gearbox
Latest
Borderlands 2 getting new class, level cap raise in the next few months
The new Vault Hunter for Borderlands 2, teased at SXSW, has been revealed at PAX East. Krieg the Psycho will be the game's sixth playable class, and you can see a quick teaser of what he looks and plays like in the video above. He's primarily a melee character, but has a few ranged abilities and can skill up in the Bloodlust tree (focused on combat bonuses), go insane with the Mania tree, or break out fire-based attacks with the Hellborn tree. Krieg is part of the Psycho Pack, which will be available in May for $9.99, or 800 Microsoft points. On April 2, Borderlands 2 will get the Ultimate Vault Hunter Upgrade pack ($5, or 400 MSP), which will raise the game's level cap from 50 up to 61. Unlike the Psycho Pack, it will be part of the game's Season Pass content and unlock a third playthrough in the "Ultimate Vault Hunter mode." Finally, Gearbox teased the game's last piece of campaign DLC at its panel, which it simply said was due out sometime in June. %Gallery-183718%
Aliens: Colonial Marines patch fixes a lot of things, even the flamethrower
Clean up on aisle Aliens: Colonial Marines – Sega launched a patch to address a few of the issues in Colonial Marines, including various visual improvements, improved texture resolution, audio fixes, increased enemy and friendly AI responsiveness, modified enemy collision detection and NPC navigation, fixed spawning issues, removal of the ability to walk outside of maps, and many more, listed in full below.Our favorite from this extensive list has to be, "Addressed an issue where Ripley's Flamethrower (bonus content) would sometimes fire continuously without player input." The update should automatically install on Steam, so unfortunately there's no way to keep that particular glitch (feature?) in your game.When Colonial Marines launched in February, we found it to be a broken, unfinished mess, and most others agreed. Since it hit stores, developers Gearbox, TimeGate and publisher Sega have yet to agree where the blame lies. TimeGate let go 25 people in early March.
Gearbox details the evolution of the playable Borderlands cast
During a panel at the SXSW Interactive Festival, Gearbox franchise director Matt Armstrong and Borderlands lead character designer Jonathan Hemingway provided a behind the scenes look at how the developer evolved its playable characters from faceless archetypes to its four-person killing crew.Each character was originally conceived to give players a point of comparison to other genres or game franchises. The accessible and easy to use "Doom Guy" focused on giving classic shooter fans their familiar FPS fix; the tactical shooter archetype focused on delivering more strategic options, like in Metal Gear or Splinter Cell; and a world manipulator character concept wanted to give gamers a James Bond-like, gadget-focused killer.Eventually, these original concepts – crudely drawn in shapes – evolved into the four playable characters featured in Borderlands.
Gearbox reveals next Borderlands 2 DLC includes a new vault hunter [Update]
During a panel at SXSW, Borderlands 2 developer Gearbox has revealed a new vault hunter is coming to its RPG-fueled first-person shooter."Deep beneath Pandora, an experiment has escaped," a teaser for the DLC announced, revealing a silhouette of the new character decimating enemies. "Bandits beware, a new vault hunter is coming. More mayhem awaits."Details for the second add-on character were scarce, much like the Pandora wasteland; however, the teaser (which you can view above) leads us to believe the new character is melee-focused. Gearbox franchise director Matt Armstrong wouldn't reveal the exact release for the DLC during the panel but added, "DLC is announced on a very tight schedule, and I don't think you'll have to wait long until you see that character."Update: Gearbox has clarified to Joystiq that the upcoming DLC character is not included as part of the Borderlands 2 Season Pass. The story above has been edited.
Players probe the code of Aliens: Colonial Marines, find some fixes
Maybe when the industry and players panned Aliens: Colonial Marines for being a hot mess, it was only because we all approached it from the wrong angle. Perhaps Colonial Marines' true gameplay value lies in its modding opportunities, specifically those that would fix the game's graphics, lighting, AI, UI and anything else that might need it.Groups of players with programming skills are taking to the Colonial Marines source code, attempting to patch up the game (for PC) on their own. The Steam and Gearbox forums host a number of fix guides, including this step-by-step walkthrough with pre-made files from Steam user adonys.Gearbox forum member kutjong notes an interesting phenomenon within the Colonial Marines code: "It's quite fascinating to study the .ini files. In PecanCompat.ini you can see all the graphics cards that qualify for a certain class. The most modern graphics card in that list is from 2007!" This Gearbox thread in particular hosts some comparison screenshots from before and after players have fiddled with the code, including the enhanced shot above. Game on, coders.
Aliens: Colonial Marines storms this week's UK charts
Disaster or no, Aliens: Colonial Marines is still a big enough name to not only take top spot ahead of Dead Space 3 in the UK charts this week, but to become the country's biggest new release of 2013 so far - a stat perhaps scarier than anything in the game itself.Dead Space 3 is in second place this week after a 57 percent drop in sales, while the traditional mid-term holiday bump - sales rose 39 percent overall from last week - sees Assassin's Creed 3 and Halo 4 re-enter the top ten at sixth and tenth respectively.Ni no Kuni and DmC: Devil May Cry suffered big drops last week, and both continue their descents this time around. Ni no Kuni's third week in Europe sees it tumble to 25th, while after five weeks DmC almost leaves the top 40 altogether, coming in at 39th.
Borderlands 2 Big Game Hunt DLC now on Mac
Attention dapper players of Borderlands 2 on Mac: "Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt" is now available on Apple's OS. The DLC can be snared on Steam for $9.99.Meanwhile, members of Mac developer Aspyr's GameAgent service can grab Big Game Hunt at a 25 percent discount. Members need only log into GameAgent and use the coupon code on the front page. Just don't say we didn't warn you.
Metareview: Aliens: Colonial Marines
Get away from this game, you @#%$!. Our review of Gearbox's Aliens: Colonial Marines found it "devoid of any redeeming qualities whatsoever." Let's find out how others felt. EGM (90/100): "On an express elevator to otherworldly awesomeness."meanwhile, everyone else... OXM UK (60/100): "It needed to offer intense combat against an unstoppable force, deft storytelling that matched the cinematic flair of the films, and some new ideas that could have rejuvenated an overexposed franchise. It needed, in short, to be a better game." Edge (50/100): "Colonial Marines feels stiff, shallow and dated. First announced for a 2008 release before the Aliens franchise machine prioritized other projects, it feels like more work has been retained from that initial production period than either Gearbox or Sega would care to admit. " Game Informer (40/100): "Take away the Aliens license, and you've got a shooter that has no reason to exist. It would be like stripping the terraforming from Fracture or playing Inversion without its gravity-defying gimmick. At its best, it's barely mediocre." Eurogamer (30/100): "It's shocking stuff, certainly one of the most glitchy mainstream releases of this hardware generation, and the sort of thing that would barely pass muster as a low budget game from 2002."
Aliens: Colonial Marines 'Bug Hunt' DLC coming in March, more on the way
Aliens: Colonial Marines will receive four add-on packs starting with the launch of the Bug Hunt DLC in March. Bug Hunt has players cooperatively taking on waves of enemies in three new maps. The other three content packs, a mixture of campaign and multiplayer DLC, will be available by the end of August.All four of the DLC packs will be available individually and for Season Pass holders, which Sega confirmed is "a $29.99 / 2400 Microsoft Point bundle that offers a savings of almost 40% over buying the content individually." The Season Pass can be bought on Steam right now for $27, and will make its way to Xbox 360 and PS3 in the near future.
Borderlands Legends update opens a loot chest full of new mechanics and features
Borderlands Legends has received quite the hefty update and is now compatible with iPhone 5 and iPad Mini. The most significant changes are enhanced controls and path-finding for the Vault Hunters, gun loot drops, new enemy types, miniboss encounters, plus Game Center support.2K Games has also added a Sniper mode for Mordecai, where players can pinpoint a specific enemy in the game for him to let loose a high-damage shot at. In addition, players will find "enhanced visual effects," rare Eridian weaponry to obsess over and new night maps to shoot their way through.In celebration of the update, Borderlands Legends is on sale for $.99 on both iPhone and iPad for a limited time – sorry, no universal app here.
Borderlands 2 nears 6 million shipped, on course to be 2K's best seller
Borderlands 2 is sneaking up on the 6 million mark for units shipped, and well on the way to exploding 2K Games' sales records. Speaking in yesterday's financials call, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said the rambunctious shooter was the company's biggest earner in terms of digital sales across the fiscal year."Building on its extraordinary launch in September, Borderlands 2 continues to expand its audience and remains on pace to become the highest-selling title in 2K's history," said Zelnick. "It has also been the largest contributor to our digitally delivered revenue this year, driven both by strong sales of full game downloads, and high attach rates for the title's add-on content, especially the Borderlands 2 Season Pass."The Gearbox-developed sequel had shipped over 5 million back in October 2012. While shipments aren't the same as sales, it's worth noting the original Borderlands sold 4.5 million copies as of August 2011.
New Borderlands 2 fashions in Domination, Madness and Supremacy styles
Borderlands 2's vault hunters now have additional downloadable skins to put on in their quest for better loot. Each class now has a Domination, Madness or Supremacy themed outfit, available for $0.99 / 80 Microsoft Points apiece. The 15 skins are not included as part of the $30 Borderlands 2 'Season Pass.'What you do get with the Borderlands 2 Season Pass is the recently released Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt. The Seasons Pass will include one more piece of DLC to conclude the four announced packs. Then we place our bets on a "game of the year" edition for this holiday that'll include Borderlands 2 plus all DLC.
Aliens: Colonial Marines reaches Wii U in Q1
Aliens: Colonial Marines, scheduled for February 12 on other platforms, now has a launch window of calendar Q1 for Wii U. Before the sun rises on the day of fools, you may dine on the blood of xenomorphs. It's the holistic way of handling an upset stomach.%Gallery-173092%
PSA: Borderlands 2's 'Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt' DLC begins today
Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt is tallying-ho to Borderlands 2 today for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. It's already reached XBLM, and will make its way to PlayStation Network and Steam later today. The third of the four announced DLC campaigns is free for Season Pass holders, but otherwise sets you back 800 MSP on XBLM, or $9.99 on PSN and Steam. If you're getting Big Game Hunt on PSN in Europe or Oceania, you'll have to wait one more day as it's scheduled there for tomorrow, Jan. 16.As for when the fourth DLC campaign is due, Gearbox is still sticking to the 'by June 2013' line. That's despite the first three arriving within three months of the game's release, and there being a further five months until June. Ergo, the key word there is by.
Game on, man! Aliens: Colonial Marines is ready for pre-order
The release of Gearbox's Aliens: Colonial Marines is finally zeroing in towards us, with publisher Sega launching a new television teaser to promote the oft-delayed title. For PC soldiers, Colonial Marines features a number of bonuses on Steam if players are willing to sign up for the Weyland-Yutani sponsored expedition before its launch. Steam pre-order bonuses include a Sonic-Harpoon Artillery Remote Projectile (or S.H.A.R.P.) stick rifle, a weapon referenced in James Cameron's Aliens that fires explosive darts. Aliens: Colonial Marines will also be available for Xbox 360, Wii U, and the PlayStation 3, when it launches on February 12.
Borderlands 2 PC patch kills Deathtrap bugs, more
The PC version of Borderlands 2 has received its monthly update. Among the addressed items are a miscalculation of gun damage when Gunzerking, and shotguns ignoring buffs from stats, abilities and gear. Mechromancers need not suffer their stalwart companion Deathtrap randomly healing enemy shields anymore, "even though it was hilarious," Gearbox says.Gearbox president Randy Pitchford wrote a related post in the forums, thanking fans and asking for patience while the team continues to work on Borderlands 2. He also says "awesome" a lot.You can find the notes from this month's patch just after the break or through the source link below.
Borderlands 2 DLC retail pack listed by Australian ratings board
Borderlands 2 downloadable content could soon be wrecking its way to retail shelves, going by a recently rated pack containing 'Captain Scarlett and her Pirate's Booty' and 'Mr Torgue's Campaign of Carnage.' The game's first two DLC campaigns are included in a 'Borderlands 2 Expansion Pack' rated for retail by the Australian Classification Board.The original Borderlands got the same treatment for its first two DLC packs, but not for the latter couple, for whatever reason. Given there are four DLC campaigns already planned we'd be surprised and more than a little confused if this wasn't the first of two retail packs to arrive in European and North American stores. Either way, we've reached out to developer Gearbox Software for more details.
Aliens: Colonial Marines story trailer investigates a deserted ship
This trailer for Aliens: Colonial Marines shows a certain Captain Cruise ordering his crew to investigate a 17-week-old distress signal on the U.S.S. Sulaco. As indicated by the trailer's dramatic music and the word "aliens" in the game's title, the "liquid situation" has players leading the highly-skilled group of marines into battle against hostile alien beings (surprise!).The Gearbox-developed game uses environments drawn specifically from the movie series of the same name, such as LV-426 and Hadley's Hope. Aliens: Colonial Marines is coming to Xbox 360, PC, Wii U and PS3 on February 12, 2013.
Borderlands series sale bombards Xbox Live today
"Game of the Year" contender Borderlands 2 is blasting off 33 percent of its Games on Demand price today, the game going for $39.99 as part of Xbox Live's Countdown to 2013 sale. Today's deal also has the Season Pass for Gearbox's shooter sequel down by 25 percent at 1800 MSP, while the original Borderlands takes a half-price tumble to $9.99.Last week Gearbox revealed the third Borderlands 2 DLC campaign, Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt, is due on January 15. If you've been thinking about getting the Season Pass then now's a good time to get on board, because today's discount means you'd get the four DLC campaigns it grants access to, including Big Game Hunt, for almost half the price of buying them separately on Xbox Live.
Mac Game of the Week: Borderlands 2 gets exclusive content for the Mac
Borderlands was sort of a surprise from Gearbox when it released a few years ago: It's an action RPG game, in the vein of popular titles like Diablo, but instead of the form that genre usually takes, an isometric fantasy RPG, Borderlands successfully placed loot grinding and RPG progression into an open-world first-person shooter. That first game was a bit unexpected for everyone (including the developers), but Gearbox was ready for the acclaim with Borderlands 2. The sequel is better, bigger, shinier and even more fun. And now Borderlands 2 has made its way over to the Mac App Store, courtesy of ubiquitous Mac publisher Aspyr. The biggest drawback with this release is that multiplayer isn't in yet -- this is a singleplayer version, so apparently Aspyr wanted to get it out before the holiday without nailing down the multiplayer code. That's a bummer, especially because Borderlands is most fun with friends. But Aspyr has made up for that bit of lateness in the code with lots of goodies. The first DLC for Borderlands 2 is also available right away on day one, and you can buy it separately or pick up a Borderlands season pass, which will eventually give you all of the DLC together in one package. And I'm glad to see that this version also includes some exclusive content: Some extra "Fired Up" skins come for free, and there's a Contraband Sky Rocket grenade mod included as well. So that's good to see. Plus, the game is 25 percent off throughout the holidays, for just US$44.99. Cheers to Aspyr for bringing us a Mac port like this -- it's not often that we see a port ready to go on the same year as the PC release, not to mention with some extra content. That lack of multiplayer isn't great, but it's forgivable. If you need a really fun shooter to explore over the holiday weekend (and of course have a Mac capable of running it), be sure to take a trip back to Pandora in Borderlands 2.
