One of the most highly valued aspects of a first-person shooter is its movement. The flow of combat is only as smooth as the movement abilities allotted to player by the developer. For that reason,Borderlands 4should ensure that it continues the trend of improving movement as it has with every game before it.
However,Borderlands 4could also look to other similar franchises for ways to improve upon the game’s movement experience. The most notable example of which isDestiny 2, a game that coincidentally shares a lot in common withBorderlands.Destiny 2’s vast array of movement ability options is a pinnacle of game design thatBorderlands 4should seek to recreate.
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Movement is Key to Borderlands' Gunplay
Gearbox Software has always recognized the value of movement when it comes to gunplay.Borderlands 1and2both featured sprinting which helped supplement long, floaty jumps. While these don’t seem like much initially, they greatly added to the game’s gunplay. Player’s had a greater degree of movement than they would have in other first-person shooters of the time, such asCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. This went along with the comic aestheticBorderlandssought to imitate, making it one of the unique games to have been released for its time.Borderlands 3would go on to add things like climbing up ledges and sliding, which continued to add on the flow of combat. However,Borderlands 4’s vault hunterswill need to go a step further by taking a look at howDestiny 2treats its movement mechanics.
DestinyandBorderlandsare incredibly similar in their gameplay loops. BothDestinyandBorderlandsencourage grinding for the best gunsand taking on bigger challenges using the gear you find. However, one placeDestiny 2has evenBorderlands 3beat is its movement. InDestiny 2, players can triple-jump, glide, teleport, and even grapple hook around using the new strand mechanic added in theLightfallexpansion. The potential for awesome techniques and plays inDestiny 2are limitless because of this. It takes movement mechanics found in other games and cranks it up to 10, giving players true freedom in how their character maneuvers around the world.
Borderlands 4needs to have this, and its needs to have it in droves.Borderlands 3teased the player with the mention of jetpacks and grappling hooks, but these should become reality inBorderlands 4. The types of movement players prefer could even change from character to character. An assassin archetype like Zer0 or Zane could have more evasive abilities to dodge incoming attacks, while a siren character could teleport around like they’ve been shown to be able to do. It not only adds variety to gameplay, but to the game as a whole. The replayability of the game would skyrocket, as there would be even more variety in how different each character moves. It could even allow forBorderlands 4to have a possible PvP modethat makes use of the movement upgrades.
This would also complement the lore of the overall game, as Vault hunters are known to be the cream of the crop mercenaries that can get the impossible done. Allowing them to have more fantastical movement options would fit right in with the world. Having more variety between classes would also add to the power fantasy exhibited by each character, whether that be an assassin slipping behind enemy lines orone ofBorderlands' iconic sirenswarping into a group of enemies and causing mass destruction.
WheneverBorderlands 4releases,its movement will be one of the deciding factors on its fun and replay value. Fortunately, Gearbox Software has made similar improvements before, soBorderlands 4will likely display the same level of innovation showcased by its predecessors.
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