We managed to get our hands on Borderlands 2 on the E3 show floor, and while there weren’t many surprises in the demo we played, we’re alright with this.

The mission available involved myself and a co-op partner teaming up to remove some unsightly statues of the game’s antagonist Handsome Jack. The statues, we come to find out, are bullet-proof, leaving us with a need for more firepower. As luck would have it, there just happened to be a giant robot with lasers a short distance away. After activating the machine to do our bidding, the mission became an escort while it did all of the heavy work.

Ever since the introduction trailer for the game, I’ve wanted to get my hands on the katana-wielding assassin, Zero, so naturally he was my choice to do battle with. I wasn’t able to get a full grasp of the character in my short time with the game, but his hologram-creating special ability could definitely have its benefits.

From what we saw, Borderlands 2 looks to be more Borderlands with some refinements. There’s more loot, more guns, different enemy types and the visual style is slightly more colorful and crisp than the original. Inventory management also appeared to be streamlined and more accessible. The fun of killing countless badies with a partner and humorous writing is still there in force, though.

If you didn’t enjoy the first Borderlands, you probably won’t enjoy the sequel when it releases September 18. For those who have already spent hours upon hours on the world of Pandora, there will be a lot more coming your way.