Borderlands 2 Preview

Official Xbox Magazine is offering a two-page preview of Gearbox Software’s FPS/RPG Borderlands 2, with plenty of quotes from the developers. Here’s a snippet:

Borderlands 2 has better character-build options, tactical teamwork, meta-game goodies, and super-special loot. You can still just pull the trigger and watch things die, but strategy fans are in for a treat. The scope for building specialist roles is much more impressive than in the first game, offering huge satisfaction for those willing to invest in a specific play-style.

When playing as Zer0 we focused all of our skill points on increased critical damage, creating a character that relies entirely on accurate weapons and skill, but wipes out most foes with a couple of headshots. We could have also gone for pure melee, relying on stealth kills to stab foes in the back.

The scope for customisation is bonkers, and that’s before you introduce guns. The weapon brands all have their own uses, complementing different character builds. You’ll be able to re-spec skills throughout the game, and when you hit your second playthrough it’s likely that you’ll have to.

“New mechanics and new creatures will appear that you’re won’t see on your first run” promises art director Jeramy Cooke. “You can dig down deep in the skill trees and find skills that you haven’t been able to access before, combining these together with your gear. Super rare gear can sometimes change the way you play the game – you might, for example, find that gun that fires forever.”

Thanks RPGWatch.