Over the next few weeks, GameSpot will be giving you an extended look at three playable characters in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. Today we begin with gameplay video of Athena the Gladiator.

　　You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos.

　　Click To Unmute

　　Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel - Athena's Shield Loves to Give and Take Punishment Demo

　　GameSpot's Top 10 Games of 2023

　　Thompson: The Pop Culture Icon’s Strange Legacy - LoadoutFirearms Expert’s FAVORITE Weapons Of 2023State Of Gaming Handhelds In 2023How Lies of P Cracked the Souls GenreLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Official Ichiban Kasuga Character Spotlight TrailerHow Alan Wake II Made Me Face My Fear of Horror GamesLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Official Saeko Mukoda Character Spotlight TrailerLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Official Chitose Fujinomiya Character Spotlight TrailerLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Official Eric Tomizawa Character Spotlight TrailerLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Official Kazuma Kiryu Character Spotlight TrailerLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Official Yu Nanba Character Spotlight Trailer

　　Share

　　LinkEmbed

　　Size:640 × 360480 × 270

　　Start at: End at: Autoplay Loop

　　Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?

　　Sign up or Sign in now!

　　Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos.

　　This video has an invalid file format.

　　00:00:00

　　HTML5

　　Auto HD High Low

　　Report a problem

　　Sorry, but you can't access this content!

Please enter your date of birth to view this video

　　By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's

　　Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

　　enter

　　Who is Athena? Well, anyone who played The Secret Armory of General Knoxx from the first Borderlands may just recognize her as a foe-turned-ally who helped the vault hunters take down that DLC's titular villain. But this time around, Athena is more than an ally. She'll be butt-stomping enemies on the moon as one of Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel's main characters.

　　Athena employs an action skill called Kinetic Apsis, a shield that lets her absorb incoming damage and throw it right back at her enemies for double the damage. Upgrades to this skill let her store elemental damage, as well allow her Apsis strikes to chain between a group of foes should they be standing in close proximity.

　　But as the tank of the group, Athena's skill tree lets her focus on frenzied, close-quarters combat. Maelstrom is a stack system that lets her chain together more and more elemental damage so long as she continues dishing it out in rapid succession, while Blood Rush is a skill that turns her standard melee swipe into a full-on charge attack designed to let her quickly close the gap between enemies.

　　Watch the video above and you can see for yourself just how Athena performs out in the wild. And as an added bonus, you'll be able to get a look at a new single-person hoverbike making its debut in the Borderlands franchise. Want to see more? Be sure to come back next Thursday for a look at another playable character in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel.