Borderlands preview at Eurogamer

[Calis]

Tags: Borderlands

Apparently, we haven't covered Borderlands at all, even though some people feel we should have, and undoubtedly, now that I've made a post about it, our coverage of the game will be called into question. Anyway, Eurogamer has published a <A HREF="http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=206951" target="_blank">preview</A> on the game, but to give you an idea as to what this game is, I'll start by quoting last month's <A HREF="http://www.shacknews.com/featuredarticle.x?id=947" target="_blank">interview</A> at Shacknews:<blockquote>Shack: What did you guys think of something like Hellgate: London?
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<em>(*snip* Gearbox quotes on how it could've been great but wasn't)</em>
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Marc Tardif: I think they came at it from a different angle though. We're coming from a first person shooter angle and adding RPG, they came from an RPG angle and were trying to make it first person.</blockquote>Sounds like a thoroughly eclectic design paradigm :bigwordsforthesakeofbigwords:
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Anyway, this looks to be shooter-with-vehicles but with leveling and randomized missions & loot a la Diablo. Not a lot of RPG in there, but the good news is that it's being developed by guys who actually have some experience with first-person shooter design, albeit largely in the form of Half Life expansions and cookie-cutter WW2 shooters.
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Now, on to quoting the <A HREF="http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=206951" target="_blank">preview</A> itself. Here's a bit on the setting that, apparently, everybody but us already knew about:<blockquote>In light of every developer ever's recent decision to set their game in the aftermath of a fictional apocalypse, it's easy to assume Borderlands is much the same. It's got barren, desolate plains, the locals are dressed up in rags and desert goggles, and all the jibber-jabber's about settlements and bandits.
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As you will know if you were paying attention during the Borderlands reveal at last year's Games Convention, however, that's not the case. This is actually a distant planet called Pandora, where failed colonisation has left disparate groups of maladjusted individuals to fight over the scraps on barren, desolate plains in rags and desert goggles while talking about settlements and bandits. Completely different, see?</blockquote>Well, if we can't call it post-apocalyptic, I vote for "FUBAR-Genesis" to describe this novel genre, or possibly "Pre-Genitalyptic".
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<em>Thanks, <strong>udm</strong></em>
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[Topher]

albeit largely in the form of Half Life expansions and cookie-cutter WW2 shooters.

Since when is Brothers in Arms cookie cutter? It's the only semi-unique WWII shooter I know of.

 

[Calis]

Since when is Brothers in Arms cookie cutter? It's the only semi-unique WWII shooter I know of.

I wouldn't know, I haven't played any of them

 

[Topher]

You called them cookie-cutter. I was under the impression that was not a quote but your own statement.

 

[Calis]

You called them cookie-cutter. I was under the impression that was not a quote but your own statement.

It was an assumption, but I'll take your word for it that it was incorrect.

 

[Topher]

You shouldn't make assumptions but it's all good... back to the Borderlands talk.

I am actually excited for this game. I love when they stick RPG elements in other genres because every genre is better with a touch of RPG.

FPS=Deus Ex/System Shock.
Strategy=Jagged Alliance/The good X-Com games
Racing=Forza and other CarPG's

Good time's...

 

[Murk]

pre-genitalyptic eh? i plan to use that in my every day speech now

 

[headache]

FUBAR-genesis isn't a bad term either. It fits Trigun, my favorite anime, also set in a barren frontier planet populated in a botched colonization attempt. If they have western(meaning cowboy-type) trappings like Trigun I might try it. It's a silly juxtaposition, but great aesthetically; a sort of steampunk. Plus it would remind me of Trigun. But they don't, so I won't.

 

[LCJr.]

Let me guess the argument went like this... The Codex has been covering FO3 which is a FPS with RPG elements so therefore should also cover Badlands a FPS with RPG elements. I sorta see the logic but let me propose a compromise, don't cover either.

 

[FrancoTAU]

Well, Fallout at least has the franchise history of a being a real RPG. I'm personally interested in Borderlands, but Codex coverage is probably not warranted.

 

[Fez]

Is it likely to be a similar experience to STALKER as far as the gameplay is concerned?

 

[Spectacle]

I don't claim to know anything, but I have a feeling the gameplay will be much more "run and gun" than STALKER.

 

[muds_animal_friend]

Since when is Brothers in Arms cookie cutter? It's the only semi-unique WWII shooter I know of.

Try Hidden & Dangerous and its sequel.

 

[The_Pope]

Let me guess the argument went like this... The Codex has been covering FO3 which is a FPS with RPG elements so therefore should also cover Badlands a FPS with RPG elements. I sorta see the logic but let me propose a compromise, don't cover either.

The codex should cover CoD4 because you can shoot terrorists and they drop ak47s for you to loot.

 

[Topher]

I didn't know Hidden and Dangerous were FPS's? I have only heard of them never played.

 

[Bluebottle]

They can be played first person, I believe, but the default is third. The first one is available for free online. Be prepared for a buggy experience if you decide to play it though.


Edit ~ The game actually doesn't look too bad. The art style looks to under-utilise the theme they've chosen (see the shots of vehicles), but the sand-box nature coupled with what sounds to be a pretty well implemented co-op system, push this pretty high up the list.

 

[udm]

Hey Calis, thanks for taking this into the codex. I contacted you guys because there are some other semi-RPGs being followed in the main news page, like Mount&Blade

Anyway, yeah eagerly waiting for this too. I really like the fact that there are so many different weapons, even though combat looks to be very much like a standard first person shooter. The RPG part whereby you get to customise stats is a good addition to first person mechanics, as someone else mentioned here too. Vehicular combat looks very much solid

But the best part of all is 4-player co-op with persistent stats :D

 

[Solohk]

You had me at 4 player co-op.

 

[udm]

Had you as in "Co-op ftw!" or "Co-op ftw????"

 

[Solohk]

"Co-op ftw!" I think. Even a mediocre shooter *cough*Halo*cough* can be fun when running through it with a friend.

 

[udm]

True. You guys should take a look at this trailer btw, esp for those mildly interested

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/user ... 41288.html

I had my doubts on the game, but I was totally sold on that trailer. Solid first person action? Check. Vehicles? Check. Tons of weapons to use? Check. Dash of RPG? Check

Friend to go through all of the above? Double check.

Of course, everything can fall apart. Hype always does that to games (yes I'm looking at my Bioshock box right now). So, keeping my fingers crossed, I'm sinerely hoping Gearbox pulls this through

 

[Shoelip]

I saw that video somewhere else. It got me interested too. Well, allong with the other two E3 videos of it.