What do you get when you add 599,999 and 1? 600,000! That's how many unique weapons will be present in Gearbox's upcoming 4 player co-op RPG/Shooter Borderlands. While still a ways off, the game recently had a few previews posted around the interwebs, and wooo boy does this sound like it's going to be an ambitious title.
Huge main plot line? Check. Tons of side quests? Check. Promised non linear gameplay? Check. Procedurally generated weapons? Check. Experience and leveling system? Check.
Yes my friends this is going to be an ambitious title, and one that I hope Gearbox pulls off.
With a focus on co-op and objective based gameplay, Borderlands almost appears like an RPG.
"When you play in co-op mode, all experience will be shared equally, because different people will have different roles," explains Matt, eager to flag up the game's innovative approach to multiplayer.
RPG elements such as Borderlands' leveling-up facility are enabling Gearbox to take the FPS genre in some exciting new directions, one striking innovation being the eradication of difficulty levels, thanks to the game's scalable challenge system. Gearbox are attempting to eliminate reload-key-slapping when you're faced with a particularly testing battle, by allowing you to backtrack, complete a few side quests, bolster your abilities and equipment, and then return for another crack.
Then you have the weapon system, which, sounds pretty close to something you'd see in an MMORPG. Weapons will get different colors to differentiate their type. Black weapons have a faster rate of fire, silver weapons are more powerful, green ones are good at range, etc. This sounds a lot like what we see in games like World of Warcraft and Guild Wars.
Like those games, Borderlands sees a benefit from having more than one player in your party or group to cooperate with.
The game in general is designed to be a co-op game, allowing up to four people to play together. Gearbox has speculated that a team’s chances of survival increase dramatically when they consist of at least one of each character class and from what we’ve seen so far, that is no idle boast.
Look for Borderlands to hit the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC later this year.
Thanks rafoca for the tip.
Source: Hookedgamers.com