If the recent hands-on previews forBorderlands 4have proven anything, it’s that the upcoming entry truly is aiming to turn the series around and innovate on its increasingly familiar formula. Ahead of its release,Borderlands 4has boasted a vast number of changes coming to the series, including the new seamless planet of Kairos, larger skill trees, new combat systems, and more. Now, the recent previews have shed some light on how those new additions and changes play out, and many of them seem like a step in the right direction.
One reported change, however, is a bit peculiar. In fact, while it is a change from what the last two mainlineBorderlandsgames have done, it’s actually very similar to a feature from the very firstBorderlandsentry. Exactly why Gearbox chose to go back to a design philosophy from the first game remains to be seen, but regardless, it’s not necessarily a good thing. Specifically,Borderlands 4now requires that players find theirStorage Deck Upgrades(SDUs) in the wilds of Kairos rather than simply purchasing them as they could in the previous two mainlineBorderlandstitles, which could break the flow of gameplay for some players who prefer just to shoot and loot rather than explore.
Borderlands 4’s SDU System Brings Back an Old Idea With a New Problem
Exploration-Based SDUs Replace the Storefront Simplicity of BL2 and BL3
SDUs are some of the most valuable upgrades in theBorderlandsseries. Rather than merely enhancing a specific weapon or skill, SDUs improve the broader mechanics of each game, like ammo and storage capacity. These offer substantial help in the long run, so they’re highly sought after. Unfortunately,Borderlands 4is making that search just a bit more difficult.
InBorderlands 2andBorderlands 3, players could purchase SDUs to upgrade things like their ammo, backpack, and bank space using Eridium or cash, respectively, thereby streamlining the process and making it more accessible. Ultimately, that made SDUs a reward tied to progress and economy, not exploration.Borderlands 4, on the other hand, changes this entirely by requiring players to find SDUs scattered across the world and solve puzzles to unlock them. This adds a new aspect of gameplay for those who are going to loveexploring every inch of Kairos, but it also risks alienating players who just want to stay focused on combat and loot without the detour.
Borderlands 4’s BL1-Esque SDU Puzzles May Frustrate Players Who Prefer Loot to Logic
Chasing down collectibles isn’t new to the franchise, but inBorderlands 1, players would find SDUs in just about the same way that they will inBorderlands 4. By findingdamaged Claptrap unitsand then repairing them by finding the necessary tools nearby, players were rewarded with an SDU. To some, this might have been a satisfying gameplay loop, but others might have found it to be a bit tedious. Now, inBorderlands 4, players are essentially being asked to repeat that, only this time, they will be searching for SDUs in a much larger world that doesn’t readily hold their hand. For players who would much rather just loot and shoot than explore, this might be a bit of an issue.
InBorderlands 2andBorderlands 3, players could purchase SDUs to upgrade things like their ammo, backpack, and bank space using Eridium or cash, respectively, thereby streamlining the process and making it more accessible.
That being said, perhapsBorderlands 4’s Kairoswill be interesting enough that some of those players won’t find the shift to a more exploration-basedBorderlandsgame too difficult of a shift to make. In the end, this is going to boil down to whether exploring Kairos is worth the extra legwork for more than just the SDUs, but that remains to be seen until the game actually launches in September.
