We here at Somnambulant Gamer had an idea. Many sites put up lists of upcoming games and leave them at that. Still others write up small capsule previews of said games. We just weren't content with any of that. We brainstormed for hours, days, months! Okay, more like a couple hours over while driving, but that's besides the point. We present to you, the future! A future rife with pumpkins carved in the name of current and upcoming games! Welcome the the first annual Pumpkin Preview!
Tonight we talk a little about Borderlands. Many of you are surely familiar with Borderlands already since it's already out and ready for your consumption. The reviews have been kind for the most part, but a few have marked the game down for the very thing I think makes it so great. Borderlands doesn't take itself too seriously.
It's a common pitfall of games these days. They want so much to be epic and compelling, they forget to be fun. Borderlands was almost one of those very games, a super-realistic, sci-fi, post-apocalyptic hyphenate wet dream. Then the developers realized that in order to really distinguish their game from the rest of he pack, they should focus a little more on the fun.
If you haven't played Borderlands yet, let me paint you a picture. You're sitting on the couch playing co-op with a buddy of yours. You've settled on Brick since you thin k it'll be pretty straightforward to pummel things. Your more tactical (possibly more sadistic) friend has Mordechai, the hunter and has been providing you fire support from a distance. You are surprised by a few raiders and start to take a significant amount of damage.
Looking up at your compatriot's screen you see him training his scope on some poor saps head. Wait, that's your head. What is he doing?! He's steadying the shot, he fires! NOOOO!! All those wonderful beatings mean nothing when you're gunned down by your own...wait, you're still up and your health is higher. What the hell just happened?
You've just experienced the healing bullet, one of the many awesome and bizarre weapon attributes on offer in Borderlands. That, along with the dark humor, the cell shaded graphics, and the outright mayhem you can wreak make Borderlands one of the most entertaining games I've played in a long time.
