Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

‘Borderlands 2 VR’ brings you back to Pandora, but you’ll go there alone

By
Borderlands 2 VR: Announcement Trailer

We’ve been waiting for Gearbox Software to announce a true third Borderlands game for about six years now, and though that game still remains a mystery, the company has something extra special to tide fans over. Borderlands 2 VR lets you — yes, you — finally enter the world of Pandora. Just don’t expect to bring any friends along for the journey.

Recommended Videos

Coming this December to PlayStation VR for $50, Borderlands 2 VR features the same storyline with Handsome Jack made famous in the original Borderlands 2, but it includes several changes to better suit the headset. Like similar virtual reality shooters, you’ll have the option to teleport around the environment, which should cut down on motion sickness. The game also includes “Bad Ass Mega Fun Time,” a way to slow down time in order to ready an attack more easily. Tweaks have been made to the four playable characters’ special abilities to fit the virtual reality platform better, as well.

“As soon as we brought the game to PS4 as part of The Handsome Collection in [2015,] our brains immediately began cranking on how we could bring the experience to VR and take advantage of PSVR’s capabilities,” Gearbox producer Brian Burleson said in a post on the PlayStation Blog.

1 of 3
borderlands 2 vr announced borderlands2vr3
Image used with permission by copyright holder
borderlands 2 vr announced borderlands2vr2
Image used with permission by copyright holder
borderlands 2 vr announced borderlands2vr1
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Borderlands 2 VR will include the option to either use PlayStation Move controllers or a traditional DualShock 4, and it moves driving into a first-person perspective for the first time in the series.

Unfortunately, a few cuts have also been made for Borderlands 2 VR. The game only supports single-player, so you can’t explore Pandora with your buddies, and the two DLC classes — the Mechromancer and the Psycho — are also not included. To make up for it only being playable solo, Gearbox has updated characters’ abilities. Maya’s “Res” has been changed to “Empathy,” and now damages enemies based on how much health you’ve lost while increasing healing in the new BAMF mode.

Borderlands 2 VR will release for PlayStation VR on December 14. If you’re looking for a shooter to play on the headset while you wait, consider checking out Doom VFR or the exploration-based PlayStation VR exclusive Farpoint. Check out our list of the best PlayStation VR games for even more options.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Gabe Gurwin
Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
You can win cash with PlayStation’s new tournament feature. Here’s how to sign up
Two characters brawl in Guilty Gear Strive.

Sony has officially launched PlayStation Tournaments on the PS5 today. The company announced the launch of the new esports feature in a blog post published this morning following three months of beta testing.

Compete in PlayStation Tournaments for PS5

Read more
I can’t wait to go back to Street Fighter 6’s excellent Battle Hub
street fighter 6 battle hub preview arcade cabinet

Fighting games live or die on their online communities. Of course, basic functions like rollback netcode and cross-play are essential to a healthy fighting game, but Street Fighter 6 goes further by creating an online hub that celebrates the series and gives players somewhere to hang out between matches. Call it a metaverse if you must, but in reality, the Battle Hub is one-third of the Street Fighter 6 package and will likely be home to the communities and tournaments that ensure people will play the game for years to come.
It was also the focus of the Closed Beta for Street Fighter 6 this past weekend, which gave me a second chance to go hands-on with the game after falling in love with it at Summer Game Fest Play Days. The core 1-v-1 fights are still a joy to play and the beta’s new characters -- Juri, Kimberly, Guile, and Ken -- all come with the exciting combos and flashy animations. But really, I came away impressed with the groundwork Capcom is laying for Battle Hub and its implications for World Tour mode.
What’s the hubbub about?
The Battle Hub is one of three options players can choose right from the main menu of Street Fighter 6, and when selected, it tasks players with creating a character avatar that will represent them. I didn’t spend too much time with these options, but they seemed quite in-depth for those who enjoy a detailed character creator. After creating a blue-haired and face-tattooed fighter, I was thrust into the Battle Hub’s futuristic arcade.

Multiplayer hubs as a replacement for simple menus aren't a new concept for fighting games (Bandai Namco games like Dragon Ball FighterZ have done this for a while). Still, for Capcom’s first attempt at one, the Battle Hub is full of personality and things to do. Its stark blue colors, a plethora of screens, and many gameplay cabinets make it feel like the high-tech arcade Capcom wants it to be.
As soon as I entered, I could walk around, emote, and perform classic Street Fighter moves the Hadoken with button presses. I was also near two kiosks. At one, I could register and view tournaments and Street Fighter 6 events, although none were available for me during this Closed Beta. The other one was the Hub Goods Shop, where I could buy clothes and other gear to customize my character further with the currency I accrued while playing.
The other kiosks on the main level weren’t available in this Closed Beta outside a screen that showed which player in our server was performing the best. I then headed toward the arcade cabinets, most of which form a circle around the center of the Battle Hub. One person has to sit on each side to initiate a Street Fighter 6 match. While it’s a bit annoying to sit and wait for someone to play with you, I could always find an opponent if I looked around at every cabinet. Hopefully, the final game will have an option to get into fights slightly faster for those who want to simply jump into it.

Read more
New Tales from the Borderlands brings Metal Gear Solid nods, figurine battles
A robot holds up a small figuring of a man holding two guns in New Tales from the Borderlands.

Tales from the Borderlands is considered by many to be one of the best stories crafted by the no-longer-defunct Telltale Games. It’s mix of humor, action, and surprising amount of heart left a strong impression with players. Now, the series returns with New Tales from the Borderlands, an all new interactive narrative game.

New Tales from the Borderlands - Official Announce Trailer

Read more