Gearbox focussed on delivering a superior PC product, says Gibson
The classic Borderlands art style is back
Gearbox Software has said it is overhauling its Borderlands series with the upcoming sequel, including something special for PC gamers.
After a problematic PC release with the original game, Gearbox is working on two fronts – overall improving the experience and warming the hearts of PC gamers.
Gearbox vice-president of marketing Chris Gibson said in an interview with PC Gamer, “We love the PC players…they’re a huge portion and they’re not an afterthought.”
Even everyone’s “favorite friend/awkward acquaintance/despised corporate mascot” Claptrap wrote PC gamers a love letter. The letter also features a list of specific PC improvements to Borderlands 2.
Gibson said the advantages on the PC side are things such as higher resolution/multiple resolution support and the use of a mouse. Also, PC matchmaking is integrated with Valve’s Steamworks.
However, the improved welcoming of PC gamers is only to get them into what Gearbox hopes is an overall more massive and tweaked role playing the first-person shooter hybrid.
Gibson added that Gearbox felt they could deliver more for the people who play for the role-playing element and like to roll through the skill tree.
“We wanted those role playing guys to feel a bit more reward,” he said.
Skills you acquire can affect your teammates more along with the mix of weaponry you choose. In fact, the weaponry and combat system was completely gutted and rebuilt, according to Gibson.
Players would need to take a more tactical approach to the battlefield instead of, what Gibson says, “shooting whoever is closest.”
Enemies and the AI are far more complicated. Some on the battlefield can charge up and help others enemies. On the other hand, some enemies of yours are enemies of another enemy of yours, so you can use these nuances as advantages.
Gibson said, “Guys interacting with each other [such as] Skags lighting other Skags on fire to get amped up and charge after you…[so] you think of the battlefield as a whole instead of who’s closest.”
Expect to return to Pandora and the welcoming metal arms of Claptrap on PC, PS3, and 360 on September 18 in North America and September 2t in the UK.
Follow Graham on Twitter: @GrahamSMcCann