Battleborn First Look: A New Level of Co-Op

What’s left to do after creating one of the previous generation’s most beloved franchises? That’s the question Gearbox Software faced after releasing not one but two outstanding adventures in the Borderlands series. If the original and its DLC didn’t hook players, chances are Borderlands 2 probably did, with bigger environments, more guns and personality to spare. It was so good 2K couldn’t help but re-release two chapters from the saga as part of Borderlands: The Handsome Collection for PS4 and Xbox One.

Next up, we have Battleborn, a game reliant upon character battles and co-op action, but with an original setting, 25 warriors to choose from and a number of fresh twists.

The game takes place in the future, where the powerful Varlesi shut down every corner of the universe by sucking the life from stars. One star – Solus – remains, and the parasites are ready to make their move. Little do they realize a handful of unique heroes, human and otherwise, took refuge on the star and will stand their ground in what should be a spectacular fight to the finish.

Battleborn shares similarities with Borderlands. Battles look familiar, as you face foes big and small in groups across the world of Solus. In addition, there’s a skill tree for each character, as you can level up between stages depending on your progress. This includes increasing your warrior’s weapon range, speed, performance with special abilities and more.

This is where the similarities end, as Battleborn feels like a next-gen title. The first thing you’ll notice is the range of characters within the game. There will be 25 to choose from, instead of having to unlock heroes or buying them through DLC.

Run-and-gunners who prefer the old-fashioned first-person shooter can choose from Oscar Mike, a soldier who specializes in traditional weaponry, or Montana, a large cowboy who carries around a Gatling gun almost as big as he is. Marquis is a great soldier as well, a range specialist who takes out foes using his sniper cane.

Those who prefer melee-style combat (similar to that of Zer0 from Borderlands) have plenty to choose from as well. Miko is a walking mushroom with hack-and-slash moves, along with the ability to throw his head like a projectile. Phoebe is a telekinetic princess who not only stabs an enemy with ease, but can also summon swords to hurl at targeted opponents. Finally there’s Rath, a swordsman whose special technique turns him into a spinning blade.

Other characters bring something to the mix. Reyna can summon a number of magic abilities using a special glove, while Thorn, a sleek, fast-moving elf, can shoot arrows using a powerful bow.

Again, the game will offer a great deal of diversity in its characters, and players will be able to work together. Two characters, for instance, will be able to lead the assault with guns or arrows on the front, while the other two hack away with their weapons.

Each character has a main attack and other abilities, which can be used once they’re fully charged. They vary in strength and technique, but once you master them, you’ll be able to effectively use these maneuvers against the Varlesi’s forces, whether they’re ghostly skeleton warriors or larger creatures trying to impede your progress. Leveling up can increase their strength as well, so make sure you shop around to see what abilities work best.

The gameplay is quite good thus far, with shades of Borderlands’ style of control, but the new techniques make a difference when it comes to slaughtering dozens of enemies that get in your way. Plus, the game comes with plenty of co-op support, between two player local and five player online through either Xbox One or PlayStation 4. In fact, you can combine the two if you wish, teaming up with a friend locally and then hopping online to join up with three buddies to create the ultimate battle party.

As for Battleborn’s world, it’s massive. We’ve only seen parts of it during hands-on time with the demo, but it has the same scope and range as Borderlands, but with a galactic theme. This gives you plenty of room to run around and target enemies

Battleborn is still a ways off (we won’t see it until 2016), but Gearbox Software built something with just as much promise as the original Borderlands had in its development stage. Depending how the other characters fare, we could be in for quite the multiplayer treat in just a few months’ time.

While you patiently await Battleborn, read our Borderlands: The Handsome Collection Weapons Guide and get the most from our co-op tips.

The official E3 trailer for Battleborn is below!