Borderlands 2 Previews

We have another batch of previews for Gearbox’s sequel to the FPS/RPG Borderlands, coming from – you’ve guessed it – GamesCom 2011.

Destructoid:

The bandits that inhabit the world of Borderlands 2 are now split into factions, which don’t seem to get along very well. One enemy called the Nomad Torturer has a massive shield with a Psycho Midget tied to the front. This Midget is not very happy about his situation, and if you can shoot him free, he will start attacking the Torturer which allows you to flank him and shoot him from the sides or from behind.

Even vehicles add to the focus on motion, as you can now perform powerslides when driving around and enemies react more naturally when you drive over them. That is, they don’t just stand there and die as you drive through them.

It wouldn’t be a Borderlands game without weapons, and Steve Gibson showed some of the new weapon system. A gun from manufacturer Tediore was described as being a “Walmart type of cheap gun” with a mix of plastic and metal to visualize its cheapness. Instead of reloading it, you throw the gun at an enemy for some damage and a temporary stun, and then start shooting with a new one. You can also throw it with ammo still in the gun, which deals increased damage depending on the remaining ammo inside of it.

Other weapons included an assault rifle with a gatling nozzle, and new Bandit weapons that have a heavy focus on giant clips over sophistication. The new weapons also encourage different combat tactics. For instance, some pesky enemies can be stunned by throwing a Tediore gun at them followed by shooting with a heavier gun while they are caught off-guard.

1UP argues that the title features “too many improvements to count”:

Borderlands 2 takes place five years later, with a man named Handsome Jack as your adversary (who has taken credit for opening the Vault at the end of the previous game). The demo features Salvador, who serves as Gearbox’s new take on the traditional Berzerker class. His special ability is duel-wielding two weapons for a period of time. The quest I see has Salvador trying to help Roland (the Soldier-class character from Borderlands) escape from a prison vehicle. Along the way, I notice some former favorite enemies, like Skags and Psychos, make a comeback in addition to new enemy types. I also get a glimpse at the new Siren-class character, Maya — unfortunately, her special ability is still unknown. This comes up when, during the presentation, Gearbox VP of marketing Steve Gibson mentions that each Siren is unique, and so we shouldn’t expect Maya to share the same phase-walking talent as Lilith (the Siren from the original Borderlands). I hope to see more about Maya soon, because she’s definitely the character I’m going to use.

Game Dynamo:

The NPCs in the first game were largely stationary, which will change in the sequel. Now NPC’s will move around and interact with their surroundings in Borderlands 2. They will also offer more helpful information without bogging the player down with long sets of dialogue. Instead, NPC’s will fill the player in on information while the player goes about their business. Instead of long, drawn out cutscenes or top-heavy dialogue, the NPC’s will simply add little tidbits of information as you go, making them more helpful but not intrusive.

Another shining aspect of Borderlands was the exhaustive number of guns at the player’s disposal. Gearbox decided that they would scrap all the weapons from the first game and introduce a brand new arsenal for Borderlands 2. The first thing they want to establish is that the gun manufacturers would have a bigger role in the unique nature of the weapons. Now weapons will have a unique look based on designer, making them easier to identify. There will also be various unique weapons spread throughout the game for players to find, lending more credence to exploration.

Digital Spy:

After exploring the icy expanse, the player was attacked by monstrous creatures known as Bullymongs. It seems the developers have taken the AI-related criticism they received the first time around on board, as these were smart blighters. Gibson explained that all AI behavior is non-scripted, so characters will behave in a potentially unique way every time you play.

The beasts were shown hurling debris at the player and heading for the high ground to get the drop on them. Humanoid AI seemed much more reactive too. They take on a limp when wounded and hide or group together when outgunned.

Borderlands packed a bigger arsenal than the Russians during the Cold War, and the sequel looks on course to continue this tradition. Specific weapons manufacturers will be more prominent in the follow-up, and their merchandise will have a recognisable visual design. In the gamescom demo, the player started out packing a TDR, which Gibson called “the Bic razor of guns” as they are quickly tossed aside once their ammo is spent.

In one instance, an empty TDR struck a Bullymong in the face as it was discarded, stunning the creature. A gun constructed by the bandits (who fans of the previous game will have killed legions of) was also showcased. It was a crude and clunky construction, though able to hold a vast amount of ammo in its chamber. There was also a heavy duty shooter that looked like a cross between a gatling gun and a hose pipe, capable of spitting out bullets at a frighting quip.

Onsoftware:

The mission demoed saw you teaming up with a female siren in two player co-op mode, to rescue Roland, a character from the first game. He has been captured by a large hovering robot, hiding out in a lair guarded by weaponized mining robots. Fighting through these as Roland is being taken away through the industrial complex, we saw enemy backup robots being fired in from a moon base, which looked really cool and emphasized the incredible scale. That’s in addition to robots from the moon – cool!

There was plenty of macabre, violent humor along the way, and the demo finished with the start of what looked like a big boss battle. The player was flung off a high damn structure by an enormous robot. Views from here, when there was time to look, were really impressive, and the huge landscape we could see is apparently all explorable.