Borderlands 4fans are, unsurprisingly, focused on its most impactful changes. The open-world has been a key point of discussion coming out ofBorderlands 4’s previews, with a fair bit of positivity surrounding it due to just how much it apparently has to offer. Boss farming no longer requiring reloads is a massive win for those who love hunting down the best legendaries, while being able to summon vehicles without a catch-a-ride is a welcome quality-of-life change. Movement has also gotten an overhaul through the addition of double jumps, gliding, and grappling. However, alongside all these significant adjustments,Borderlands 4is adding a much more subtle traversal option: swimming.
Throughout the series, water has been used sparingly, and when it has appeared, it’s been something to avoid. More often than not, bodies of water inBorderlandshave marked out-of-bounds areas that will instantly kill Vault Hunters when touched, or they have been so shallow that they might as well not be there at all. Considering how skilled the series’ playable characters are, it’s always been a bit odd that none of them can swim, so the upcoming game addressing that is certainly welcome. InBorderlands 4, swimming will seemingly just be used to cross rivers and other small bodies of water, as underwater combat is not available based on what has been shown thus far. That said, it’s interesting that Gearbox went out of its way to add swimming just for a few small areas, as it’s not like Kairos needed watery areas to begin with.Borderlands 4could have taken the same approach to water as its predecessors, but it doesn’t, so hopefully this new swimming system is a sign that Gearbox plans to take things further down the line.
Borderlands 4’s Swimming Mechanics Could Be the Gateway to an Underwater Setting
Borderlands 4exploring proper underwater gameplay could be a gateway to a wide range of content. Enemy designs that are drastically different from thePsychos and Skagsseen on land would be practically guaranteed, while it’s easy to picture a Vault boss based on a hydra, squid, or anglerfish. A neat spin on the series’ all-important guns could follow the shift to the sea, as a freshBorderlandsmanufacturer or some special weapon parts crafted by an existing one could be introduced. Specifically, tridents as ordnance would feel like a natural evolution ofBorderlands 4’s throwing knives, while impaling enemies with harpoon guns would undoubtedly feel visceral and satisfying.
As for setting, there are a few options available to Gearbox. If it wants to keep futureBorderlands 4additions limited toKairos, the new game’s planet, then letting players visit its oceans - assuming it has some - could do the trick. An expansion or free content update could see players meeting a character seaside who hands them a device like an Oz Kit fromBorderlands: The Pre-Sequelto help them swim quickly, shoot, and breathe underwater, with the adventure ensuing from there. Alternatively, Gearbox could letBorderlands 4players fly Sanctuary 3 to Aquator. This lesser-knownBorderlandsplanet was teased on a poster in the original game, with the tagline being “one planet, one ocean.” While a small island is shown in the poster’s imagery, the majority of the shot is filled with blue waters, ensuring Aquator would make for the ideal underwater setting.
WhileTiny Tina’s Wonderlandshad some fun with an underwater-adjacent area in theNocean, like its punny name suggests, all the actual water was removed from the playable zones.
There is even story potential for an underwater expansion thanks to theFish Queen fromBorderlands 3’s Guns, Love, and Tentacles DLC, though Gearbox would need to keep decades of video game mishaps in mind. It’s true that there have been a few entertaining underwater segments in video games, but there are far more water-based levels players have hated. If Gearbox wanted to gamble on turningBorderlands 4’s simple swimming into full-fledged underwater combat one day, it would have to emphasize fun over everything else. Quick movement, keeping any air mechanics from being too tedious, and weaponry maintaining its full strength would all be essential. If those boxes can be ticked, though, then there is a lot of upside toBorderlandstaking players below the waves.
WHERE TO PLAY
Borderlands 4 brings intense action, badass Vault Hunters, and billions of wild and deadly weapons to an all-new planet ruled by a ruthless tyrant.Crash into Kairos as one of four new Vault Hunters seeking wealth and glory. Wield powerful Action Skills, customize your build with deep skill trees, and dominate enemies with dynamic movement abilities.Break free from the oppressive Timekeeper, a ruthless dictator who dominates the masses from on high. Now a world-altering catastrophe threatens his perfect Order, unleashing mayhem across the planet.Ignite a resistance and blast your way through mechanical monstrosities, bloodthirsty bandits, and vicious beasts. Amass an arsenal of death-dealing firepower to wreak havoc as you tear your way across Kairos.Fight solo or in co-op with up to three other players in this immense sci-fi adventure, packed with free-form combat and exploration, pulse-pounding boss fights, infinitely varied loot drops, and an eclectic cast of unforgettable characters new and old.
