During our coverage of E3 2015 I got the chance to visit 2K and get some hands on time with their upcoming game Battleborn. The game is the product of Gearbox who crafted the successful Borderlands series and like that series, Battleborn uses a similar style of animation and has a cast of quirky characters and humor in a team based experience.
It is here that any similarities to Borderlands ends and the new rounds of massive fun begin. During our briefing, we were introduced to the characters and told that there will be 25 unique characters for us to select to play as with up to four other players when the game launches.
There are melee players who cut, spin, and whirl a dance of death, ranged players who blast away all in site, and others with a few tricks in store such as removing their hands to heal other players.
I opted to play as a Clone Soldier and wasted no time in using my rifle to mow down enemies and bash heads in my assault on the forces of darkness. As the mission evolved, things became more and more complicated so I had to use the alternate fire options which allowed me to lob a grenade in and thin the advancing attacks.
My character also had a cloak ability which I used later in the rounds. As the enemies massed and grew it became time to use the big stick in my arsenal and this was the ability to call in an orbital strike by marking and area and letting the bombs fall.
This was a very delightful part of the game and I waited for my recharge to complete so I could unleash more death from above on the bad guys.
Most of the gameplay involved clearing an area of enemies, opening doors, and later on, escorting a giant walking vehicle to a key point on the map and protecting it from the numerous assaults.
The enemies were varied and the animation and graphics were first rate.
For me, it was the smooth and fast-paced action that caught my attention as I loved mowing down everything that came near me and only dying once during my session was a real bonus as well.
The game allows players a diverse set of characters as well as a fun setting that made Battleborn one of my picks for the game of the show as yes, it was that good and I cannot wait for the game to be released.
