“So, you want to hear a story, eh? One about treasure hunters?”

Many familiar with the “Borderlands” series should recognize this quote from Marcus Kincaid from the opening cutscene of the original game.

With the Feb. 12 release of a new trailer featuring footage of actual gameplay and the official launch date announced for Sept. 23, 2025, “Borderlands 4” appears to be a step in the right direction for the series and developers.

After the flop of the “Borderlands” movie, fans, such as myself, are desperate for a win. “Borderlands 4” will be the fifth main game in the franchise and should help restore the dignity lost from the terrible film (even with a star-studded cast including Cate Blanchet, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Hart and Jack Black).

Upon watching the first seconds of the trailer, one of the best parts of the game hits you straight in the face: Loot!

As stated on the official game website, “Borderlands 4 brings intense action, badass Vault Hunters and billions of wild and deadly weapons to an all-new planet ruled by a ruthless tyrant.” That is “billions” with a “B”. As I have played all the currently released main games, I can say that there are so many choices and variations of weapons, you will never have enough storage space in your vault to hold everything.

The plot of the game always contains a new group of four Vault Hunters in search of mythical treasures hidden away by a long-extinct race of aliens. As Vault Hunters, you have the ability to “wield powerful Action Skills, customize your build with deep skill trees and dominate enemies with dynamic movement abilities,” according to the official website.

Four main characters means you can play the game solo or cooperatively with up to three friends and/or randoms. More teammates increases the difficulty of the game, but a better chance to get that beautiful orange glow of a new legendary weapon is hard to pass up.

The awesome “loot-splosions” and versatile gameplay aren’t the only aspects of the “Borderlands” games that draw people in. The cast of characters are filled with their own quirks, wits and charm — even a certain annoying robot that is a mainstay of the storyline.

2K Games, the publisher of “Borderlands 4”, states that an “immense sci-fi adventure, packed with free-form combat and exploration, pulse-pounding boss fights, infinitely varied loot drops and an eclectic cast of unforgettable characters new and old,” awaits.

So far there is only speculation of how the new story will turn out, but it is always fun to guess.

The creators have released a limited amount of background of the threat facing the in-game universe this time around. Players will attempt to “break free from the oppressive Timekeeper, a ruthless dictator who dominates the masses from on high. Now a world-altering catastrophe threatens his perfect Order, unleashing mayhem across the planet.”

“Borderlands 4” invites you to: “Ignite a resistance and blast your way through mechanical monstrosities, bloodthirsty bandits and vicious beasts. Amass an arsenal of death-dealing firepower to wreak havoc as you tear your way across Kairos (new planet).”

All that sounds terrific, but I enjoy the lore along with the gameplay. In the “Borderlands” main storyline, six Siren powers are everlasting and transfer hosts upon the death of the previous. Sirens are always female (except for the case of a parasitic male twin) and serve as a driving point for the plot. They are the conduits that charge the Vault keys, unlocking the secrets and treasure sealed away inside the multiple Vaults scattered across different planets.

Currently, five Siren powers have been identified and the potential to finally see the sixth has my hopes set high. It would also be an amazing addition to the story and fill in some critical elements that have been lacking so far.

In the trailer, a new Siren is shown — clad in the recognizable colorful tattoos only they possess. We get a display of her powers slightly, with one stand-out moment for the new Siren when she displayed her ability to conjure a spectral entity with a scythe to combat her foes.

The possibilities raced through my head when I saw this: Are her powers Grim Reaper related? What augments will her abilities have in conjunction with her skill trees? How will she tie into the game if this is a new Siren power?

However, I did have one thought cross my mind. I hope this isn’t just a more deep dive into a previously known Siren power. The main antagonist of “Borderlands 3” was a siren with the power to leech the lifeforce out of individuals. With the relationship between draining lifeforce and death being so close, I would be disappointed if the new Siren had this power instead. I want to see the final unknown Siren power revealed!

If so, there are always the other three new Vault Hunters to choose from and master their skills.

With Sept. 23 still a ways down the road, there are many more details to be discovered as the game begins its final push through development.

I personally will be buying a PS5, waiting in anticipation for the end of September. So If I fail my fall quarter classes, you know the reason.