Borderlands 2: Four hundred percent MORE awesome!

[Sith_Happens]

Welcome to the GiantITP thread for Borderlands 2, the upcoming sequel to Gearbox's genre-bending, skag-shooting, pop-culture-reference-making, balls-to-the-wall gun-filled loot-fest! (MORE HYPHENS: - - - - - -)

Continued from this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=233983) thread, which was downed seven weeks ago and failed to get a second wind.:smallfrown: (It will be avenged!)

Official launch trailer can be found here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW7qO_wpfvk&ob=av3n). WARNING: Contains dubstep.

While hard information on the game is still scarce, here's some of the more general stuff that we know so far:
The four characters/classes this time are: Salvador (http://pc.ign.com/articles/121/1215312p1.html) the Gunzerker, Maya (http://pc.ign.com/articles/121/1219322p1.html) the Siren, Axton (http://pc.ign.com/articles/121/1219370p1.html) the Commando, and Zer0 (http://pc.ign.com/articles/121/1219414p1.html) the Assassin. The Vault Hunters from the first game are returning as NPCs.
The game will have a much stronger and more robust narrative than its predecessor. Your task this time is to take down Handsome Jack, the new CEO of Hyperion who now rules Pandora with an iron fist after taking credit for your hard work finding the Vault.
The world will be much more seamless and open; if you can see it in the distance, you can probably go there.
More, and more diverse, of everything: Guns, enemies, environment types, you name it.
Manufacturers will have much more of an identity in terms of setting their guns apart from the competition, in both aesthetics and gameplay.
The game comes out September 18 in North America and September 21 in the UK and Europe.
Info from PAX East:
Giant list of preview articles here (http://forums.gearboxsoftware.com/showthread.php?t=135367), including some with demo footage.
Announcement (http://kotaku.com/5900166/borderlands-2-gets-a-new-character-classbut-shes-dlc%7C) that they're working on a fifth class, the Mechromancer (currently unknown if pun is intended), to be released as DLC probably about a month after release. Will be free if you pre-ordered the game.
T-shirt design contest. (http://cdn.shoutlet.com/service/contest/load?id=3867)

[Maxios]

They announced a fifth class, the Mechromancer, as DLC.

[Opperhapsen]

The gunzerker can dual wield everything.
The game contains rocket launchers.

This is gonna be good.

[Sith_Happens]

The gunzerker can dual wield everything.
The game contains rocket launchers.

This is gonna be good.

In fact, near the end of this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6WsXRT05gaQ) video it briefly shows him doing exactly that.:smallbiggrin:

Personally, I'm most exited for either Maya or Zer0. Phaselock looks like a really fun ability, especially with all the different ways to alter it, and Zer0 is a ninja, 'nuff said.

Actually, I did come up with a potentially super-awesome combo with Zer0:
1. Zer0 has a skill called "Be Like Water," which causes shooting an enemy to increase melee attack damage for a few seconds, and vice-versa.
2. There's a new element called "slag" that deals less damage on its own but causes enemies hit by it to take much more damage from other weapons.

The combo, of course, is to have Be Like Water, pump a few slag bullets into an enemy, and then hit them in the face with your sword for MASSIVE DAMAGE.:smallbiggrin:

[Grue Bait]

Personally, I really hope they bring back Cage the Elephant for the soundtrack, or at least somebody similar. Also, I really want to see Zer0 in action. Anybody know anything about the mechromancer?

[Derthric]

This is the only game I am looking forward to for the rest of the year.

Is the Mechnomancer going to be free if you buy new or just day one DLC ala From Ashes? Either way I'm excited to return to Pandora.

[Triscuitable]

Is the Mechnomancer going to be free if you buy new or just day one DLC ala From Ashes? Either way I'm excited to return to Pandora.

It'll be available to early preorders, and a few months after it's out, everyone gets a Mechnomancer.

[Sith_Happens]

This is the only game I am looking forward to for the rest of the year.

Is the Mechnomancer going to be free if you buy new or just day one DLC ala From Ashes? Either way I'm excited to return to Pandora.

They're trying to have it finished by mid-October, or one month after the game comes out. It will be free if you pre-ordered the game and cost some amount of money for everyone else.

[Derthric]

It'll be available to early preorders, and a few months after it's out, everyone gets a Mechnomancer.


They're trying to have it finished by mid-October, or one month after the game comes out. It will be free if you pre-ordered the game and cost some amount of money for everyone else.

Snazzy, quite Snazzy indeed.

I am psyched about it. Had a team of friends who plowed through all the content together, and it was my second playthrough. Will be nice to get the old gang back together.

[Sith_Happens]

(Heal check successful: Thread stabilized.)

IGN now has gameplay previews of Salvador (http://www.youtube.com/watch%3fv=46GOWOkHySM) and Maya (http://www.youtube.com/watch%3fv=osejQyVug1o%26). Feel free to drool over how much cooler both the guns and enemies are than anything in the first game. In particular, what appears to be an automatic, rotating-barrel grenade launcher courtesy of Torgue.:smallcool:

Meanwhile, over on The Verge, you can find a fairly lengthy "making of" article (http://www.theverge.com/gaming/2012/5/17/3022303/crazy-town-gearbox-on-making-borderlands-2) for the game. One particular highlight: At some point there is a mission to lure out an enemy by destroying his personal helicopter. This mission has a bonus objective to slowly walk away from said helicopter as it explodes.:smallbiggrin:

[Erloas]

Not actually a whole lot to say about the game. I really liked it, it was a lot of fun, and I'm going to get the second one, but its not exactly a game that drives conversation.

I also hate the limited pre-order bonus. Mostly because it seems like only Gamestop gets the Dome, which I have to assume will be released to others a DLC or even the players that get it would be pretty much on their own playing, which doesn't fit with the game. And I don't like Gamestop and don't want to support them but it seems like the only way (currently) to get that stuff.

It also currently seems like its not going to be on Steam, at least none of the pre-order stuff is up there... and I haven't bought any game not on Steam in... maybe years. In fact not being on Steam is the main reason I haven't gotten around to getting ME3 yet. I wish they had the Steam 4 pack like with the original.

Considering we still have 4 months left before release I'll still be putting off pre-ordering the game for a while and see if anything changes.

[Triscuitable]

Steam will definitely have the game, seeing as they've done nothing to provoke 2K or Gearbox, only supporting them the best they can. It's how I'll buy the game, anyways.

[Salur]

Yeah, Borderlands 2 is using Steamworks for multiplayer, achievements, that sort of stuff, so I'd say it's safe to assume you'd be able to buy it there. Like you said, it's still 4 months or so away from release; I'm sure it'll be up there in time to pre-order.