New Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel gameplay footage has made its way online. This promotional walkthrough was provided and narrated by Gearbox associate producer James Lopez and 2K producer Joel Eschler, giving us a knowledgeable look behind the scenes of this anticipated followup to the acclaimed series. The game is coming to the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC for a Fall release date, telling us that they are very aware of how it doesn’t need to be on the new consoles. For some of us, that’s refreshing.
Right away, the video shows us the selectable character Athena, a gladiator class who originated in the General Knoxx DLC for the original Borderlands . They explain that she has a special shield called the Aspis, which absorbs damage from enemy attacks and throws it back at them.
Watch and then pre-order! From the lovely chaps at @Kotaku here’s 15 Minutes of #Borderlands : The Pre-Sequel Gameplay http://t.co/08c9wquIQp
— GAME Romford (@GAMERomfordWalk) May 27, 2014
The art style in the Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel gameplay footage from PAX East 2014 is still the cell-shaded look that made the game series famous. This means heavy black outlines, simplistic colors on objects, and a surprisingly cartoonish appearance. A watermark on the screen tells us that the footage is not final, but this is the look that the series has used since the beginning, and they’re not likely to change it now.
Looting the first chest nets you what is called the cryo gun, which is an ice elemental weapon, a first for the series. It allows you to freeze enemies and shatter them, much like Mortal Kombat ‘s Sub-Zero. Another gun introduced this time around is the laser gun, which appears to run out of ammunition rather quickly.
The producers continue to explain in the new Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel gameplay footage that air is a precious commodity, with the lack of it on the moon’s surface. In this way the game borrows a little from Dead Space , but only for factual reasons. You will occasionally come across air geysers, which will help you refill your oxygen supply and keep you alive. Extra oxygen also aids your movement, allowing you to “double jump” and walk faster as you vent it. An extra attack in the game happens when you jump, and as you vent air the second time, you crouch. This causes you to slam back to the moon’s surface for an area-clearing effect.
The objective in this part of the game featured in the video is to un-jam a signal, allowing you to travel to the moon shop facility. Jack from Borderlands 2 isn’t yet CEO, but he’s in charge of the station. He’s kicked you out, and you need to get back in by any means necessary.
Does this preliminary Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel gameplay footage get you excited to play the chapter between the first two games?
[images via joystiq , playeressence]
