The Borderlands team has released a new developer diary for Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, highlighting the game’s new lunar environment along with some of the unique weapons and abilities that will be used by the new Vault Hunters.

Gearbox Software listened to the fans when it came to deciding on Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel’s setting, and took the game’s FPS action to the moon. Set between the events of Borderlands 1 and 2, The Pre-Sequel will tell the story of Handsome Jack’s rise to power. It will also explain why the moon, seen intact in the first game, is marked with volcanic fissures and a hovering Hyperion space station in the second.

Bringing the action to the moon presented some interesting gameplay opportunities for the team, and they took full advantage of this unique setting. The moon’s low gravity allowed 2K Australia and Gearbox to develop combat areas with a more vertical approach in mind, giving players oxygen-powered jump jets that allow extended hovering and huge leaps. The video even showed a jump-pad, which can spring players in the air for even more vertical mobility.

This spacey setting also comes with technology never seen in a Borderlands game; namely laser and cryo weapons. Cryo weapons can slow your enemies, freezing them entirely if hit with enough damage. Vault Hunters can then shatter opponents with melee attacks or the game’s new air-based butt-stomp, which developers consider the most fun option. Laser weapons bring an entirely new dynamic to the Pre-Sequel’s gameplay, and can work in conjunction with cryo weapons, allowing you to slice frozen enemies in half.

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is set for an October 14 release for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Another developer diary video is coming soon, focusing on the game’s new protagonists.

More From Rock 108