The revival of a loved by-product. A movie adaptation (whose forged makes no feel at all). A mainline access (that, towards all odds, feels astonishingly fresh). Yes, it’s secure to mention Borderlands is back, and having its largest 12 months in an extended time.
Borderlands, arguably the flagship collection of developer Gearbox, has had some suits of recognition over the years. The first access got here out in 2009, and stood out for marrying the primary-character capturing and Diablo-fashion looting with cel-shaded visuals innov an innovative choice that’s no question helped the collection stand the check of time — and a performatively profane feel of humor. In 2012, Gearbox launched a sequel, and severely ramped up the high-satisfactory of the script; Further to providing a real all-timer of a villain, Borderlands 2’s tale turned into full of real emotional heft that retroactively gave persona to the playable avatars from the primary recreation. Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, now no longer advanced via way of means of Gearbox, got here out in 2014. It turned into… fine. All 3 video games obtained a ton of expansions.
The collection cooled for some years, whilst developer Gearbox labored at the ill-fated Battleborn, however popped up once more for Borderlands three in 2019. That recreation turned into supplanted via way of means of 4 foremost expansions. In the meantime, it followed particularly of a live-provider model: At a reputedly unpredictable cadence, Borderlands three could run time-limited “activities” in which finishing sure tasks — for instance, capturing your manner through a cocaine-covered villa — stood a better risk of profitable you with uncommon loot.
Borderlands four continues to be nowhere to be seen — despite, um, cryptic feedback made via way of means of Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford remaining 12 months — however the collection made a dash at E3 2021 with information approximately a by-product: Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands . Set among the activities of the second one and 0.33 video games, Wonderlands takes location in a delusion tabletop RPG, wrapped withinside the identical recreation-within-a-recreation foil as Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep, one of the best-obtained Borderlands 2 expansions.I’ll be the primary to confess that I imagined Wonderlands, which hit consoles and PC remaining month, could simply be extra of the identical. Nope. Wonderlands brought some of adjustments that make it like an expanded sequel in place of a phoned-in stopgap among mainline entries. Borderlands video games have usually featured tedious using segments. Wonderlands doesn’t have motors at all, as a substitute providing an RPG-stimulated overworld. Borderlands three obtained a few honest complaints for devaluing the fun of locating legendary-tiered weapons. For Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, Gearbox toned down the drop charges of its rarest weapons, the recreation’s innovative director Matt Cox advised me recently, however declined to enter specifics at the behind-the-scenes math. It additionally functions new fight tools (spells and melee weapons), A-listing voice talent (Will Arnett, Wanda Sykes, Andy Samberg), and a distinctly enticing endgame loop (a roguelike-mild mode known as Chaos Chamber). But Wonderlands is simply the start of Borderlands’ domination of 2022. In addition to a chain of short expansions — that have already begun rolling out a month after the recreation’s release — there’s some other by-product at the manner. Last week, Gearbox introduced a revival of the famous Tales From the Borderlands collection of journey video games. The original, which turned into advanced and launched via way of means of Telltale Games in 2014, turned into extensively praised for its sharp writing. If there’s any reason for alarm approximately its resurgence, it’s that the following access is made in-residence via way of means of Gearbox. Hopefully the script keeps the wit and intensity of its forebear. We’ll see while it comes out later this 12 months.
Perhaps the least-acknowledged amount is the approaching Borderlands movie adaptation. Directed via way of means of horror auteur Eli Roth and written in element via way of means of Craiz Mazin (acknowledged for Chernobyl and Scary Movie three), it’s due out a while this 12 months. The forged is anchored via way of means of Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Jamie Lee Curtis; All are megawatt stars, of course, however if you’re even fairly acquainted with Borderlands lore, it’s hard to image any of those actors of their respective roles (besides mayyyybe Jack Black because the terminally irksome robotic Claptrap). Still, plenty withinside the identical manner Jumanji powered its manner into visibility primarily based totally on big name electricity alone, it’s probable the Borderlands film has a shot of creating a dash.
All of this Borderlands would possibly appear like oversaturation to outsiders or to individuals who recall themselves passing fans ‚the folks that dip into the mainline entries to fuck round for a chunk earlier than bouncing onto the following thing. But for the ones people who’ve been hungry for a real resurgence for years, 2022 is shaping as much as to be a pleasing surprise. As my colleague Zack Zwiezen referred to remaining week, it’s the 12 months of Borderlands. We’re simply alongside for the ride.