14 DAY TRIAL // After a brief leak a few days ago, 2K Games and Gearbox Software have confirmed that they'll soon release Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, a new title in the series set between Borderlands 1 and 2, which will appear for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 this fall.
Borderlands 1 surprised quite a lot of people with a first-person shooter take on the dungeon crawling role-playing genre, featuring a huge amount of guns and plenty of different mechanics.
Borderlands 2 improved on practically every aspect, enlarging the amount of guns while bringing a worthwhile story and some great new mechanics, not to mention fresh character classes.
Now, after a huge amount of DLC for Borderlands 2, 2K Games, Gearbox Software, and 2K Australia have confirmed Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, the next installment in the series.
Like its absurd name suggests, the new title is a sequel to Borderlands 1 but a prequel to Borderlands 2, as it takes place in the years between the different titles, chronicling the ascension of Handsome Jack to the top position of the Hyperion Corporation.
There are four new playable classes, starting with a modified Claptrap robot called Fragtrap. 2K has confirmed that he'll have a lowered point of view but declined to say just what abilities might be deployed by the little guy.
Next up is Athena, an assassin that was previously associated with the Crimson Lances and who made her first appearance in the Secret Armory of General Knoxx DLC for Borderlands 1. Her special action skill is called Phalanx and allows her to transform into a tank thanks to a unique shield, which can also transform into a deadly disc.
There’s also Wilhelm, an Enforcer who is quite familiar to Borderlands 2 players, as he acted as a cyborg boss in the main story campaign. Here, he's still human but you'll be able to transform him by outfitting upgrades onto his body.
Last but not least, there's Nisha, Handsome Jack's girlfriend and, for Borderlands 2 players, the future Sheriff of Linchwood. She represents the Lawbringer class, but hasn't received any other details.
As mentioned above, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel charts Handsome Jack's origins and will take place, to some degree, on the Hyperion moon base.
This moon setting adds another element to the core gameplay, as players need to be careful about their oxygen meters. The oxygen can also be used to double jump or to power jetpacks, so there's an emphasis on consuming and refilling it.
You can expect to hear more about Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel soon enough.