Key Takeaways
- Gearbox should improve Borderlands 4’s loot system to deliver a more satisfying endgame
- Borderlands 4 needs to respect its core characters for a better narrative experience
- Borderlands 4 needs to move to new settings, optimize for current hardware, and avoid launch issues
meanwhile Gamescom Opening Night Live Gearbox has announced that Borderlands 4 will debut on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S in 2025. Following the lukewarm community response surrounding 2019’s Borderlands 3, the developers are putting their efforts into making Borderlands 4 an exceptional looter shooter.
Gearbox is still keeping things under wraps. According to the Borderlands 4 teaser trailer, the long-awaited sequel will see players once again “take on the role of a legendary Vault Hunter, slaying hordes of enemies in search of new treasure to plunder on an all-new planet.” All of this fits with the series’ motto, and there’s plenty of room for speculation as to how Gearbox will tap into the IP’s looter-shooter roots. Once upon a time, Borderlands was the gold standard for the genre. Now, Looter shooters have evolved And I have high hopes for what Borderlands 4 has in store.
Related
Which PS5 model should you buy in 2024?
There are currently four models of PS5 available, each with only slight differences. Here’s which one you should buy in 2024.
Borderlands 4 needs to improve its loot system
Gearbox could focus on a more satisfying endgame rather than a pile of different weapons
Gearbox
Borderlands 4
- Franchise
- Borderlands
- release
- 2025
When Borderlands 2 defined the looter shooter genre in 2012, it was quite a novelty to have over 2,000,000 weapons in the game, most of which were generated by different manufacturers, rarities, stats and buffs. Now, players are looking for more meaningful weapon options to explore in games. Games like Destiny 2, The Division 2 and The First Descendant are all much more restrained.
Part of Borderlands’ DNA is its weapon count. But reducing the number of weapons allows Borderlands 4 to focus on a refined loot system for endgame content. Give players tons of high-level weapons to chase. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands showed us that the tighter the endgame experience, the better it will be received.
Related
Cat Quest 3 is an adorable pirate adventure that forgets to tell a compelling story
If you can ignore the basic storyline, Cat Quest 3 is a fresh, frictionless, heartfelt RPG.
Please treat Borderlands 4 characters with respect, Gearbox
The third main installment in the franchise treated its central characters badly.
Gearbox
I won’t give away any spoilers for those who haven’t played Borderlands 3, but some characters were not treated well at all, which left many fans frustrated and angry by the time the credits rolled. It can be said that Borderlands does not put story or narrative at the forefront. Instead, the game has won fans over with its open-world cooperative play and looter-shooter mechanics. However, since 2019, fans have followed characters such as Lilith, Roland, and Claptrap.
What really hurt the fanbase (myself included) was that Borderlands 3 followed Telltale’s Tales From the Borderlands. That game was the first real example of why and how story matters within the franchise. Gearbox has never wavered from the fun gameplay loop. But it was disappointing that Borderlands 3’s story missed the mark in many ways. Go back to basics and give the main characters some substance.
Related
Black Miss: Wukong tested my patience but I’m glad I made it to the end.
Beneath the glossy graphics, Black Myth: Wukong is ultimately a fantastic RPG, but one that never lives up to its inspiration.
Get away from Pandora
Pandora was a unique character in many ways, but she outgrew her welcome.
Borderlands 4 would be wise to introduce an entirely new setting to explore, and judging by the trailer captions, Gearbox seems to agree. As I sit here thinking about this “all-new planet,” I hope Gearbox can craft a new environment on the same level as Pandora, which was always going to be a big part of the fun of playing the series. Looting and gunning down areas like the Salt Flats and Dar Headlands brings back great memories of playing with friends.
But I think the series is in need of some kind of refresh. With a whole new planet to explore, this game is a great opportunity for Gearbox to really flex their muscles in level design and environment creation. A lot needs to happen for this new planet to become as beloved as Pandora was, but this is what makes Borderlands 4 a great looter shooter.
Related
The 5 biggest announcements from Gamescom Opening Night Live
There were two hours of trailers and announcements, but that’s all there is to take note of.
Optimizing Borderlands 4 for current hardware
Gearbox will need to avoid any launch day troubles by prioritizing optimization across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Gearbox
We’ll never forget where Borderlands 3 was when it launched. Even on the Xbox One X at the time, navigating the menus was a pain; tabbing through different options took seconds. Borderlands 3 also had a low frame rate and poor split-screen support. Thankfully, with 2025 on the horizon, Gearbox will have plenty of time to work on this next installment.
According to the teaser trailer, Borderlands 4 will only be playable on current-gen systems. This should bode well for the development team, as they won’t have to scale back their vision to accommodate the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. Hopefully, Borderlands 4 will take advantage of VRR, short load times, and ray tracing to complement the game’s iconic cel-shaded look.
Related
Stream or Skip? Borderlands
Plagued by behind-the-scenes problems, Borderlands is a boring movie with no real value, and even its cast seems perplexed.
