Following news of the title leaking on Monday, 2K Games has officially announced Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel! Unlike previous entries in the hit series, though, Gearbox will not be handling development duties, as 2K Australia will take the reigns this time around.
Set on Pandora’s moon Elpis, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel! takes place after the events of the first Borderlands, but before Borderlands 2. Documenting the rise of the villainous Handsome Jack, players will step into the shoes of four characters who should be recognizable to fans of the franchise: Athena the Gladiator, Wilheim the Enforcer, Nisha the Lawbringer and Claptrap the Fragtrap.
While largely remaining true to the gameplay of Borderlands 2, since they both run on the same engine, The Pre-Sequel! does add a few new wrinkles to the formula. Since the title is set on the moon, the lack of gravity will play a major role in combat. Players can use their equipped oxygen tanks to not only get around faster via hovering, but can also use them to unleash devastating downward strikes against enemies. Oxygen management will also factor into the game, as players must make sure to replenish their air supply, less they suffer a suffocating death.
In addition to all of the newly unlocked abilities made possible through zero-g, The Pre-Sequel! will also introduce two new weapons types. The laser gun, which looks like your typical sci-fi laser beam, has the ability to blast through enemies, while the cryo type will allow players to freeze and shatter foes.
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel! will be coming to the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Windows PC this fall. It will not be coming to next-gen consoles, due to their smaller install sizes.
