BORDERLANDS 2: JAM-PACKED PREVIEW
BORDERLANDS 2: (Releases: Sept 18 (US) / Sept 21)
Official Website: www.borderlands2.com
New playable characters: Salvador (Gunzerker), Maya (Siren), Axton (Commando) and Zer0 (Assassin) …await with ALL NEW special abilities, in the upcoming Gearbox sequel to the much loved, “shoot and loot” RPG-shooter hybrid Borderlands. Skills will be tree’d as before, but again, all new and apparently with greater variety. Plus an entirely new character/character class, the Mechromancer (name yet unknown), will join the cast in DLC scheduled to drop 60-90 days following the release of the game. In their official forums, Gearbox also announced that the old cast of playable characters will likely be available to play again in future DLC.
Quick breakdown of characters’ special abilities: (Plus helpful feature links (IGN))
Gunzerker (Salvador): Double-Wield
Siren (Maya): Phaselock
Commando (Axton): Multi-Range, Multi-Surface Turret
Assassin (Zer0): Decoy & Cloak/Katana
Tiny Tina and Handsome Jack join the cast of Borderlands, in this awesome sequel. Handsome Jack is, of course, the big bad boss this time. Many familiar characters from Borderlands are expected to be present in the new game including former playable characters and helpful NPCs like Scooter, Moxxi, and Dr. Zed. (More to come on Tiny Tina, when Gearbox releases details.) Not to spoil things for anyone, but Bloodwing, Mordecai’s special companion (that players will recall from the previous Borderlands), will be part of an important early quest.
As far as new enemies, expect some massive monsters and enemies in autocopters… as well as variations of old familiar beasts and bandits. One new nasty is the “thresher” a huge tentacled beast. And of course, there’s Handsome Jack, “the brilliant, charismatic, and utterly despicable CEO of the Hyperion Corporation” hell-bent on “awakening an ancient alien evil known only as “the Warrior.” See: “Your Borderlands 2 Enemies”
Weapons and vehicles have gotten an overhaul. A new vehicle shown in the trailer, carries the whole crew and allows interaction for everyone. Guns will be more type-to-manufacturer specific, loot chests, too, will be associated with corporations. The is even a new elemental effect called “SLAG” similar to “Corrosion” but it amplifies subsequent damage. And if you get anything from the trailer, you must note that the index of guns “just got BAZILLIONDIER” in other words, mega-loot. Grenades and MODs include new versions, one grenade previewed in the new trailer is the “Tesla” grenade… yes, it’s electric. See: “Borderlands 2 – All Confirmed Weapons and Accessories”
As far as setting, you will still be on Pandora, though environments may be more varied this time around with snow appearing in newly released video clips, as well as rugged desert. Official synopsis: “Left for dead in the frozen tundra of Pandora, begin your quest of revenge and redemption as the story drives you closer to the Hyperion Corporation and its evil founder, Handsome Jack.” It will be set in the near future, five years forward, relative to the original Borderlands. Multi-player features will again include 4-player co-op (drop-in/drop-out) as well as split-screen. (See FAQ below) Personally, and as a big fan of the previous Borderlands, I can’t wait!
NEW! 20 MINUTES OF SPOTLIGHT GAMEPLAY: MAYA & SALVADOR (via Gearbox & MTV)
MAYA
Get More: Geek: GameTrailers, Full Episodes
SALVADOR
Get More: Geek: GameTrailers, Full Episodes
PRE-ORDER PERKS: Those who do pre-order will have in-game bonuses such as the Golden Key (to the Golden Sanctuary Vault), the Gearbox Gun Pack and the Vault Hunter’s Relic. Also, be sure to buy from a retailer offering the Borderlands 2 Premier Club to gain additional special in-game bonuses (See: Mechromancer & Creature Slaughter Dome details in FAQ below).
BORDERLANDS 2 TRAILER:
TRAILER BREAKDOWN BY IGN: http://pc.ign.com/articles/121/1219164p1.html
Also see:
BORDERLANDS 2 MASSIVE ROUNDUP: http://www.trueachievements.com/forum/viewthread.aspx?threadid=2044831
VG24/7 Gameplay Preview/Interview: http://www.vg247.com/2012/04/04/borderlands-2-massive-gameplay-video-how-aesthetics-and-gameplay-fuse/
Game Informer: http://www.gameinformer.com/games/borderlands_2/b/xbox360/ar…
Destructoid Co-op/Gameplay Preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=parpZl_DQzI&list=PL2464329810F40952&index=1&feature=plcp
Giantbomb Mechromancer Preview: http://www.giantbomb.com/news/borderlands-2s-mechromancer-class-revealed-at-pax/4075/
Destructoid Mechromancer Preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ5H_53vGkc
NEW GAMEPLAY PREVIEWS:
IGN: http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/11/borderlands-2-almost-20-minutes-of-gameplay-footage
G4: http://www.g4tv.com/videos/58482/borderlands-2-gameplay-overview/
Borderlands 2 FAQ (updated): http://forums.gearboxsoftware.com/showthread.php?t=134125
When will Borderlands 2 be released, and on what platforms?
Borderlands 2 is being developed for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and will be released on September 18th, 2012 in North America and September 21st, 2012 internationally.
What is the Borderlands 2 Premiere Club, and how can I join?
Members of the Borderlands 2 Premiere Club will receive in-game items and bonuses. Access to the Borderlands 2 Premiere Club can be obtained by pre-ordering Borderlands 2 from a participating retailer. For more details, including a list of participating retailers, visit this thread or borderlands2.com/preorder
Is the Borderlands 2 Premiere Club going to be available from my retailer or in my territory?
Our hope is to make the Borderlands 2 Premiere Club available through as many retailers and territories as we can. Visit this thread or borderlands2.com/preorder for the most recent listings.
Will there be a Collector’s Edition of Borderlands 2? When will they be available for pre-order?
Yes! We shared some early details regarding our plans for the Deluxe Vault Hunter’s Limited Edition and Ultimate Loot Chest Limited Edition during our panel at PAX East. Among other contents, the Deluxe Vault Hunter’s Limited Edition will contain a Marcus Kincaid Bobblehead while the Ultimate Loot Chest Limited Edition will come with both a Loot Chest Replica and Marcus Kincaid Bobblehead plus other items. Additional details are still being worked out and will be revealed in an announcement once everything is finalized and ready for pre-order.
Will there be a pre-release demo or beta of Borderlands 2?
A pre-release demo or public beta can be extremely time-intensive from a development standpoint, and we’d prefer to focus that time and energy on making the game the best it can be. However, feedback and testing is extremely important. To that end, we often invite gamers in the Dallas / Fort Worth area to Focus Test our in-development products and provide feedback. For more information on Focus Tests, click here:http://www.gearboxsoftware.com/focus/
Will Borderlands 2 be available on Steam? Will Borderlands 2 use Steamworks?
Yes, the PC version of Borderlands 2 will be available on Steam. In addition, all copies of Borderlands 2 PC will be shipping with Steamworks, so even copies of Borderlands 2 PC purchased at retail can be added to your Steam Library and utilize Steamworks features like multiplayer matchmaking, Steam Cloud support, Steam Achievements, auto-updating and more.
What sort of PC-specific options are being included?
This letter from Claptrap touches on that very subject. Additionally, if you have any PC-specific requests, let us know here: http://forums.gearboxsoftware.com/sh…d.php?t=128237
What are the system requirements for Borderlands 2 PC?
As the game is still in active development, we haven’t been able to lock the system requirements down quite yet and expect to have them finalized closer to launch.
When will Borderlands 2 PC be available for pre-order on Steam?
Borderlands 2 PC will be available on Steam, but we don’t have any details regarding pre-orders at the moment. All copies of Borderlands 2 PC will be shipping with Steamworks, so even copies of Borderlands 2 PC purchased at retail can be added to your Steam Library and utilize Steamworks features like multiplayer matchmaking, Steam Cloud support, Steam Achievements, auto-updating and more.
Can I play Borderlands 2 online with someone that has it on a different platform?
Cross-platform multiplayer is something we’d really like to support, but is also something that historically been pretty tricky to implement across all platforms. It’s something we’re continuing to look into, both for Borderlands 2 and our works beyond, and hopefully something we’ll be able to do in the future.
Does Borderlands 2 support split-screen multiplayer?
Yes. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of Borderlands 2 will support two-player split-screen including the ability to play online while in split-screen.
Will Borderlands 2 include some sort of reward for Borderlands 1 players?
Yes! Those that played the original Borderlands will receive exclusive character customization rewards for each class in Borderlands 2. We’ll be sharing more details about exactly how this will work in the future.
What is the Mechromancer?
The Mechromancer will be an all-new playable character that we plan to develop after work on Borderlands 2 is finished and the game is in certification. As with many new ideas, we don’t yet know exactly how the Mechromancer will play or when she will be available, but our estimate is that she will be released within 60 to 90 days after the launch of Borderlands 2. At that time, we expect to release a compatibility update so that people who have the Mechromancer can play with those who don’t.
As a special thank you to our early supporters, the Mechromancer will be available as a free download to members of the Borderlands 2 Premiere Club, which you can gain access to by pre-ordering Borderlands 2 from a participating retailer. The Mechromancer will also be available as premium downloadable content for those who aren’t Premiere Club members at the same time. For more on the Mechromancer, please visit this page. For more details on the Borderlands 2 Premiere Club, please visit this thread and borderlands2.com/preorder
What is the Creature Slaughter Dome?
The Creature Slaughter Dome allows you to face off against the toughest monsters in all of Pandora for experience and gear that you can bring back into the main game. It is separate from the Premiere Club and comes free with a pre-order of Borderlands 2 from GameStop in the United States as well as select international retailers which will be noted here as they are confirmed. In addition, the Creature Slaughter Dome will be made available to all Borderlands 2 players in the months following launch, with the exact details still to be determined.
SWEET NEW SCREENSHOTS
MORDECAI, MAYA AND ZER0 IN ACTION!
CLAPTRAP LOVELETTER (to PC Players)
Don’t worry… CL4P-TR4P really does love all of us.
This post will be updated as more information becomes available.
BORDERLANDS 2: JAM-PACKED PREVIEW,
About the Author
Loading ...
