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Here's a Look at Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel's Ruthless Gladiator in Action

Tank you very much.

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Over the next few weeks, GameSpot will be giving you an extended look at three playable characters in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. Today we begin with gameplay video of Athena the Gladiator.

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Who is Athena? Well, anyone who played The Secret Armory of General Knoxx from the first Borderlands may just recognize her as a foe-turned-ally who helped the vault hunters take down that DLC's titular villain. But this time around, Athena is more than an ally. She'll be butt-stomping enemies on the moon as one of Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel's main characters.

Athena employs an action skill called Kinetic Apsis, a shield that lets her absorb incoming damage and throw it right back at her enemies for double the damage. Upgrades to this skill let her store elemental damage, as well allow her Apsis strikes to chain between a group of foes should they be standing in close proximity.

But as the tank of the group, Athena's skill tree lets her focus on frenzied, close-quarters combat. Maelstrom is a stack system that lets her chain together more and more elemental damage so long as she continues dishing it out in rapid succession, while Blood Rush is a skill that turns her standard melee swipe into a full-on charge attack designed to let her quickly close the gap between enemies.

Watch the video above and you can see for yourself just how Athena performs out in the wild. And as an added bonus, you'll be able to get a look at a new single-person hoverbike making its debut in the Borderlands franchise. Want to see more? Be sure to come back next Thursday for a look at another playable character in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel.

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seanwil545

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I have BL1 and 2, but if this is more than $40 then I'm waiting for a Steam sale.

It is bound to have gobs of DLC, so pricing will be important.

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MegaHowler

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To be honest I'm only getting this game because BL2 wasn't as good as BL1 mechanics wise. Classes and Guns weren't as good. Hopefully they'll make up for it in this one.

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vicsrealms

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Definitely agree with the guns. Seems like everyone of them had an attitude problem that enjoyed using up as much ammo as possible. Never did get very far in the game because of that. Just went back to Borderlands to continue playing.

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Too-DementeD

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Classes is all down to personal preference, but guns?? There were way more gun combinations in BL2 compared to BL1, and they even brought some back too.

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ruralbudha2013

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<< LINK REMOVED >> say what!!!!!

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mari2kde

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who cares, another shooter... I will not pay a cent for shooters anymore.


We want more oldschool RPGs with Turn-Based Combat !!!


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vicsrealms

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<< LINK REMOVED >> These games are actually pretty fun, and they are not your normal shooter. The campaign for these games can go on forever with at least two play throughs or more. Compared to most shooters having a campaign of fours hours and then only relying on multiplayer. With Borderlands, you have single player and co-op and the equipment hunting can really eat up the time on ya.

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Holoogamooga_

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Turn-based games were a dime a dozen pre-N64. Seriously, I've played more than I care to count. And most of them sucked. The only ones that stand out are the Chrono Triggers, the universally worshiped titles, and they don't stand out because of their battle system.

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VexxRed

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Derp.

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The-Neon-Seal

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Most turn based games suck, and BL has more old school RPG elements than most modern RPGs.

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179107199999

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> That's just an opinion. Turn based is still fun. And I disagree that BL has more old school elements than modern RPGs. The Bethesda and what they did to fallout and how they carried ElderScrolls was way more engaging to me. BL was just a shooter.You pick a preset character and make that character grow in the way of combat that is Their style. In modern Fallouts and Elderscrolls you have a race and gender but you make the character fit the way you want to play. You don't need guns (or a sword) to take foes down.In the beginning yes but with perks and point placement your character becomes a killing machine that you want them to be.Now I dislike Skyrim's growth system when compared to Elderscrolls4 because in 4 I thought it was cool to let my character run and increase his athletics and stamina. It was fun increasing my acrobatics and stealth and unarmed combat after I masterethe sword. My character in Oblivion grew kinda like me in terms of athletics.Borderlands didn't give me that feel. (neither did Skyrim) I couldn't get in to BL because I didn't connect with the characters and it was just a shooter.Fallout was better.Better setting.Better characters and better character growth.Taking out Deathclaws with weapons other than guns is extremely satisfying. Also I point out FO and ES because they remind me of a Paizo tabletaop RPG I played some years back.

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cashandchecks

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Looks like Destiny to me

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The-Neon-Seal

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<< LINK REMOVED >> You mean Destiny looks like BL.

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cashandchecks

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> Correct

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The-Neon-Seal

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> And craft in BL handle like craft in Halo.

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spartanx169x

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> Really the only things they have that look similar is the hit detection (numbers flying when enemy gets hit) and damage meter of enemies. Everything else is pretty much different. The gun sights /scopes remind me lot of KZ:SF while the landscape and speeder bikes and enemy species looks like something from Star Wars. while game mechanics (running and jumping) definitely Halo. None of which is bad in my opinion.

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The-Neon-Seal

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This might be a good spin-off. I'm getting the same vibe that I got from Fallout:NV, which was excellent.

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nparks

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You sure that gladiator's name isn't Atheliana?

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Boddicker

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I'm already sold. BL2 was great fun, though it does need to be tweaked for people that prefer to play solo. BL2 on the hardest difficulty even basic enemies were regenerating bullet sponges. It would literally take a few clips to take out a psycho.

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skyke101

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<< LINK REMOVED >> yeah, I really don't like the concept of "cranking up difficulty = makes enemy hit hard and receive less damage", its pretty lazy design, I do like the fact that you need to swap your guns more since there are more element-coated enemies

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UFOLoche

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<< LINK REMOVED >> It's not AS bad if you know what you're doing. Axton, for example can kill enemies without even slagging them.


Not that I disagree, UVHM was complete BS at many points(Assault on Dragon Keep, anyone?)

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The-Neon-Seal

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<< LINK REMOVED >> I agree. Difficulty went up when another player joined, but ultimate vault hunter modes difficulty was pretty much broken when it came to solo play, stacking up like you had eight players on your team when really it was just you on your loansome.

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nayce54

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I don't get it, it's just another FPS - who cares?

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countofwilfore

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Have you played BL1 or BL2?

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Boddicker

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<< LINK REMOVED >> 'cuz LOOT.

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nayce54

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> They give you this cool character to play with and then you can't even see her because it's an FPS.

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The-Neon-Seal

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> It's also an RPG.

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Boddicker

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> It's about as much an RPG as the first Zelda is on the NES. Just because it has skill trees and you can choose what order you do the side quests in does not make it an RPG.


It's sad that kids nowadays consider tripe (fun tripe mind you) like this an RPG. Buy Fallout: New Vegas ultimate edition if you want to experience an actual RPG.

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The-Neon-Seal

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> I have the ultimate edition of Fallout: NV. I have also got every achievement for it and played many, many other RPGs in my time. If you climb through personal levels that allow you to expand upon skills of your choice within a set role then it is an RPG.

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xbr85

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> Zelda is an adventure game not an rpg, this game has more in common with an RPG than it has with Zelda, although it's neither really, it's a combination of Diablo-style hack'n slash and FPS i'd say.

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spartanx169x

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> What specific characteristics does an actual RPG have?

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Snyper22

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> RPG = Role Playing Game. I prefer to think of RPG's as single player only(Fable, Witcher,Elder scrolls) but multi-player has broadened the term RPG and thus made it more complex to explain.

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The-Neon-Seal

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> Gaining XP to climb through levels and unlock aspects of a chosen skill tree, as well as the ability to pick and choose quests.

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spartanx169x

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> Yep, I would agree. Which would put BL in that category. I would also add the non-linear gameplay as well.

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The-Neon-Seal

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@spartanx169x @The-Neon-Seal @Boddicker @nayce54 Another example is Destiny. Destiny may use a lot of elements from games like Halo -being buy the same guys- but in essence, it is an RPG with FPS and MMO elements.


I should also add that BL has way more dice rolling elements -with stacks and such- than most other current RPGs like Fallout.

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Boddicker

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@nayce54 @Boddicker Not all of us like TPS. I guess it would be nice if they put that option in there, but BL being the way it is precision is often required and you can only get that with an FPS.

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nayce54

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> you mean, you get a lot for your money?

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Boddicker

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> No, it's a loot based game similar to Diablo. Guns have different parts at random (grip, sight, barrel, stock,). To find a rare gun with favorable parts is half the fun.

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nayce54

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> Really, screw this game. Still waiting for Mortal Kombat X, Final Fantasy, Deep Down, maybe even New Smash Bros. Oh yea Bloodborne, Division, etc - You know, the really good games!

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Boddicker

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> Meh, to be young.

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nayce54

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> Last Guardian will eat this game

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Boddicker

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL


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jamesbigmac

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Maelstrom builds look like they are going to be awesome.

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jinzo9988

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So... what do all the people blistering Battlefield: Hardline for looking like an expansion pack have to say about this game? Having played Borderlands 2 somewhere around 80 hours, this looks identical.

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Holoogamooga_

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Four new classes, new maps, new enemies, new weapons, new backstory, and some new mechanics. The core gameplay is going to be the same as the first two games, sure, but I wouldn't really say it's identical, and enough has changed to qualify it as more than just DLC. I say this after ~500 hours in the first two games.

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spartanx169x

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Just like Hardline this is an expansion. But I can never get too much of BL as long as the comedy is good.

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<< LINK REMOVED >> I will play it but yes; I D E N T I C A L

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I'll admit, after seeing these new gameplay mechanics, new environments, new classes, new enemies and new vehicles... I think I'm sold. I might wait for a sale if it's $60 at launch, but I'll get it eventually for sure.

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