A six year gap in-game as well as in reality — a bit poetic if you ask me.
Borderlands 4 debuted for gaming platforms on Sept. 12, earlier than the previous release date set for Sept. 23. Updates to movement capabilities, weapon mechanics, new characters accompanied with branching skill trees and (of course) additions to the far-stretching universe of the Vault Hunters are all waiting for looters and shooters alike to encounter.
Every new Borderlands game begins with selecting between four playable Vault Hunters. The band of misfits from across the six galaxies consists of Vex, the sixth and final Siren to reveal herself; Rafa the Exo-Soldier; Harlowe the Gravitar; and Amon the Forgeknight. Each character specializes in two different elemental damage types: either incendiary, shock, corrosive, cryo and radiation. That is except for Vex, who adapts to all elements depending on her weapon. Enemies come equipped with ranging health bars and each damage type is better suited for whittling-away their flesh, shields and armor.
I chose the dry-humored and witty Forgeknight, Amon, for my first character. His Action Skills accent my playstyle the best. He covers both offensive and defensive positions effectively, depending on which of his three ability pathways you desire. Immediately, I locked-in on his Vengeance Action Skill tree featuring a frost whip and shield. I love support and tank characters in team-based games. The combo is always a bonus.
After selecting Amon, the game starts. It is set on a new planet, Kairos, now exposed from Pandora’s teleported moon destroying the barrier protecting it. As a Vault Hunter, you have a curious, troublesome deposition and reach planetside. However, you begin imprisoned by the Timekeeper and installed with his “control bolt” to reign over and monitor every citizen. The Timekeeper has easy methods of dealing with resistance — instant death.
But what better way to start a game than with a prison break?
A former captive of the Timekeeper, Arjay literally explodes-in to free you, inviting the player to embark on hunting vaults and overthrowing the Timekeeper as a member of the Crimson Resistance. You will meet the leader later, and trust me, it is exactly who you think would be in the beginning of a Borderlands game.
Don’t worry, there are a few more old faces you will see eventually. I am not a fan of spoilers, so I’ll leave the story there and focus on the gameplay.
As I leveled my skills, I quickly recognized I made the right decision choosing the Forgeknight. I discovered that in unison with Amon’s Firewall Forge Skill and other passive abilities, I can regenerate my Action Skill duration with my frost whip almost indefinitely if enough enemies are on screen. Attacking through my Firewall keeps my allies and myself defended, and increases friendly projectile speed along with damage.
I usually end battles and some boss fights with my Action Skill still active from my first use, even on harder difficulties such as Ultimate Vault Hunter modes.
Unlocking the Ring of Frostfire Capstone Skill at level 30 was the ultimate upgrade to my arsenal. Now, I create a ring barrier with fire and ice damage inflicted upon enemies entering and exiting the area. Plus, a new, 360-degree playing field, instead of a two-dimensional wall, for me to spam my “X” button on my PS5 controller to quickly clear the terrain.
Weapons, weapons, and more weapons — and some accessories; how could there not be mind-boggling possibilities for item loadouts in a Borderlands game.
Being on a new planet, most of the equipment manufacturers are unfamiliar, but some old reliables from earlier games make an appearance. But, new manufacturers mean new mechanics. Introducing a system that uses “licensed parts” from other brands, weapons and gear can spawn with interesting results.
I can’t speak on too many of the legendary items, as I have only had time (plus unlucky drops) to find a few. The ones I have found are quite awe inspiring though.
One assault rifle, Oscar Mike, has an alternate firing mode of beaming a space laser onto unsuspecting foes. Yes, I said “SPACE LASER!”
Another is a grenade with an accurate name of Waterfall, which is my favorite even at a lower level. It explodes on both the bounce and its apex three times, issuing incendiary and cryo damage respectably (well, at least my version does). This was an amazing find for my character build, as Amon specializes in these two elements. Winter break is going to be all about farming bosses and rift champions in search of a more level-appropriate version.
However, my absolute favorite feature of Borderlands 4 is the new character movement capabilities.
For starters, I play with the Bumper Jumper controller scheme. This means I have my jump button mapped to my “L1” bumper button in order to jump, move and look at the same time, especially in the air. I normally hop around during firefights as I played the previous titles, sometimes to my own detriment and jumped off the edge numerous times.
Not any more.
Characters now come equipped with a jetpack and a Grapple-Grabber to easily blaze across the hazardous battles as Amon shouts “Witness vengeance!” during intense moments of warfare. Boosted directional-strafing with the jetpack is a key component to my overall fighting style now.
Also, they come in handy to save yourself from losing track of your surroundings, like me, and leap to your death unknowingly.
Amazingly, I have done this a few times and it makes a significant difference when things get intense and adrenaline pounding (like when your teammate needs a revive). Gameplay has never been more engaging in Borderlands with these movement additions. Adding a consistent vertical strategy to picking off the ruthless factions of Kairos was a major contribution to the whole package and a fresh view on the terrain.
Borderlands 4 is a great addition to the series and if you want to know more about the story, movement capabilities, weapon mechanics and new characters, pick up a copy.
Come join me on the infinite loot quest and check out the DLC featuring C4SH, a new Vault Hunter, coming soon!
