Borderlands

By Simon Parkin Published 16 October, 2009

Mad to the Max.

Halfway into Borderlands' development, Gearbox Software changed everything. A game that started out a dour shower of browns, greys and post-apocalyptic shadows was fed through the Crackdown filter and came out a blaze of SEGA blues, Mario shine yellows and Jet Set cel-shading. The visual rewrite has done more than merely distinguish the game from its nearest rival, Fallout 3. It also accentuates the Mad Max humour of planet Pandora's inhabitants and scenarios, turning grisly headshots into party-popper exclamations while, to be frank, making the world a far more pleasant place to be. Any tourist of a science-fiction planet overrun by rag-wearing sand-bandits acknowledges the risk of having one's balls torn off by a pet rabid mutant hyena. So why not balance the dark risks with some bright, happy vistas?

Twisting graphical conventions isn't Borderlands' only novelty. From its unique concoction of ideas plucked from varied influences, Gearbox is hoping to birth an entirely new sub-genre, the RPS, or "Role-Playing Shooter", as they're calling it. In truth, this is really just a catchphrase way of articulating a more general trend in action games that has gained momentum in recent years: combining first-person run-and-gun combat with player-defined character progression. As with Fallout 3, your character earns experience points for every kill and mission completed. At level-up, you earn a single skill point that can be spent on one of 21 ability upgrades, increases to accuracy, fire rate, weapon magazine size and suchlike. As you spend points on those areas that best suit your own play style, so a gently unique character of your own making emerges.

'Borderlands' Screenshot 1

In addition to projectile weapons, you quickly gain access to grenades, which can be equipped with modifiers to change their behaviours.

Character development is, as with Fallout 3, nested within a more general RPG-style mission structure that, after the first few hours at least, provides a few slightly diverging mission paths to chase down. Agree to take on a mission, either from one of the game's surprisingly un-chatty, archetypal NPCs or one of the bounty boards found in town, and a marker will appear on your radial compass, indicating where to head. While billed as open-world game, the first six hours offer relatively little freedom to roam the planet of Pandora. Instead, the world is gated, different areas opening up gradually; play interrupted by a loading screen interstitial when traversing from one to the next. In this way, Borderlands has more in common with the most recent Red Faction than GTA or Oblivion: the scaling freedom is slow to filter down to the player.

The fact the game favours the FPS side of its split personality is revealed in the early missions you are charged with, which are generally thinly-veiled fetch-quests, often for mundane objects: collect eight flowers from this canyon, defeat eight skags (the aforementioned mutant hyenas, whose mouths flap open like lewd flesh envelopes) in that one. Conversely, the combat is furious and exciting, adopting Call of Duty's control set-up and exhibiting all the pace and spectacle of Fallout 3's shootouts, albeit with battle outcomes decided by physics calculations rather than a series of concealed dice throws.

You initially have two weapon slots and, depending on which the game's four lead characters you chose to play as, will naturally favour melee weapons, close-combat shoguns, mid-range semi-automatics or long-range sniper rifles. Where the game's RPG pretensions more than deliver is in the gigantic range of weaponry available. Gearbox claims that the game has over 17 million weapons, and although many of these are permutations with slightly different stat modifiers. Nonetheless, gun-collecting is a big part of the game's driving appeal, as even an incremental upgrade to a sniper rifle's 'sway' stat or reload time (measured in milliseconds) can make a huge difference in battle.

The world is littered with cases of weapons, with more desirable models found in each area's extremities, and these prizes are compelling enough to encourage exploration to the ends of the game-world. Borderlands also provide ammunition for the giant spread of weaponry ingeniously, by having downed enemies drop ammo of the type that was used to kill them, ensuring that you rarely run out. Of course, if ever you do exhaust your supplies then liberally placed vending machines are always on hand for a restock. In terms of player assets, Borderlands is far more generously laden than many of its contemporaries.

Soon into the game you gain access to regenerating shields, which act as a buffer to protect your core health bar. With a huge variety of shields, with different HP values and recharge rates, even here player choices can be critical. However, if you do get it wrong and find yourself downed in combat, the game offers a last chance way out, urging you to "Fight for your life!" Hunched on the floor, unable to move, you can continue to take aim at your attackers. Manage to kill one and you'll jump to your feet, a little health restored, having enjoyed a "second wind", as the game cheerily refers to it. It's a neat system but, even if you don't manage to make it out alive, the "Hyperion personal reconstruction system" will see you resurrect at the most recent respawn point. At first the Unreal-esque respawing feels at odds with the weight of the world, but soon enough you slip into the twitch restart rhythms and it all makes perfect sense.

'Borderlands' Screenshot 2

Aim your crosshair at an enemy and you'll be able to see their level. Usefully, enemies with skull icons next to their stats are ones that the game recommends you avoid till you level up a bit.

It's not all favourable news regarding the combat, however. The enemy AI seems to be perpetually set to "Attack! Attack! Attack!" so you'll spend a lot of the time running backwards, firing full into the face of their relentless advances. Oftentimes, with a pack of skags chasing, you'll need to back through several areas-worth of terrain, madly firing into the throng as you whittle it down, blind kill by blind kill. This occasionally gives combat the wrong sort of frantic frisson, negating the possibility for more nuanced attacks and retreats as every skirmish immediately devolves into a circle strafe barn dance or Benny Hill-style game of kiss chase. That said, there's every chance this issue was due to our primarily fighting bum-rush grunts, and that a heavier emphasis on strategy is introduced as you progress and meet more advanced foes, not to mention attack the game in co-op, which we'll be doing for next week's review.

However it turns out, it's clear that Borderlands is a labour of love for Gearbox. As more games mix and match design ideas traditionally separated by genre, so the chance that a developer will strike gold with their particular balance of ingredients increases. Borderlands certainly offers a unique recipe and it's clear that many of the resulting flavours are immediately rich and interesting. If the game can sufficiently develop its characters and missions over the course of the experience, providing players with a reason to care that goes beyond chasing exp and ever better weaponry, then there's every chance the 'RPS' could find a solid foothold in the gaming lexicon.

Borderlands is due out for PS3 and Xbox 360 on 23rd October and PC on 30th October. Look for a review soon.

Picture of Simon.

About Simon Parkin

Simon Parkin is an author and journalist on video games. A regular contributor to Eurogamer since 2005, his work has also appeared in Edge, The Telegraph, Gamasutra and Boing Boing.

Read more articles from Simon by visiting the Simon Parkin archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (52) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Hypercube #1 2 years ago

    Nice, I really like the art direction they've taken with this. Def on my list for this month!

    Damn, that list is getting pretty long!

  • udat #2 2 years ago

    Having paid no attention to this for 90% of its development, I find myself wanting this more than almost any upcoming release.

  • oktava #3 2 years ago

    Marketing: 17 million weapons
    Reality : 17 weapons

  • olver #4 2 years ago

    Lewd flesh envelopes = vaginas? Speak straight man!

  • wizlon #5 2 years ago

    That preview didn't sound all that convincing, I liked the look of this one but I'm staying well clear until reviews are in.

  • JusticeMoses #6 2 years ago

    Sounds like it'll get an 8/10 in the review next week. Think the clincher could be if you have three mates who'll play it with you in co-op if not then it might be a bit soulless. Unless a stinker of a score is spewed out I'll be buying it.

  • freakzilla #7 2 years ago

    I like the art style but I still don't see what makes it fun. Like say Uncharted has great cinematic stuff or halo has addictive online gameplay etc.

  • tachometer #8 2 years ago

    Borderline

  • ChthonicEcho #9 2 years ago

    Stop it, Eurogamer. You'll actually coerce me into buying the game. I can't afford buying any more video games.

    No! No, it's coming! Oh, no, it purchased itself on my Steam account. Oh, well, what could I do?

  • Baranga #10 2 years ago

    Cartoonish Hellgate. I'll skip this one.

  • mkreku #11 2 years ago

    Hmm, loading screens doesn't sound too good. Neither does linearity and fetch quests. And the death mechanic sounds designed with the ADHD-generation in mind.

    I'm still hoping this will be good, but this is probably the first preview I've read that actually lessened my interest in this game.

  • matrim83 #12 2 years ago

    I am really liking the sound it it. A lot.

    My only worry is that the combat will degenerate in to Serious Sam/Painkillers level of run and gun, which I am not a big fan of. Hopefully there are enough smart varied enemies as you progress.

  • swissorc #13 2 years ago

    This or Forza I really don't know. I miss Forza 2 giving to my girl friend as I thought I was done with it. But this looks really really... now whats that word that games seem hell bent on crushing in an aim to become deep and "hardcore" oh yeah ! FUN.
    Edited by 1 at 16/10/09 @ 14:09

  • Les #14 2 years ago

    Love the look of this. :)

    Developers: less failed attempts at visual realism please!

  • sirtacos #15 2 years ago

    "I like the art style but I still don't see what makes it fun. Like say Uncharted has great cinematic stuff or halo has addictive online gameplay etc."

    This.
    Unfortunately the article's concluding paragraph - "If the game can sufficiently develop its characters and missions over the course of the experience, providing players with a reason to care that goes beyond chasing exp and ever better weaponry" - seems at odds with this line on the first page describing "the game's surprisingly un-chatty, archetypal NPCs"... basically I'm not seeing the game's hook at all, gorgeous art direction notwithstanding.

  • Phattso #16 2 years ago

    Shooting things is fun. Check. Collecting ever better loot is fun. Check. Lots of varied settings to shoot things and collect loot in. Check. Four player co-op, which instantly makes anything ten times more fun anyway. Check.

    Anything on top of this is a bonus for me, because I'm a loot whore. People looking for a story led experience are in the wrong place. :)

  • Freek #17 2 years ago

    Diablo goes FPS then?

  • UncleLou #18 2 years ago

    Cartoonish Hellgate.

    That's why it's a day 1 purchase for me.

  • andywilkie35 #19 2 years ago

    HOLY TOLEDO!

  • Nephirion #20 2 years ago

    I really enjoyed Hellgate we need more variety in games not just mindless clones of sucessful games

  • kinky_mong #21 2 years ago

    JUMPING JEHOSAPHAT!

  • menage #22 2 years ago

    I wanna know if this game is going to be fun playing solo for a loong time, seeing as most of the stuff I read and saw only related to co-oping.

    Could be quite good though.

  • johnboy_johsnon #23 2 years ago

    Really looking forward to this one. The first cel shaded FPS I'll have played since XIII (which I absolutely loved). Had it pre-ordered for my spanking new PC but changed it to the 360. You just can't beat sitting on the recliner while playing!

  • stryker1121 #24 2 years ago

    Doesn't seem to be much hype around this...have not seen one review anywhere w/ the game due to hit shelves (in the U.S.) on Tues. I need some reviews before throwing my lot in...a little disappointing that the world is closed off initially, and while the idea of an RPS w/ a zillion guns sounds cool, there better a good narrative hook to back up all the loot-mongering and such.

  • thedaveeyres #25 2 years ago

    One of the more negative preview articles I've read in a while... think I'll wait and see on this one.

  • seasidebaz #26 2 years ago

    RPS is already in the gaming lexicon.

    Unless I've just imagined the entire Rock Paper Shotgun website.

  • TruWari3r #27 2 years ago

    I am getting it but am unclear about one thing,

    Do you make your own character like in Mass Effect or is this more like picking a character like Left 4 Dead?

  • Shakermaker #28 2 years ago

    My prediction: EG will give Borderlands a 7/10 score at most and post the review in the PS3, PC and Xbox section while the reviewer only played the 360 version.

  • beastmaster #29 2 years ago

    Hope you van choose your approach. A sniper to pick off targets from afar and a Bruce Cambell 'BOOMstick' for getting up close & personal.

  • bratmandu #30 2 years ago

    Would need a demo before I decide if it's worth parting with the cash, this close to certain other big releases.

    Still, I have been hoping for a RPGFPS multiplayer shooter for quite some time, and although this seems to be co-op rather than versus, I'd like to believe this will be good.

    Not so sure about the videos which show clips being emptied into unarmoured enemies heads. I know it's an rpg too, but headshots not being instant death? Come on.

  • metalangel #31 2 years ago

    You can read about the various characters and abilities at borderlands.wikia.com which makes it look pretty good so far.

    Personally, I like to play a support/healer in games like this and I'm somewhat heartened by Roland's Medic path (but only somewhat, it seems a bit naff that I can't choose each ability instead of being sent down a set path).

    I'm also a bit disappointed I have to be one of the four of them a la Left4Shit and don't get to customize my look. I do wonder if this means when playing co-op that you can have two Rolands, a Brick and a Mordecai or if there has to be only one of each.

    EDIT: Cheers soviet_!
    Edited by 1 at 16/10/09 @ 19:45

  • Mr.DNA #32 2 years ago

    Most of the gameplay that I've seen for this is based on co-op play, and I need to know if the single-player game is meaty and enjoyable before thinking about buying. I dunno- I've never had a good vibe about this game (contrary to popular opinion). Giant Bomb have been hyping this up the arse- interesting to see what the reviews say.
    Edited by 1 at 16/10/09 @ 17:09

  • sarcasmoidosis #33 2 years ago

    I shall definitely buy this. Since there's shooting, it's probably a PC buy.

  • WardLaw #34 2 years ago

    Isn't having to run backwards the mark of a bad shooter?

  • BobsUncle #35 2 years ago

    17 million slight variations on the pistol, shotgun, assault rifle, sniper and rocket launcher. And maybe a few others.

    It doesn't mention how many of those variations are sufficiently different to warrant being classed as another weapon. For example, RGB(255,255,255) is white and RGB(255,255,254) is not and technically a different colour, but they're so similar no human could tell the difference.

    I bet it'll be a case of a few hundred different variations of the physical model of the weapon, but with the 'stat bars' (power, accuracy, fire rate) randomly generated.

    I'm still planning on getting it as I like RPG types, but I'm not pinning my hopes on the vast array of weapons actually being useful.

  • soviet_ #36 2 years ago

    Why are people expecting anything other than shooting and looting? That's all this game ever claimed to be and I can't wait to play it

    @metalangel, you can have 4 Bricks playing coop if that's who you and your friends want to play. Only visual customisation of your character is colour
    Edited by 1 at 16/10/09 @ 17:46

  • TRUTH #37 2 years ago

    The problem with most rpg's is that they claim to be huge but ever bloody quest is usually the same few quests/mission repeating over and over again under a different named quest - I rather have a smaller world with less quest that have more variety rather then a game that just has a few variety but huge amounts of quest that just end up repeating themselves (GTA, Oblivion. Assassins Creed, etc)...Even as action/rpg this could become rather samey fairly quick: If it's to easy once you have a good weapon, no strategy involved in the action, all gun no development in character or adventure, rpg needs to be used to progress the character not just an upgrade weapons that will become to powerful.
    Edited by 2 at 16/10/09 @ 18:09

  • Silvervein #38 2 years ago

    17 million weapons? Interesting. I guess it's the fallout 3 thousands of endings story all over again.

  • UberMod #39 2 years ago

    When you come to do the review proper, could you make mention of the writing. I'm particularly interested to see if the tongue-in-cheek nature of the trailers (and in some respects art style) makes its way into the script.

  • UncleLou #40 2 years ago

    Ok, serious question: have all the people who get hung up on the"17 million weapons" claim never played a game with randomised loot? It's totally obvious how it will work, surely?

  • WJF #41 2 years ago

    What is this 'Diablo' that you speak of, UncleLou?

    /lots of very angry neg marker people visiting this comments section...

  • actionfitz #42 2 years ago

    I need something special in the review for this to nip past Left 4 Dead 2 to win my gaming budget.

  • Nephirion #43 2 years ago

    I find your lack of hype disturbing

  • BabyJesus #44 2 years ago

    lol@the guy that said Assasins Creed and GTA are RPGs.

  • super_monty #45 2 years ago

    What the point of a 'hands on' when the game is out next week look at hands for pro eve it read like a 9 or/10?

  • SleepyMagpie #46 2 years ago

    I don't think this will be anything special at all.

  • Miths #47 2 years ago

    This is one of those games where I have absolutely no clue whether it's going to great, decent or crap before I'm actually playing it next week.
    I love the setting and the art style, and I love loot based action RPGs (well, I used to at least, lately I've not really found myself enjoying repetitive hack'n'slash - or shoot'n'nade in this case?), but so far I haven't really gotten much of an impression of the feel of the gameplay through the previews I've read and the videos I've watched. Aside from the fact that it seems to take an ungodly number of bullets to kill something and that there's a lot of strafing and kiting involved - all things that don't sound too promising to me, but then this is of course not supposed to be a regular first person shooter.

  • Demiath #48 2 years ago

    I worry that it's going to be too repetitive and short. During Giant Bomb's Quick Look the other day Jeff Gerstmann was already on his second playthrough and close to having maxed out his character completely. Sure, there's no telling when GB got their review code but with the fairly restrictive quest system/exploration and frequent respawns Borderlands looks shorter and shorter the more you know about it. As for the repetitive aspect, shooting groups of identical enemies while traversing lifeless brown mountains could get really old a bit too fast for my liking...

  • TRUTH #49 2 years ago

    The best Rpg at the moment is PS3's: Demon's Souls - the reason is the way you can develop the character to your requirements, but, have to alter you skills for fighting various foes, or change equipment due to area you are in eg: poison area...Also it's hack & slash with thought - not just button mashing and over the top skills & weapons...The sense of adventure, hidden treasure, skill gained & required, slow but steady character progress and thought needed is what makes this such a gem...I find with most rpg/adv/actio esp western games simply become hack/shoot button mashers - with rpg that does not really need to be altered once you have certain weapons or skill. Also it's constant killing the enemy - which always becomes to samey, the adventure is just walk into next screen and kill everyhing...Those who want a rpg and adventure and enjoyed Diablo (though this was a bit to much hack & slash at times), should definitely get Demon's Soul - but warned it can be tough!

  • shotgun44 #50 2 years ago

    PC Gamer gave it 86%

  • byakuya83 #51 2 years ago

    Not sure I like the idea of cases containing new weapons just lying about the place. Dumb enemy AI and lots of frantic shooting then respawning - doesn't sound like much of a story to follow and almost as if the developers expect you to die often. I'm fairly certain this will get the classic Eurogamer 7/10 judging by what's been said.

    An enjoyable game for those that like collecting and experimenting with a variety of weapons but it's not fleshed out enough for those who enjoy typical FPS or RPG style games. I think I'll like it to an extent though and will give it a blast if my laptop can handle it.
    Edited by 1 at 18/10/09 @ 18:28

  • dr_swin #52 2 years ago

    The combat AI makes it sound like Serious Sam.