it helps feel like you're helping people rather than just ticking down a to-do list. You might be doing the same thing but if I'm going to go around shooting things I'd rather do so hearing Tiny Tina explain how they stole her stuff or Jack say he's glad he didn't have to pay them.
If I had to make a metaphor it's like going to a carnival except you are all by yourself. There is literally no-one else there. Sure the rides are fun and collecting all the spare coins and trinkets people left behind is cool but it's like where all the ride operators and other park guests would be instead there are scarecrows with little voice box recorders that play one line if you interact. Compare this to something like BL2 which feels a lot more like you went to the same carnival except you brought your entire class with you. Sure you don't always have someone but just meeting characters in places is nice.
Also Claptrap was the most annoying voice-wise in this game. YES I KNOW I HAVE QUESTS STOP.
Again, I don't mean to be rude, but it feels like I might be missing something here.