Borderlands 2 Game Preview

The Borderlands franchise can be described as Diablo if it were a first person shooter. There is no shortage of coverage on the game (IGN, Gamespot, Joystiq) but it is absolutely warranted because this is one of my most anticipated games of the year.

The original Borderlands was a brand new intellectual property released in 2009 by Gearbox Software that got more things right than it got things wrong. The universe was brand new, the art has a style all its own, the game play was fun and rewarding, the characters (particularly the Claptraps) were quirky and funny, and there were enough quests, sidequests, and randomly generated loot (read: guns!) to keep you entertained for days on end. Add the fun of playing multiplayer into the mix and the replay value of the game goes through the roof.

Borderlands 1 received an average 8/10 rating from many popular gaming websites and deservedly so. It’s not a very dramatic game; the plot and storyline was mostly forgettable. This is where Borderlands 2 looks to up the ante to take the franchise into the upper echelons of video game history. Borderlands 2 has a main antagonist this time named Handsome Jack. What will he be like? Is he a ruthless tyrant with a penchant for destruction or is he a misunderstood ruler trying to bring peace and order to the universe through a little harmless discipline? Either way I look forward to hunting him down.

The game is poised to make the kind of jump forward the likes of which was seen in the Uncharted franchise. Uncharted 2 took all the best elements from the original Uncharted game and expanded on them. Borderlands 2 is set to do the same. Eurogamer recently conducted an interview of Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford. In it he explains how the Gearbox team did not have to make any compromises during the development of Borderlands 2.

… in Borderlands 2 we had this odd thing happen where, as we’re beginning Borderlands 2, Borderlands 1 is on this odd trajectory where it’s increasing momentum, not just launching and dying.

And so, our budget’s increasing and the investment’s increasing as we’re beginning the game. So not only did we get to do everything we wanted to, but we ended up doing a lot more.

Interestingly enough, the original Borderlands game recently won the Guinness Book of World Records for most guns in a video game. What’s funny is that Borderlands 2 will obliterate that world record by miles. Watch the trailer and you’ll see what I mean. In addition, I say any company that uses the word “bazilliondier,” is a company to watch out for.

This game is prepared to provide you with hours upon hours of thumb twitching joy with enough guns and loot to make you puke. So are you ready to joy-puke your guts out? I know I am!

Borderlands 2 is scheduled for release September 18, 2012 on the Xbox, PS3, and PC.