Summary
Considered the series that invented the looter-shooter genre,Borderlands' next chapter has all eyes on it after a hiatus of six years since the previous installment, andBorderlands 4’s new deep dive trailer finally gives players a detailed look into what the game intends to offer. Geared with several new movement techs that can be used in and out of combat to improve the general feel of the game,Borderlands 4is already primed to go above and beyond the bar set by its predecessor. While the reveal trailer left many fans puzzled by the new Vault Hunters, the gameplay trailer from today proves that Gearbox’s series is very much still packing a punch.
Borderlands 4’s Timekeeper didn’t appear as much in the deep dive trailer, but Gearbox did reveal more about the nature of Kairos' lore. The newVault Hunters inBorderlands 4didn’t all share the same screen time, but the video focused more on two of them: the former Tediore soldier Rafa and the Siren Vex. Sirens are typically a huge part of the series, and it remains to be seen exactly what the role of Vex will be in the games' universe at large. Yet, so far, players can get a grasp of her abilities, and they seem to be the perfect mix of what two of the most loved Vault Hunters in the series had to offer.
Borderlands 4: The Siren Vex’s Powers Are Revealed
How BL4’s Siren Compares to Gaige and FL4K
Vault Hunters inBorderlands 3didn’t get a roster expansion with DLCs, and out of the four original ones, FL4K was and still is one of the most popular due to their beast-master role. Likewise,Borderlands 2’s Gaige was loved by players thanks to her personality and gameplay, with her class being described as “Mechromancer,” essentially taking classic elements from minion-based classes in RPGs and mixing them with the series' robots. Vex seems to take these two examples close to heart, and fans of either FL4K or Gaige should keep an eye on her.
So far, two out of three skill trees have been revealed for Vex. ThisBorderlands 4Vault Hunter has access to the Incarnate skill tree, which focuses on empowering Vex herself and making her grow a pair of phase wings. The second tree is called Phase Familiar, and it features the big feline pet called Trouble as Vex’s assistant during play. This is very reminiscent of the pets FL4K could use as well as Deathtrap fromGaige’s kit inBorderlands 2.
Borderlands 4 players will be able to pet Trouble.
On top of that, Vex can change the element associated with Trouble and the damage it deals thanks to her signature trait, meaning one can tailorcraft builds for Trouble to maximize its damage, utility, or both. A lot of theskill trees inBorderlands 4are still unknown, and while the themes for Vex’s Incarnate and Phase Familiar trees are clear, the actual abilities remain a mystery for the time being. Yet, players can also take a look at Vex’s third, unnamed skill tree, which revolves around a minion that looks like a shadowy figure wielding a scythe.
Vex Seems Like The Perfect Mix of BL2’s Gaige and BL3’s FL4K
Given thatVex’s Siren powers inBorderlands 4have a black and purple aura, it seems plausible that she will be more like the necromancer staple of RPGs than Gaige ever was, despite her class' namesake. Potentially combining the fun of pet-based builds for FL4K thanks to Vex’s Trouble familiar with a minion resembling the common depiction of death itself thanks to its cape and scythe, the Siren inBorderlands 4looks to be not only quite promising, but the best of both worlds afterBorderlands 2and3. Only time will tell how fun and powerful Vex’s minion builds will be in the game, but players who liked either Gaige or FL4K should find a familiar core inBorderlands 4.
