Old graphics

[mmosu]

Some of you may have seen some of these clips before.  Turns out Borderlands was once headed in somewhat of a different direction with its presentation and visual style - so glad that they ultimately chose to go in the direction they did, otherwise the game would have likely been lost in a sea of faceless, run-of-the-mill shooters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3iEuTuKvdU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztAd70Ol91U&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAsrZYztzTE&feature=related

I think the change in art style is the best thing they could have done in hindsight.  Without this change all of the gag humor and constant pop culture puns would have felt out of place, and the over-the-top nature of the characters and story in general wouldn't pop like they do now.  It was a stroke of genius imo. 

[Art Blade]

I think you are right (and so were they). I remember the first vid (trailer) and back then it didn't quite convince me. The current style wouldn't really bother me (as you said, it does make a difference compared with all those games). The only reason why I don't play it now isn't Steam (JC2 made me use that) but the overall concept of picking up stuff that beasties leave when shot so you level up and perhaps that kind of hectic impression I get whenever reading or watching the game. The outline comic book way of displaying things was once introduced in a different game long ago, not sure if it was KingPin or something, but it was optional. To make a game look like that from scratch basically makes it a living manga/anime, not a bad idea :)

[mmosu]

I was introduced to cell shading on a 1st gen Xbox game called Cell Damage.  It was a "combat racing" game, something not unlike battle mode from Mario Kart (everybody remember that  ;D :-X).  I remember liking it because it looked like a cartoon and it really fit the mood of the game, which was in a word, absurd.  That was years ago, so when I saw Borderlands for the first time it had already undgone its graphical metamorphosis and I felt like I already new something about how the game would be based on the look, and that assumption turned out to be spot on.  So that was one of the things that hooked me in initially, without it I can't say for sure that I would've given the game a second glance.