Borderlands 4 fixes bugs from past installments

Multiplayer shooters have undergone significant changes since the first Borderlands game was released in 2009. When launching a Borderlands game, players always know they can expect vibrant comic book-style visuals, cool gameplay in both single-player and co-op, charming humor, and plenty of loot. All of that still rings true and louder than ever in Borderlands 4, but the latest Borderlands game also promises to be the most experimental to date.

Some insiders have already played Borderlands 4. They’ve noted the more traditional Destiny-like open world structure, all the new movement options available during combat have also truly changed the game. The original humor and the amount of legendary drops have been greatly reduced, giving Borderlands 4 a slightly different look than Borderlands 3. All of this makes the new installment nothing like its predecessors, but ultimately just as interesting.

All of this makes the new installment different from its predecessors, but ultimately just as interesting.

Sliding through Kairos

In Borderlands 4, players leave Pandora and the action unfolds on a new planet called Kairos, ruled by a tyrant named Timekeeper. His rule was interrupted when Lilith teleported Pandora’s moon Elpis next to her at the end of Borderlands 3. The action of Borderlands 4 would begin a little later, when a new group of treasure hunters would explore Kairos, battle the Time Keeper, and eventually rescue Lilith. This new setting allows Borderlands 4 to create a more open world with dynamic events and an emphasis on exploration. So far, it seems to be working in the game’s favor.

The comic book art style in Borderlands 4 is as vibrant as ever, and the Fadefields area on Kairos seems more colorful than any other area. According to art director Adam May, the Fadefields area was specifically designed to be quite bright, though players will explore darker areas as the adventure progresses.

Unlikely to revolutionize open-world game design, Borderlands 4’s new structure makes the game feel more like Destiny 2, especially now that players have a vehicle they can create at almost any time. The most significant benefit of this change in design is that players now have significantly more options at their disposal to move around.

The most significant benefit of this change in design is that players now have significantly more options at their disposal.

Warehouse Seekers

It may be hard for some players to go back to previous installments in the series when they play Borderlands 4, especially because the combat is now fluid, with an emphasis on movement.

The design team went so far as to spread conceptual character designs around Gearbox’s offices to see which ones people liked the most. The popularity of certain Vault Seekers remains unpredictable: those of the characters that marketers read to be the least popular, such as Zer0, often become player favorites. At launch, Borderlands 4 will offer a choice of four new Seekers.

Exercising some restraint

The new Vault Seekers, gameplay tweaks, and locations that Gearbox has introduced in Borderlands 4 are paying off so far. But beyond innovation, Gearbox is also showing restraint in some key areas. For example, legendary loot drops much less frequently than in Borderlands 3. This made the more valuable finds, even more special. There’s a lot more variety in the weapon lineup, too, which isn’t diminished by legendary gear dropping out too often.

One of the areas where insiders have the most mixed feelings is — the humor in Borderlands 4. In hindsight, the humor and villains in Borderlands 3 are often considered annoying even by Borderlands standards. The developers wanted to make the game more serious, but those who have already tried to play it noted that there were very few funny jokes.

The game’s developers wanted to make the game more serious, but those who have already tried to play it noted that there were very few funny jokes.

Borderlands 4 is out September 12 for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch 2.

The Borderlands 4 fixes bugs from past installments was first published on ITZine.ru.