Borderlands 4 – 10 Key Details Revealed So Far

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Games like “Looter shooters” and “Borderlands” have frequently been interchangeable terms, but it’s worth mentioning the numerous other games that have successfully taken on that label throughout the years. Following the positive fan response to “Borderlands 3”, Gearbox Entertainment is going all out to make sure “Borderlands 4” surpasses expectations. This upcoming title will be released on September 12th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC (with a Switch 2 version coming at a later date). The game offers a fresh setting, new adversaries, and of course, new Vault Hunters. Here are ten exciting features that might catch your attention.

Not $80

Supporters, even those who may not have planned to purchase it regardless, can celebrate: Borderlands 4 won’t cost $80. Instead, it’s priced at $70. If CEO Randy Pitchford’s statements about its development being more than twice as expensive as Borderlands 3 hold true, this isn’t the most unfavorable move. However, there are Deluxe and Super Deluxe Editions available for $100 and $130 respectively, if you desire all additional post-launch content. Whether that extra $60 is worth it remains to be seen, but the initial cost is slightly less aggravating. Slightly.

Bigger Zones, Seamless Loading and No Minimap

After getting our hands on the gameplay and first impressions of Borderlands 4, we now have a better understanding of the world’s layout. The game takes place on a new planet called Kairos, which Gearbox claims is their biggest universe yet. The zones are significantly larger than in previous games, and the smooth loading between areas is impressive. Thanks to the shift to Unreal Engine 5, there are more random events and activities than ever before, and finding Vault Symbols is now more rewarding. However, some players are struggling without a minimap, but ECHO-4, your new robotic drone companion, can help guide you through the game. Additionally, objectives being enclosed within a light blue dome makes it easier to find them.

Vex and Rafa

In the game, there are four freshly introduced playable characters: Vex the Siren, Rafa the Exo-Soldier, Harlowe the Gravitar, and Amon the Forgeknight. So far, we’ve only delved into the abilities of Vex and Rafa, exploring their complete skill trees. We won’t go into exhaustive detail here – each character boasts over 100 skills – but let me highlight some key features of Vex.

Her unique trait, Phase Covenant, modifies the damage of her Action Skill and melee attacks to match that of the weapon she is currently holding. Among her Action Skills, Phase Phamiliar summons Trouble, an entity that can evolve and deal more damage when teleported to it. Incarnate unleashes destructive power on enemies with an explosion, followed by the ability to fire Eldritch Blasts. Lastly, Dead Ringer spawns Phase Clones, which can function as a melee-focused Reaper that taunts enemies or a stationary Specter that fires at them.

Rafa activates Overdrive mode when employing his Action Skill, boosting both damage output and movement pace. His Action Skills comprise Arc Knives, a close-combat ability that also brands adversaries for increased damage (and offers special moves like Blade Fury to attack all marked opponents); Aphonis Lance, a secondary weapon that discharges charged electric blasts capable of penetrating foes; and Peacebreaker Cannons, which autonomously fire at designated enemies (though they can be directed to attack others). Each character may also select an Augment and a Capstone from their skill trees to enhance their potency.

Repkits

In the style of Borderlands 4, a new feature called Repkits is implemented, which can be utilized to restore health whenever they are not on cooldown. As per usual in the Borderlands series, these Repkits offer additional functionalities, such as increased damage output, firing rate, reload speed, and movement speed at the expense of reduced healing. This could prove beneficial for Vex, considering her other sources of sustenance. Other examples include Repkits with double charges and one that triggers a nearby Cryo explosion upon activation.

Instant Boss Respawns and Mission Replays

Have you ever found yourself wanting to redo a story mission without creating a new character? Or perhaps you’d like to battle bosses again for better loot without repeatedly saving and reloading? Gearbox Software has now made it possible with Moxxi’s Big Encore Machine. The specific costs haven’t been disclosed yet, but given the popularity of these features over time, it’s great to see them being implemented by the development team.

Throwing Knives

In Borderlands 4, rather than carrying a rocket launcher and grenades individually, you’re provided with an Ordinance slot. This means that heavy weapons and grenades automatically regenerate over time, giving you multiple chances to inflict massive damage without occupying a separate weapon slot for something else. For those who prefer precision and stealth, there are throwing knives available as well. These also fit into the Ordinance Slot, with their damage scaling similar to that of grenades. They also come with perks like critical hits when they strike weak points.

Enemy Modifiers

The pre-release version appears to cater more towards experienced Borderlands players, with some saying it’s the hardest Borderlands game they’ve played so far. However, this could change in the actual game (we don’t know much about the endgame yet). What’s important here are the enemy modifiers. Elite enemies can have various modifiers that increase their damage or durability, such as additional shields, which are an extra layer of protection on top of what they already have.

The Primordial Vault

One intriguing recent addition to explore is the Primordial Vault, as hinted by Game Informer’s preview. Inside this game, there exists a location called Fadefields, which houses one Vault. This Vault demands players to traverse platforms and eliminate numerous adversaries. The culmination of this challenge involves confronting a boss, the Primordial Guardian named Inceptus, utilizing a grappling hook to exploit vulnerable spots and inflict maximum damage. This battle appears to be more complex than initially anticipated. Given that gamers will need to gather Vault Key Fragments, it seems there might only be one such Primordial Vault with others still to be discovered. As of now, the details on how these larger Vaults fit into the overall storyline are scarce, but it wouldn’t come as a shock if the Primordials link to Kairos’ main Vault in some capacity.

Darker Tone than Borderlands 3

Borderlands 3 has been criticized for its weak narrative and humor, particularly the overuse of old memes and poor comedy. Contrastingly, Borderlands 4 is aiming for a grittier atmosphere, as IGN points out, “indicating the start of what appears to be a more realistic storyline.” However, this doesn’t imply that it will lack humor entirely; even the State of Play demonstration included some witty remarks. The jokes are noticeably toned down compared to its predecessor. Although we don’t have detailed information yet, it seems that players will encounter a largely fresh cast in this installment.

Post-Launch Plans

The game, Borderlands 4, is jam-packed with content that’s yet to be fully explored, but it’s been confirmed that there will be substantial updates after its release. The Deluxe Edition comes with the Bounty Hunter Pack, which includes four smaller expansion packs featuring new locations, missions, bosses, equipment, cosmetics, weapons, and vehicles. Additionally, it offers Vault Cards similar to those in Borderlands 3 – accomplish certain tasks and earn rewards. Given that Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands had DLC that sounded quite promising, it might be wise to wait and see how meaty these expansion packs actually turn out to be.

The Vault Hunter Pack offers an abundance of exciting content, found within the Super Deluxe Edition. This addition includes two additional Story Packs, each featuring a fresh map region, as well as new storylines, side quests, cosmetics, gear, and weapons. Each pack also introduces a new playable Vault Hunter, marking the first time since Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel that new characters have been introduced via DLC (with the exception of the Blightcaller class from Wonderlands). Gearbox Software has promised numerous free updates post-launch to address community feedback and maintain game balance, as well as hinted at “significant free content drops” that they are currently unable to discuss.

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2025-06-20 13:11