One Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel Feature Should Live On in New Shapes in BL4

by

Summary

  • Borderlands 4 will likely introduce fresh gameplay ideas like its predecessors, such as unique skill trees.
  • Skill trees are crucial in defining playable Vault Hunters’ identities, and concepts like co-op nodes shouldn’t be abandoned.
  • Borderlands 4 could benefit from character-specific skill trees with co-op nodes or adding co-op-specific skill trees for all Vault Hunters.

As a longtime fan of the Borderlands series, I’ve always been captivated by the unique skill trees each Vault Hunter brings to the table. However, as someone who enjoys both solo and multiplayer gaming, I’ve often found myself yearning for more ways to enhance my cooperative experience without compromising my character choice.

In the world of gaming, it’s typical for the “Borderlands” series to introduce innovative gameplay elements with each new installment. For instance, the Slag damage from “Borderlands 2” and the Oz kits and gravity slams in “Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel“. It’s expected that “Borderlands 4” will follow suit.

In Borderlands games, skill trees play a significant role, often shaping the character of the playable Vault Hunters beyond their narrative and plot position. This trend will continue in Borderlands 4. For instance, the Iron Bear builds for Moze in Borderlands 3 were extremely popular when the game was released, and they grew even more with the introduction of a new skill tree centered around Iron Cub. An innovative idea like Aurelia’s cooperative tree in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel might appear niche, but it deserves just as much attention.

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel’s Co-Op Skill Tree Deserves Another Shot in Borderlands 4

As a devoted cinema-goer, I can’t help but marvel at the thrilling cooperative gameplay mechanics in the Borderlands series, where players team up to vanquish formidable foes and acquire dazzling loot. The ability to trade items with other players adds an extra layer of excitement. For the franchise to continue thriving, expanding upon cooperative gameplay seems like a brilliant idea. However, I believe there are ways to execute this concept more effectively than how it was done in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel with Aurelia. Here’s one approach for improving co-op skill trees in Borderlands 4:

  • Making character-specific skill trees like every Borderlands game, and then add the ability to purchase points from shared skill trees that focus on other parts of the game
  • Adding a few co-op nodes to each skill tree without harming their identity or making them a dedicated co-op tree in order to preserve character diversity

In this situation, both choices could fit well, but it might be advantageous for Borderlands 4 to incorporate one of them. Truth be told, while many players appreciated Aurelia’s cooperative nodes and potentially her entire skill tree in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, there may be other fans who yearned for a distinct skill tree that could be maximized without relying on friends or multiplayer and co-op modes.

Why Non-Character-Specific Multiplayer Skill Trees Would Work Wonders in Borderlands 4

In an alternative approach for Borderlands 4, they could circumvent this problem entirely by designing compact skill trees that specialize in lesser-used aspects of the game mechanics, such as healing, linking with teammates to boost shields or health, enhancing weapons from specific manufacturers to amplify damage and stats, and so forth. Additionally, a skill tree could be dedicated to rewarding players with better and more loot when playing cooperatively, encouraging the use of these hypothetical skill trees and opening new gameplay possibilities.

How Co-Op Perks Could Be Added to Borderlands 4’s Vault Hunters

One solution could be to incorporate optional, non-essential nodes into each character’s skill tree in Borderlands 4, which would function within cooperative play. This would eliminate the predicament where players focusing on multiplayer abilities felt compelled to choose a particular character in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. By providing a broad range of these talents, solo players wouldn’t feel obligated to select these skills, while multiplayer enthusiasts would have more choices regardless of their chosen character. In essence, this would benefit both types of players, enhancing the gaming experience for all.

Read More

2024-12-24 01:13