Borderlands 4 Is Great, But I Miss My Favorite Vault Hunter Ever

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I usually don’t enjoy very realistic or serious first-person shooters. That’s why I’ve always loved the Borderlands series. Its comic book look and funny style – I even like Claptrap, despite what some people think – just feels like the perfect fit for me.

I especially like how different each Vault Hunter feels – not just in how they look and act, but also in their unique gameplay styles.

At its core, this game explores different character builds and playstyles, letting you focus on things like weapon types, elemental effects, or how close-up or far away you like to fight. Whether you’re playing as Salvador, who uses two weapons at once, or FL4K, who commands animal companions, each character feels unique, offering a completely different experience each time you play.

The best part of the game is discovering a Vault Hunter whose playstyle matches your own and then maximizing their special abilities. For me, no character in any game has felt more natural to play than Lady Aurelia Hammerlock.

I don’t know why, but I’m totally drawn to ice characters and weapons in games. Seriously, if I lived in the Pokémon world, I’d 100% be an Ice-type Gym Leader. It’s a tough typing – Game Freak really didn’t do us any favors with all the weaknesses! – but I’d still give it my all, even if I only won a battle like, once a decade.

That’s pretty close to how well my Ice-type team did in competition, but we’re focusing on something else right now.

I was really excited when I found out Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel would include Cryo damage. Then, learning that the Baroness, a new playable character, was built around both Cryo and sniping made me even more enthusiastic!

I don’t usually play as snipers in shooting games, but using Mordecai in the original Borderlands felt incredibly intuitive. When it came to the Pre-Sequel, playing as the Baroness was even more enjoyable and rewarding than playing as Zer0, the Assassin, or the Hunter.

First and foremost, space helmets are essential. Since the game takes place on Pandora’s moon, characters need a way to breathe when fighting outdoors. These helmets significantly increase the size of everyone’s heads.

When I say ‘head,’ I’m referring to the part of the enemy model that registers a critical hit when shot with a sniper rifle. Hitting that spot consistently is incredibly effective.

“Allow Me To Break The Ice” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

I’ve noticed my Aurelia really loves having a Cryo weapon equipped – it’s almost always what she’s using! The Cryo element is amazing because it slows enemies down, and sometimes even freezes them completely. When an enemy is frozen, they’re totally helpless, which is perfect. It basically sets up a guaranteed critical hit opportunity, and honestly, it feels like it’s just for Aurelia and me – and we’re perfectly happy with that! We don’t need anyone else to have fun.

That said, I’ve always thought Borderlands is most fun when played with friends – there are lots of cool character combinations you can try in the latest game. I usually prefer to play support roles, and the Baroness character has a special ability that fits that playstyle perfectly.

Aurelia can create a Contract and offer it to another player. If that player attacks her while she’s holding it, they sign the Contract and become her servant until either of them respawns. As Aurelia or her servant defeat enemies, they unlock bonuses by progressing through the Contractual Aristocracy skill tree.

Aurelia also has skill upgrades for sniper rifles and Cryo weapons. These upgrades offer benefits like a higher chance to freeze enemies and health recovery when you land a critical hit.

The Pre-Sequel is a bit different from other games in the series, so opinions on it are varied. However, it introduced some really interesting Vault Hunters. Playing as Athena, especially with a melee-focused build, is particularly enjoyable, but all the characters in the series are fun to play in their own right.

The upcoming ‘Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned’ DLC for Borderlands 4 introduces C4SH, a robot whose powers depend on luck. While I generally don’t enjoy gameplay that relies heavily on random chance, I’m excited to try out C4SH, just like I’ve played with every character added to the game over the years, from Krieg to Moze.

I really loved playing as Aurelia back in the day – she was such a snobby, over-the-top character, but totally fit my style. I was so happy to see her come back in Borderlands 3, even if it meant I had to fight and, sadly, take her down myself. I still miss her, honestly.

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2025-10-25 01:10