Small evolution, without huge revolution. Borderlands 4 looks like a safe continuation

As a devoted Borderlands fan, I feel incredibly fortunate to have been extended an invitation by 2K Games and Cenega to visit Munich and get an exclusive sneak peek at Borderlands 4. The opportunity to explore the open world and delve into the Vault was nothing short of thrilling for me, given that I’ve spent countless hours immersed in these games.

In Borderlands 4, Gearbox Software is continuing to refine what works, addressing fan feedback, and enhancing mechanics that needed a touch-up. The focus on an engaging narrative and well-developed characters remains a priority, making the upcoming installment even more enticing for me.

The narrative unfolds following the occurrences in Borderlands 3, where a fresh batch of Vault Hunters arrive on planet Kairos. This world is governed by a tyrant known as The Timekeeper, who additionally commands the troops of The Order. The selfless act of Lilith to save Pandora unsettled his rule, causing an energy surge that transported Pandora’s moon Elpis into Kairos’ orbit. This event sparked widespread social discontent and ultimately ignited a military resistance group. Naturally, our intrepid hunters find themselves right in the middle of it all.

Above all, the plot and characters

In essence, I can’t reveal many details about the storyline itself. However, what I can share is that my character aided a rebel leader named Rush in defending their stronghold and stealing vital information on the ruling regime to further the rebellion. The script was filled with witty banter, satire, and grandiose expressions advocating freedom. It seems the narrative leans towards a more serious tone, but there will be humor intertwined. I’ve been told that The Timekeeper will be a significantly more complex villain than the Calypso twins from the third installment; he is intended to leave us surprised by his character depth.

In Borderlands 3, fighting a pair of galactic influencers running a cult was quite the letdown compared to the richly written villain Handsome Jack. They had their moments fitting into that wild universe, but they felt more like an over-the-top caricature of villains next to him. Here’s hoping this time around we encounter a genuine adversary – someone who isn’t just evil for the sake of being so. Fingers crossed for a truly fleshed-out antagonist!

Apart from my regular mission, I undertook an additional one where Claptrap made his reappearance. Our quirky, jovial robot is up to its antics once more, assigning us another “critically important assignment” since we are his recruits. This task revolves around… gathering his personal keepsakes. There are numerous nods to the past games, such as the revelation that this robot, who abhors stairs more than anything else, had a close bond with Moxxi (or so it believes). It was a typical “go, fight, and return” quest, but I won’t deny – it was quite enjoyable.

In the game world I’m exploring, there are repetitive missions involving the extermination of harmful creatures. Frankly, these tasks were dull even in the previous versions, and it’s disheartening that the developers didn’t create more engaging side quests instead. However, I’ve encountered a few unexpected events such as, say, a bandit gang being ambushed by The Order. These moments break the monotony a bit, but I can’t help but wish for more variety in my gaming experience.

Since Claptrap was present, I felt compelled to inquire about the reappearance of other characters from previous games in the series. The developers hinted that along with Amary, some characters will show up, but only those that align with the story unfolding in Kairos. Therefore, we can only anticipate the game’s release to discover who else might return.

Vault Hunters

In our game, we had two characters to select: Rafa, a mercenary donning an explosive exoskeleton who frequently reminds you of his imminent explosion, and Vex, a budding Siren learning her powers which include summoning an adorable kitten or other auxiliary helpers. Given my fascination with the tech gizmos in this world, I opted to traverse as Rafa across the open landscape. His capabilities stem from exoskeleton enhancements – we can select a heavy-hitting blaster, close-quarters twin blades for enemy slicing, or dual supporting laser rifles that autonomously target enemies within range.

The progression of abilities in this case appears quite similar to what one might expect from Borderlands 3. It’s evident that the creators aimed for simplicity and retained elements that worked well in earlier versions while also enhancing them. I anticipate investing a significant amount of time experimenting with various playstyles, testing diverse builds. There seems to be an option to restart the skill tree at some point, which alleviates concerns about making suboptimal character choices.

In terms of personalizing our characters, we revisit a theme from the prior edition: within this virtual realm, we can alter our looks by choosing different outfits. The developers opted for pre-existing characters since they are proficient at creating intriguing personas. I appreciated the RPG-like flexibility in Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, but given the importance of the storyline here, it doesn’t surprise me that each of the four main characters has distinct abilities and their unique narratives.

Lots of explosions and even more shooting

In the realm of Borderlands 4, the shooting sensation is far more engaging than in its third iteration. The arsenal of weapons has expanded significantly, and each one has its unique firing style. Previously, the guns’ similarities were hard to ignore, but in this installment, they stand out less. There’s a wide variety of weapons to choose from – ranging from shotguns and pistols to assault rifles, ensuring everyone can find their preferred weapon. Another exciting feature is the distinct reload mechanisms for each weapon – some guns behave like grenades when thrown, while others transform into temporary turrets to aid us in combat. My personal favorite is a gun that showers opponents with a barrage of miniature rockets.

In our new game update, instead of carrying around heavy weaponry like guns, grenades, and various projectiles, we’ll need to wait for them to recharge. This change is beneficial since in the last version, I usually shied away from using it due to the limited ammunition. It simply occupied space that could have been used for other weapons without the concern of running out of bullets. Additionally, I found throwing knives enjoyable because not only did they cause significant damage, but they also had the ability to explode or poison enemies. In simpler terms, we’re no longer required to lug around heavy weapons, and instead, we can use their cooldown periods effectively, allowing more focus on other weapons without worrying about ammo limitations.

I’m really thrilled about the major upgrades in the high-level weaponry sector. Unlike previously when they appeared randomly, now these weapons only drop following a boss battle. This transformation has made the top-tier weapon stand out as it boasts superior characteristics compared to the common equipment we used to find.

Instead of a fight featuring no first aid kits, there will now be one in the updated version. As the developers explained, this kit serves to extend our time in combat. It regenerates some health occasionally, but if we suffer damage, the healing process is halted. We can utilize it as many times as needed, with a cooldown period in between uses. This allows us to concentrate on attacking without constantly searching for new kits.

Move that body, hunter

The main modifications made to the gameplay involve movement mechanics – players now have access to double jumps, gliding, sliding in any direction, and dodging. This resembles the omnimovement feature from Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 favorably. It enhances the combat experience and facilitates traversing the landscape. A rope is a novelty, enabling players to ascend buildings’ roofs or cliffs at designated points. However, the most exciting aspect is that it lets you pull explosive barrels scattered around and hurl them at opponents. In my view, this addition significantly contributes to the overall mayhem!

The novelty of navigating freely in open environments lies in the fact that traditional vehicle stations are becoming obsolete. Now, we can simply call for our car wherever we are, allowing us to drive in any direction without restriction. This setup is advantageous because, when playing with others, you’re no longer compelled to… travel together. In the past, this joint travel often slowed down gameplay considerably. However, with each player having their own vehicle, the need to continuously signal someone who’s curious about a nearby item vanishes.

With swimmers among our hunting party now, we no longer have to circumnavigate all the water bodies on foot. Instead, we can easily traverse these waterways by swimming, which could prove advantageous if the storyline includes underwater or aquatic locations in the future.

The Echo-4 drone has significantly simplified navigation, serving as a guide to your destination while also highlighting areas where extra mission tasks can be accomplished. Moreover, this drone takes care of ammunition resupply, hacking systems, and even altering the characters’ appearances – essentially replacing traditional interfaces or keyboard commands.

Vaults finally have meaning

The unique aspect of this game series lies in the inclusion of more vaults compared to previous versions. Essentially, these are linear dungeons featuring battles against bosses for desirable loot. Post-gameplay, players can revisit these dungeons at increased difficulty levels, earning superior loot as a result. In essence, the game space is broken down into various battlegrounds where we must vanquish adversaries to progress, culminating in a final boss battle for a substantial reward of items.

On this occasion, I’ve opted for Vex, and I won’t be coy about it – her abilities surpass Rafa’s significantly, which stirs a tiny bit of worry in me regarding the game’s equilibrium. The chatty mermaid can conjure up a fighting kitten, and let me tell you, it can create quite the ruckus. I was particularly impressed by Incarnate, an ability that enables the creation of three identical Vex figures, armed with either scythes or sniper rifles each.

Not only did the spectrals cause significant harm to them, they also drew their focus away from me. This was a blessing since enemies in Vaults are far stronger than those roaming in the open world. They played a crucial role in helping me during the battle with the final boss, Primordial Guardian Inceptus. The creature, part lizard and part plant, proved to be quite challenging for me. However, I was able to defeat it on my initial attempt, even though I fell several times throughout the fight – a common occurrence in this game series as there were other monsters running around the arena that could be swiftly dispatched during a moment of respite.

Apart from being unremarkable in unique features, these locations serve as excellent spots for upgrading weapons and honing your skills. Playing cooperatively enhances the enjoyment, but historically, this series is renowned for its split-screen mode. I can only wish that future Vaults offer something more engaging than battlegrounds leading to a final boss encounter.

Graphical progress is there, but not radical

I can’t truly be me without inspecting each wall to assess the graphics. There haven’t been any significant improvements, but it remains consistent with its comic book aesthetic. The characters continue to be depicted using bold outlines and minimalistic textures, which I believe will delight the game’s loyal fanbase. In past games, what always irked me was the lack of detail in the environment. However, now both rooms, objects, and surface textures are more defined and rendered in a higher resolution.

This game features a day-night cycle that adds to its visual appeal, particularly when Pandora’s moon is gracing the sky. The lighting effects are intricate, suggesting the developers have worked tirelessly on them. I can’t comment much on performance at this stage as I played on optimized hardware, using a controller. Occasionally, there were minor frame drops, but for most of my playtime, it ran smoothly at 60 fps. Other attendees reported issues with player connection stability in the open world during co-op gameplay. However, the developers had warned us from the start that such issues could arise due to the early nature of the build we were playing. I bring this up as a journalist’s responsibility, hoping it will be addressed in the final version.

It’s fine, but those who were hoping for a revolution may not be satisfied

Based on my observations, it appears that Borderlands 4 is tending more towards the traditional style with a hint of innovation. It’s shaping up to be a production that will delight fans of the series and aficionados of looter shooter games. This could make for an engaging experience for cooperative couch gaming, as well as serving as a humorous, action-packed diversion for those who appreciate dark humor, exciting battles, and a chance to unwind after a tough day.

Following approximately 4 hours of play, I find myself with a mix of positive sentiments and minor reservations. While I appreciate the significant alterations in gameplay as they bring back fond memories of my attachment to this series, certain aspects such as the Vaults feel somewhat diminutive and may risk introducing repetitiveness similar to what was experienced in Borderlands 3 after prolonged playtime.

I’ll need to review the updated version of the game to become more acquainted with it. I’m confident that this is a title I’ll purchase and enjoy playing with my girlfriend extensively. Fingers crossed, though, that the storyline will be captivating, and the fresh activities on planet Kairos will be intriguing enough for me to unravel all its secrets.

2025-06-18 16:03