Summary

Gearbox Sfotware has the chance to add a feature from earlier games thatBorderlands 3didn’t include now thatBorderlands 4has been announced.Borderlands 4will technically be the fifth game in the mainlineBorderlandsfranchise, asBorderlands 3was preceded byBorderlands: The Pre-Sequel. While all the games in the series have stayed relatively consistent in terms of basic gameplay,there was one fun feature from the first two games thatThe Pre-SequelandBorderlands 3both dropped.

One of the main waysBorderlandsgames add variety to the gameplay is through thedifferent classes that players can choosefrom. Each game has come standard with four playable protagonists, and most games also include additional classes as DLC later on. Unfortunately, one of the most fun class archetypes was dropped after the first two games, and hopefully it can be brought back inBorderlands 4.

Borderlands 3

Borderlands 3: Best Things to Do After Beating The Game

Borderlands 3 is full of replayable moments and unique characters, giving you plenty to do even after the credits roll on the main story campaign.

Borderlands 4 Should Bring Back Melee Classes

BorderlandsandBorderlands 2both includeclasses that allow players to temporarilyswap their guns for extremely effective melee attacks. Brick from the first game pummels enemies with his fists, and Krieg inBorderlands 2cuts through them with his combination buzzsaw/axe. This makes for very satisfying gameplay at higher levels, as players can easily clear a room of enemies in a single high-energy rampage without firing a single bullet. When built right, Krieg is also able to heal himself through killing, essentially making him invincible as he cuts through enemies.

ThoughBorderlands: The Pre-SequelandBorderlands 3both have some fun classes, the absence of melee classes is notable. Players who preferred this method of gameplay over using ranged weapons now no longer had the option to playBorderlandsthe way they had been accustomed to.Borderlands 4could easily solve this byadding back a melee class with a similar skill to Brick and Krieg’s.

Krieg gestures with his hand while speaking from Borderlands 3

Borderlands 4 Should Take Cues From Other First-Person Games For Building Melee Classes

There Have Been Many Innovations To First-Person Melee Since Borderlands 2

TheBorderlandsspin-off,Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, seemed like a natural place for the series to bring back melee classes thanks to its fantasy setting. Unfortunately, the game’s classes fail to capture the same energetic flow of melee combat with Brick or Krieg. If Gearbox is looking for ways to bring back melee inBorderlands 4, but also innovate a bit,the studio can look to more recent games with first-person melee combatfor inspiration.

Cyberpunk 2077is a good example of a game that makes melee feel fresh and exciting, while also balancing it against a mixture of ranged and melee enemies. One thingBorderlands 4could implement fromCyberpunkcould be the game’s focus on increased mobility.Being able to zip around the battlefield and chop up enemies would be a lot of fun, and also differentiate a new character from Brick or Krieg, who are larger and less agile.

Cyberpunk 2077 screenshot of V wielding the Gwynbleidd sword from The Witcher.

Another option that would fit theBorderlandsformat would be a class that was rewarded for melee finishers, similar to theDOOMseries. Allowing players to recover health or ammo during a spree of melee kills would build momentum for the point when players switch back to using guns, creating a nice synergy between the two styles of play. This seems perfectly suited toBorderlands’ often frenetic combat and would letBorderlands 4bring back one of the series’ best features that never saw the light of day withBorderlands 3.

Borderlands 3

Developed by Gearbox Software and published by 2K, Borderlands 3 is the third installment in the long-running Borderlands franchise. In this release, players will take control of one of four characters: Moze, Amara, Zane, and FL4K. Players will need to collect weapons and upgrade their skills to take on twins Tyreen and Troy Calypso.

mixcollage-08-dec-2024-01-32-pm-3996.jpg