Although we're in the midst of the busiest video game time of the year, it's important not to forget the great games that were released, you know, earlier than last week. For example, "Borderlands," which is adding new DLC content on November 24th. I spoke with Paul Helquist, the Design Director on "Borderlands" downloadable content, to get the scoop on what we can expect with the "The Zombie Island Of Doctor Ned." For one thing, zombies. And islands. And a guy named Ned.

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Having already taken my Siren to level 50 (it took 36 hours, in case you're wondering), I don't know how much I'm clamoring for additional "Borderlands" content just yet. After all, the next two weeks are ridden with big game releases.

But, despite my need to take a little break from Pandora, Gearbox is marching on ahead, releasing their first DLC pack for the game on November 24th.

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By now you're probably hip deep in the wilds of Pandora, thanks to the release of "Borderlands" this week. Unfortunately it seems that the skill tree of the Siren is a bit busted, due to one of its top tier skills not being quite as effective as it seems like it should.

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Since it comes at the end of my somewhat lengthy review, and it's the question I've gotten most from readers, I wanted to clarify just how long it took me to play through "Borderlands" with a single character. Keep in mind that this doesn't include New Game Plus, which allows you to replay the game with new enemy types and better loot. This is just the first time through, from the start of the game to the credits.

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Despite its enduring success, there haven't been a ton of "Diablo" clones over the years. Maybe one or two a year, but usually they're pretty forgettable knock-offs. "Borderlands" manages to take the loot-based precepts of "Diablo" and mix in true FPS gameplay for a resoundingly fun and addictive experience. If you enjoy Blizzard's hack-and-slash RPG, or you're just a fan of mindless shooters, or you dug the open world nature of a game like "Fallout 3," you're sure to find something in "Borderlands" for you to enjoy.

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"Borderlands" won't be out on shelves until next week on October 20th, but Gearbox pulled the curtain away from its first DLC package today. "The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned" will be the title for the optional game expansion, and Gearbox wants it out by the end of 2009. So if you pick "Borderland" up in time for Halloween, perhaps armed with its 3,166,880 weapons and the special pre-order guns you received for thinking ahead, it looks like DLC should be around for the holidays.

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Pre-ordering "Borderlands" at GameStop nets you 8 unique guns for use in the game. That's not really news, it's been on their site for weeks now. But I have been getting some questions from readers as to how, exactly, the guns will be integrated into the game experience and what their limitations are, so I reached out to Gearbox to find out.

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I've spent around 5 or 6 hours with the preview build of "Borderlands." The only reason I haven't spent more time is because the preview build ends. You basically stop getting new quests and can't progress into new zones, as everything's locked off. It's for the best, but the fact that I've played through all that content several times over with different classes is a testament to how much I've enjoy myself. It undoubtedly hits that "Diablo" nerve that makes you not want to put the controller down.

Anyway, given the amount of time I've spent with the game, I was curious just how much meat will be in the final version. Speaking with Mikey Neumann, the Creative Director at Gearbox Software, I found out some rather interesting tidbits about just how long you'll be spending on the twisted planet of Pandora.

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Three down, one to go. We've already gone through the Hunter, the Siren and the Soldier. Last of the "Borderlands" classes we're exploring this week is the Berserker. Convenient, since he was the last class added in the development process! Lets take a look at how this big fella handles.

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In our week-long look at the classes of "Borderlands," we've gone through the Siren and the Hunter so far. Next up on the list we have what will probably one of the more popular class selections: The Soldier.

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