It’s refreshing since we announced that its release date has progressed – yes, forward – Borderland 4 They just showed off a lot of gameplay footage and released some new information in the PlayStation live stream. With new movement mechanics, new weapon systems that allow manufacturers to be mixed and matched, and the lineup of new abilities in Vault Hunter, things look pretty good. However, today’s showcase also addressed one of the biggest complaints from Borderlands 3: the decline in high penetration rates. As we are sure Borderlands 4 will not suffer from the same problem, Gearbox promises to “plunder the magic.”
I love a good router shooter – Destiny 2 is my main vice-but I did not gel into Borderlands 3 despite my years of experience in the series. But I have great hopes for Borderlands 4. Not only does it look stunning, it also takes you to an entirely new planet while weaving in cameos from the iconic characters. There are already a lot of hubbubs this week, and there are several weeks of increased release dates for Borderlands 4 (which could make way for the GTA 6 release date), but this new showcase gives some reasons to be excited.
The main point for me is Gearbox’s comments on the Boom System in Borderlands 4. A good Looter shooter should be showering you in gear, but Borderlands 3 went a little overboard when it came to cooking the desired items. “We listened to your feedback, overhauled the drop rates and looted the entire game,” says Gearbox. “We have worked hard to make sure all of our gear feels better than ever.
Specifically, the legend says he dropped it “too often” in Borderlands 3. While it doesn’t explain exactly how this is achieved and what the legendary Chase looks like in Borderlands 4, Gearbox promises that these gold layer items feel truly special to get. “We’ve added magic to our booty tracking. I think we like to crush all that great gear with Kairos,” the studio assures.
Today’s livestream has run through some of the new combat and loadout iterations that appear in BL4. The new system, called Active Skills, features a load of different abilities and PlayStyle variations for each of the game’s four Vault Hunters, with each active skill coming with its own skill tree.
In the gun department, the makers will return and give the weapons clear features and characteristics. There are three new ones: Order, Ripper and Daedalus. Even better, the weapon variant combinations feature a new mix and match parts system through the roof. This shows that the weapon falls along with individual components from multiple manufacturers.
New weapon slots on the Loadout can also use explosives much more frequently. Instead of being tied to limited ammunition, watching you save hand rena bullets and rocket launchers for the most troublesome encounters, now it works with a cooldown timer. Fearing to wasting valuable ammunition and ease of throwing, this means that it can also be handled with explosive actions outside of these critical moments.
The movement appears to be more dynamic than ever, with its slide, dashing, slaps, grappling and all that glides. You can also jump into a new vehicle called Digirunner to traverse the vast, “seamless” open zones of Kairos. This appears to share many similarities with the sparrows in Destiny 2. Only these guns have guns. Nice.
It’s not a surprising or innovative thing on the floor, but Gearbox has put together what really looks like a solid combat and gameplay mechanic here. I’m excited to see if they all work together. More importantly, if the studio’s confidence in tracking its looting is well-founded.
Borderlands 4 is scheduled to be released on Friday, September 12th, but Gearbox will tease at the end of the showcase, where a hands-on event will be held in June. I can only imagine this being linked to a summer game fest, but that’s an educated speculation on my part.
While you wait for Borderlands 4 to arrive, we’ll show you the best cooperative games and the best FPS games you can jump instead.
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