After reading my recent Borderlands 2 article (Gearing Up For Borderlands 2 September Launch), I got that warm and fuzzy feeling that comes when I read one of my published articles, but then I realized that in my furor I neglected to go over some of the key points of the upcoming launch. I aim to remedy some of that with this article.

First and foremost Take 2 Interactive is offering up two special editions at the game’s launch. For the price of $99.99, you get the Deluxe Vault Hunter’s Collector’s Edition which in addition to the game includes a Marcus Kincaid bobble-head, an art book, stickers, a digital comic, and a yet-to-be-announced DLC for the game. This constitutes some mighty fine swag.

But if you are a true collector of gamer swag you will likely opt for “The Ultimate Loot Chest Limited Edition,” which will set you back $149.99. This ‘Ultimate’ edition includes everything from the Deluxe Vault Hunter’s edition, plus a collectible Replica of the ‘Red Loot’ chest from the game, a steel book case, a ‘creatures of Pandora’ ID chart, four lithograph postcards, the field notes from Sir Hammerlock, a cloth map of Pandora, and a certificate of authenticity. [Update – it turns out that the “Loot Chest” edition sold out in pre-order a while ago, but is available for pre-order at inflated prices through third-party sellers.]

Regardless of which collector’s edition you might purchase, just pre-ordering one of them will net you a Gearbox gun pack, The golden Key (promised to unlock a rare loot chest in-game), a Vault Hunter’s Relic (which is suppose to up your chance of loot drops in game), and The Mechromancer character class still in development. If you don’t pre-order, you can still obtain this class, you’ll simply have to pay for it separately.

Okay, now that we have all of that out of the way, let’s talk about some more game features. The most exciting feature for me is the Borderlands 2 story, which is purported to be much more defined than the first game. Take 2 has taken the time to created a ton of cinematics to pull you in and drive the gameplay to new heights. You can tell just how much they love this game.

Also, anyone familiar with Borderlands, knows that there were many different gun manufacturers. In BL2, this will mean a lot more than some stat on a page. Each Gun Maker will have distinct features that will change the feel and use of that gun. There are alien weapons, guns you will throw away after use, and much more.

Borderlands 2 promises to be a ton of fun. Take 2 has an opportunity to make a huge splash in this Fall’s gaming market, which is just aching for a game like this to mix up the current stagnation. So until we meet on Pandora, fellow vault hunters, keep that trigger finger in check. Come September 18th, you’ll need it.