Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel Preview

Don't pack up your last-gen console; you're going to want it for Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel.

A few months back at PAX East, I had the opportunity to watch a hands-off demo of 2K Australia and Gearbox Software's Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel.

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel takes place in between the original Borderlands and Borderlands 2. The key difference from the past two games is the setting: Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel takes place on Pandora's moon, Elpis. The setting may not seem significant at first, but it's actually a pretty big deal. Here's why:

Because the game takes place on the moon as opposed to the Earth-like planet of Pandora, gravity is a big deal.

The lack of gravity on the moon adds some awesome new gameplay mechanics to the franchise, making it feel fresh and new again.

In The Pre-Sequel, you work for Borderlands 2's bad guy, Handsome Jack. He's not completely a bad guy at this point in the Borderlands timeline, and he is your boss of sorts. He's been kicked off of Hyperion Station for reasons currently unknown.

There are four playable characters, Athena: The Gladiator; Wilhelm: The Enforcer; Claptrap: The Fragtrap; and Nisha: The Lawbringer. Yes, you read that correctly: Claptrap will be a playable character for the first time.

Some of the new enemies in the Pre-Sequel include Jetpack Scavengers, Lunatics, Badass Outlaws, and Bandits in spacesuits. There are some awesome new weapons as well, including laser guns, an ice gun that freezes enemies, and a shield you can power up and throw at multiple enemies.

After seeing the demo at PAX, I am extremely excited for The Pre-Sequel. If you're a fan of Claptrap and the gang, you do not want to miss The Pre-Sequel.

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is coming to the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC in the fall of this year.