Preview: 'Battleborn' introduces the 'hero shooter'
When Gearbox Software launched Borderlands in 2009, they attempted to shake up the first-person shooter space by adding robust role-playing elements and endless supplies of loot like guns and armor. Hence, the "shooter looter" was born.
The studio is now hoping to carve out a new category in the overcrowded FPS genre -- the "hero shooter" -- with its next title, Battleborn. Gearbox and 2K offered the first taste of the action, which bears similarities to Borderlands with a stronger emphasis on the cast of colorful characters.
Battleborn takes place on the last star in the universe, Solus. All other stars have been consumed by an enemy called the Varlesi, and a group of battleborn heroes from various competing factions band together to eliminate a common foe.
The nine heroes revealed during the demo represent five factions in Battleborn, each of which boast their own unique weapons and skills. Peacekeepers focus on protecting Solus, while the vampire-like Jennerit Empire seek power over all. There's also the elf-like Eldrid seeking to maintain order in the universe, mercenaries called Rogues and war profiteers working for the Last Light Consortium (LLC).
Judging from the brief glimpse at several heroes, it appears they all bring special talents to the battlefield that make them special and equally entertaining. Montana is a massive brute wielding a chaingun, capable of dishing out and absorbing lots of damage. Thorn is an Eldrid archer light on health but deadly from afar with a variety of arrows and energy attacks. Miko is another Eldrid character specializing in fungal weaponry, slinging knives and bombs. Rath is a Jennerit swordsman who is particularly lethal up close.
Heroes boast skill trees that split two ways depending on the style a player wants to adopt. For example, Montana can use a more defensive approach and work as a walking bullet sponge, or beef up damage and wreak havoc on foes. They also have special powers to gain a battlefield advantage, like Miko's healing or Thorn unleashing a massive burst of energy.
Battleborn is primarily a first-person shooter, says Gearbox creative director Randy Varnell, despite the introduction of elements from role-playing games and even multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) titles. "We love the immersive nature of first-person. getting in, looking through the eyes of the battleborn," he says.
All elements of Battleborn focus on teams of five heroes, whether it's a mission during the campaign or multiplayer. One competitive match type featured during the demo was Incursion, reminiscent of what players might experience in a MOBA. Players plow through a series of objectives and enemies before infiltrating and destroying their opponents' base.
Battleborn shares a few characteristics with Gearbox's big hit Borderlands. It sports a colorful, comic-book style appearance, a strong emphasis on cooperative play and a comical cast of characters. What will be interesting to watch is how Battleborn morphs as we learn more information. The diversity between Hero characters is solid, but will we see that applied to the multiplayer and the campaign? We should know more when the game arrives in 2015 for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox one.
Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.