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

Gabe Gurwin
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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.

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.

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“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.

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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.

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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.

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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…
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