If you've heard anything about
Borderlands: The Secret Armory of General Knoxx, you probably already know that it finally raises the level cap... by eleven. Playing through
The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned and
Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot without seeing my experience bar fill was a tad disappointing. I wanted to make my Berserker even more powerful.
The Secret Armory of General Knoxx rewards dedicated players with the opportunity to progress further down their skill trees.
It's not just the level cap that has been pumped up. There's a ton of new content here. From a whole new environment to new vehicles to ultra-rare "Pearlescent" weapons to new enemies, this is an expansion that doesn't make you think "been there, done that." You can obtain new digistructs for Scooter to upload into his vehicle-making machine. Whether it's the lightning-fast Racer, the fully-loaded Monster, or the Crimson Lancer Tank, cruising the violent Pandoran highways is quite an experience.
There are even some gameplay tweaks that keep things interesting. First off, the enemies are, by and large, completely different. Sure, you've still got the trademark Psychos and Bruisers, but skag-riding midgets, Truxican Wrestlers, and Mini Steves are hysterical. Most of your enemies are members of the Crimson Lance (the PMC contracted by the Atlas Corporation), but what's fascinating is how varied the enemy types are. You'll fight regular grunts, but the bad guys have more than a few tricks up their sleeves. For example, you'll have to deal with Combat Medics, Lance Rocketeers, and giant mechs called Devastators. Looting energy cores off of fallen Lance mercs gives you temporary combat bonuses. You can pick up Shock, Power, and Speed Cores, and they all do pretty much what you'd expect. This is a good thing, because The Secret Armory of General Knoxx is quite difficult -- especially if you've graduated past your first playthrough. You will need a party of four to take on Crawmerax the Invincible, just so you know. Also, if you have Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot, go to the bank and unload as much gear as you can before starting on the final mission. You'll thank me later.
