Games
Get ready Gearbox fans - Handsome Jack is back. We talk to the producers for the lowdown.
Borderlands was one of the surprise hits of the previous console generation, with the 2009 original and its treasure hunting, first person shooter sequel reportedly selling more than 10 million copies worldwide.
But while console manufacturers are moving onto the next-generation already, publisher 2K Games has got one more surprise for PS3 and Xbox 360 owners: a new Borderlands game to round off the series.
Called Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, the new game co-developed by 2K Australia and original creator Gearbox Software falls chronologically between the two previous games, telling the story of maniacal Handsome Jack and his rise to power on Pandora’s moon, Elpis.
It may be set on a different planet, and this time you’ve got gravity - or lack thereof - to contend with, but from the beautiful cel-shaded animation to the outrageous arsenal available for your player, this is still Borderlands through and through.
To find out more, we spoke to Tiffany Nagano, producer at 2K Games who spilled the beans on everything from new character classes and weapons to the story behind the new game.
Can we expect any new character classes? How many will be available? Absolutely! In fact, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel will introduce four new playable character classes: Wilhelm the Enforcer; Nisha the Lawbringer; Athena the Gladiator; and, playable for the first time, Claptrap. And each class will have their own unique skill trees, active abilities and gameplay styles, all of which are new to the Borderlands universe.
Are there any details you can reveal on the weapon inventory? Borderlands is known for its insane and inventive collection of weapons, after all. Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel isn’t just about adding millions of more guns - although that’s part of it - it’s more about adding new elements and weapon classes. The new weapon class, lasers, and a new elemental damage type, cryo, both add a layer of strategy to the gameplay, and you’ll definitely have a lot of fun trying them out.
Many new games seem to lack a proper experience in terms of the story length. Will the new Borderlands tackle that and keep gamers entertained for a long time? Game length, especially with Borderlands titles, is always likely to vary as it depends on each person’s playing style, but it is a full Borderlands experience. As for the story, it’s about the rise of Handsome Jack and fans loved to hate him in Borderlands 2. Anthony Burch, who was the lead writer on Borderlands 2, has been writing and collaborating with additional writers at Gearbox and 2K Australia. So, fans can expect the Borderlands humour they know and love, but with a bit of an Australian twist.
Will there be a more detailed relation to Borderlands 2? Yes, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel takes place in between the original Borderlands and Borderlands 2, so the stories absolutely connect. You will definitely reconnect with familiar characters in the game, and of course also be able to play as Wilhelm, Athena, Nisha, and Claptrap. And as I mentioned earlier, this is Handsome Jack’s origin story, so players will experience his transformation into the ruthless tyrant you remember in Borderlands 2.
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is out this Autumn.
