Borderlands (all formats) Preview

[Art Blade]

haha, nice read, fiach :) And thanks for the comments on the game seller.

Fragger, tell me about it. Just as a sidenote, games like Wolfenstein (any of them) are banned here because of a certain symbol used by a certain party... they don't even consider you are fighting against those. And Even if a game is rated 18+ (adult) doesn't mean they don't censor it, they will cut out or disable any "excessive" violence as in ragdoll and body parts flying away. A game like FO3, even, did not contain any of the gore that made it so fun, killed enemies would just drop like a stone. Fortunately I got the US version. I hate it, really, that some idiots "know" what I want to see, even if rated 18+. Some games never make it to our country because the devs would have to cut down too much. Alright, this is going to change nothing, so I have to find a way if necessary, and there is always a way if someone really wants something.

[PZ]

We'd not blame anyone Fiach - we all realize that one person's treasure is another's junk.  The greater number of posts that I see, the more of an informed decision I can make, so reading the details is greatly appreciated!  :-X

[Fiach]

Still enjoying this game, only lv 18, but its really enjoyable.

I got a quest to kill (what I thought were two guys) 2 named bosses, now, I found them by accident, while exploring, but they were at the end of a rather difficult section, which was rather daunting, I wound up fighting one of them, he heard me shooting other monsters and came to investigate, I (by the skin of my teeth) killed him, but had no bullets left, so I had to save and quit, to get back to the beginning of the level, which was OK, becuse it saved the fact that I had killed him, so I levelled up a wee bit and gave it another shot.

I fought my way to the area and the bugger that I had killed had respawned, so they started double tagging me along with the damn skags in the area too, then the bloody bandits I had killed, started to respawn as I was running away from the bosses, it was just a complete and utter SNAFU, I eventually killed the bandits again, headed back to try to kill the second boss, without the other one seeing me.

Darned if the first one wasnt the bloody first to see me, I had to do everything I could to stay alive, even down to preserving the little skags (when I say little, I mean compared to the boss, the skags are vicious), so I could use them if I needed a "Second Breath", eventually I killed the first guy again, but I was out of bullets ..... again, all I had was a shotgun, which I never use, but I had kept it because it had good stats and I had a full quota of shells.

Time for the second guy, to cut a long story short, I killed his a$$, and I got so much XP, I levelled my shotgun proficiancy 3 times (I never knew you levelled weapon proficancy LOL), and ..... HE DROPPED A ROCKET LAUNCHER!!!!

So, being the dumbass I am, instead of saving and quitting, to get back to the start of the area, I decided to walk back, to test my shotty skills, man I had to fight for every foot of ground, all the bandits and skags had respawned, but with them had spawned "BADASSES" (mini bosses), all I had was my shotty and two missiles, It was so hectic, I couldnt use the missiles, as I would kill myself with the splash damage, so all I could do was run and gun with the shotty.

I never felt so darn exhillerated, with every successful encounter on the way back, so what I figured was going to be chore-some in the extreme, became a test of wills between me and Borderlands, Naturally having the OWG Aura (tm) activated, I eventually won through, but gawd it was great!

Just thought I would share that with ya all :)

[Art Blade]

that was intense even if only reading about it -- well done, mate  ;D :-X

[Dweller_Benthos]

Yeah, I might look into this game as a hold over between my second run thru of Wolfenstein and when Rage comes out. Of course, with sprinklings of FC2 now and then.

[Art Blade]

with sprinklings of FC2 now and then.

;D ;D ;D :-X

[PZ]

Good one Fiach  :-X

[Fiach]

Just to say I edited the first post here, with some red text.

This text gives a brief description of each character and underneath, a link to a blank Skill Template for each one.

This template is used to see how best to spend the points you earn while playing, you get one point for every level after level 5. so its a handy way to plan your build and refine it as you play.

You will recieve 4 points by level 50, which is the highest level you can attain.

You must spend 15 skill points in a style (3 x 5 points), to open the lowest (most powerful) power in that skill tree, but you can mix and match skills from other trees if you desire.

For example, you could spend 15 in each of two trees, to access the powerful last skill in each of those trees and still have 5 points left over to enhance other skills.

The first skill has to be purchased, to open up the choice of three skill trees underneath.

[Dweller_Benthos]

So, I take it you can do a run thru of the game with one character, then start another game with a different character? Total of four characters with pretty varied skills seems to be quite a good amount of replay, not to mention the 87 bazillion guns....

[Fiach]

Well actually there is more to it than that, you complete the game at Lv 50, then you can restart the game with all your skills intact, but the enemies that you fight then are commensurately harder.

So you can play as any character for one or two playthroughs.

I stopped my Siren (Lilith) at lv 20, so I could check out the other classes, I have since played the sniper (Mordecai) to Lv 13 and the soldier (Roland to Lv 7).

While I enjoyed them all so far (Berzerker isn't a class for me tbh), I wonder about the validity of the "second playthrough", although I can see the appeal to others.

You see, they can all be fully profficant in each weapon, its just that their starting stats lean towards a particular style of weapon, but, continued use of a weapon makes you more profficant, which after awhile will offset any prediliction for your starter weapon of choice.

Eg. Sirens begin with some better starts for using a SMG, its the most sensible weapon for her as her skills increase the rate of fire, for what is ostensibly the fastest firing weapon in the game, then she adds elemental damage % chance to each bullet, so imagine the proc rate for her with such a fast weapon.

The sniper starts off being able to hold the sniper rifle more steadily and continued usage of that weapon, solidifies his control, which is also augumented by his skill tree.

The same for the others in slightly different ways.

So if you favour a combat scheme that uses eg a revolver and a shotgun, you can concievably use any character with those weapons, sure, you would miss the proc rate of the SMG with the elemental RoF, but the SMG bullets are not powerful to begin with, so the loss of the proc rate would be offset and mitigated by the incredible power of a shotgun/revolver blast, plus you would still get the elemental damage added to the attack.

Now, that may sound "bad", but in actual fact, it just shows how well balanced the game is.

So while each character has a unique style of play, you could easily homogenize them, if that suited your taste.

Personally, I would perfer to play the game with only one playthrough per character, but, you could also play it twice with each character.

On the second playthrough, the weapons and loot drops increase their quality substantially, so, its not just a rehash of the first playthrough, it actually has had serious effort put into its design.

I'm really enjoying the game, so much so, that I was in Dublin earlier today and bought the strategy guide, I dont need it, You cannot miss anything and any queries you have about the game can be answered on forums and WIKI. But I like it so much, I like the depth and background the guide adds to my experience while playing. 

[Art Blade]

sounds great, glad you have so much fun and joy  :) :-X

[mmosu]

Ok, so I picked Borderlands up last Friday and I've got Mordecai (the sniper) up to level 11, and I've played enough now to be able to form some opinions:

First of all, the graphics are stunning and highly stylized just as Fiach has said.  It truly is like playing a moving comic book.  I caught myself today standing in a cave staring at this crystal structure that was growing out of the wall - It was translucent and bent the light that passed through it in interesting ways, and if you stood at the right angle you could see that it's surface actually had a texture to it that was realistic looking at the same time.  They obviously spent a lot of time fine-tuning the visuals. 

Second, the dialog is hilarious!  Scooter: "The catch-a-ride station is more busted than my momma's girl parts! I'd sure appreciate you takin' a poke at that, uh, the system, not my mom  . . ."
Intro to first boss fight: "Nine-toes:  He really has nine-toes (he also has three balls)".  I'm sure there is much more to come, and it had been awhile since I had laughed out loud at a video game.

Third, the fights are intense!!!  Multiple times so far I have had a Scag lunging for my jugular and at the last possible moment, whipped my Ferocious Matador (yes, that's the name of a gun - imagine a large pump activated revolver/rifle thing that shoots shotgun shells . . . yeah) up from a reload to blow it's body clean in half with a critical hit!  Keep in mind, this is not FC2.  You are going to dump a crap-ton of ammo into many enemies and some you are not going to be able to hurt at all until you level up a bit.

So, so far, great fun addictive game!  I approve  :-X :-X

but, I repeat, this is not like FC2, so if you are looking for something similar, keep looking!

[Art Blade]

cheers, nice report. Sounds fun :)

Right now I'm not so much after that game, but who knows...

[Fiach]

Yeah, I killed a Badass Skag, back in noob town and it glitched and never fell over, I just walked around and around it, looking at the detail, it looks cartooney, but even each bristle on its back had the cel shading on it.

I'm really glad you are enjoying it mate, its such an oddball looking game, it is an aquired taste :)

There are alot of easter eggs in it, I wont spoil them for you but for example you have to collect 3 boxes of cigars for Bruce McClane, see if you can figure that one out  :)

The guns are a hoot, pistol rocket launchers LOL!

I really like Mordecai alot, took a bit of getting used to after the spray and pray Lilith, but he is just a walking surgical strike, waiting to happen :)

Happy Hunting :)

[mmosu]

such an oddball looking game, it is an aquired taste

That's the perfect description right there.  This is going to be a love it/hate it thing for everyone who plays it, but I love the over-the-top nature of it.  It's a caricature of the genre really, and I feel like it even pokes fun at itself at times.

And I'm a huge gun-whore, so basically they had me at "87 Bazillion Guns".  If you don't crack a smile when you see an enemy burst into flames after being hit with an incindiary sniper round from 100 yards away, well, you're in the wrong department. 

Hopefully we'll be in good company soon as more OWGers decide if they "love it or hate it"  ;)

[Fiach]

Yeah at first I was rather dubious about the gfx, until I saw them running.

I'm not a shooter fan at heart, alot of the time I consider them just "busy" w@&k and find them a nice diversion to RPG's, there are very few I take to heart, they have to have something that compels me, like a story, or some hook.

I like CoD 4 but hate 5, I only like FC1, but love FC2.

But I think that BL is more than the sum of its parts, the story isnt great, but the search for the perfect weapon, just a little longer playtime to get the next level up/skill, the little incidentals, like when the midgets fire their shotguns and fall on their a$$, it's all just very "more-ish". :)

[RedRaven]

cheers for the reviews guys, seen a few adverts for the game, and it looks quirky and fun. After reading whats been said about it here reckon i`ll certainly be getting a copy. Trust what is said here over any magazine review any day.

to collect 3 boxes of cigars for Bruce McClane, see if you can figure that one out  :)

..... is he a Bruce Willis - type character ?.....

[Fiach]

Yep Red, got it in one :)

[mmosu]

More stuff I'm picking up on as I play:

Everyone on Pandora is a inbred simpleton, even the enemies.  Everyone you encounter is so stupid, as in the stuff they say - because the AI is very strong.  I've heard enemies shouting things like "No one shoots my friends but me!!!" and "blood!! Ha Ha! blood! blood for me!!!". 

The enemy types are just bizarre too, and this game is starting to remind me more and more of old Mad Max movies.  Earlier I was being chased around by a huge, muscular, bellowing guy wearing a mask and swinging what amounted to a giant meat-cleaver at me.  The "weird" part, his left arm was this tiny, flacid, underdeveloped stumpy thing that flip-flopped uselessly at his side while he chased me.  So strange . . .

And lastly, some of the back-story surrounding planet Pandora itself is starting to fill in.  Basically, it is supposed to be the well-established crappiest place in the universe.  I'm in the middle of a mission where I am collecting recordings left by a scientist documenting what was ultimately her doomed expedition to determine if this planet ever produced any advanced life forms.  She describes her team slowly losing it because of the planet's bizarre day/night cycles, frustration with the brain-dead locals, how she doesn't like the fat girl on her team, and eventually how here entire team was eaten by skag's while she "avoided being devoured by hiding under the body of a colleauge who was already being devoured". 

The dialogue in this game is so funny and well written/voice acted, it just keeps getting better!  :-X

[Fiach]

Yeah, that ladys dialogue is so well done, I missed a couple of them the first time around, I picked them up while fighting and didnt hear what she said, second playthrough I paid attention and was very impressed :)

Wait 'til you get to Dhal for more mad max-ism :)

[mmosu]

I had a feeling there would be more of that on the way  ;)

I've been taking my time, doing all the side missions, and generally kicking the tires, so it may be a little while before I get there.  I'm level 16 now and I haven't gone after Sledge yet (I have the key to get to him though).

[Fiach]

Yeah Sledge can be annoying :

TIPS

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;People say to take his shield down with an electric weapon, then switch to sniper, I dont agree.

Run in and run around his room, with a shotty, take out his minions, though new ones will spawn periodically, its best to do this, so you dont run into them while Sledge is chasing you.
Switch to sniper, a decent gun should kill his shield, but it will regenerate after a bit, so get as much damage as possible on him, while its down, his HP can regen too, so dont be shocked if it does.

Try and have a good sniper that has a decent magazine, if you have a powerful 3 bullet mag vs a lesser 5 round mag, use the 5 rounder, you need the extra couple of shots before the shield regens.

His ranged shotgun is very inaccurate, so keep your distance and w@&k the room, sprint to an end, fire a few sniper rounds, dodge him and get some distance, rinse and repeat.

[retiredgord]

I have been observing my son-in-law playing and played co-op for about 3 missions. I like it but will make judgements when I play on my own.

[Art Blade]

I think you're the coolest grandpa I know, age-wise, gord  ;D :-X I don't want to insult other grandpas here, but I think they're all younger than you :)

[Fiach]

I havent played Co-Op, its supposed to be more difficult that solo play, but anyone I know tha has played it in Co-Op really liked it alot.