Following our current five-hour hands-on preview of Borderlands 4 (and subsequent Vault and boss combat gameplay commentary), we have now gone by way of and picked up your entire questions, your entire greatest questions from the assorted feedback sections on completely different platforms and we’ll run by way of and reply the perfect of these, the perfect we will. These are answered by frequent IGN contributor Travis Northup, who wrote our Borderlands 4 preview and whose gameplay and voice is in that Vault and boss combat commentary linked above.
cirescythe asks: Is it a return to type for gearbox…?
Travis Northup: That’s clearly the query everybody needs to know the reply to. With this one I believe the reply is it stays to be seen, however indicators are fairly optimistic proper now. So all of the stuff that I performed, quite a lot of give attention to the gunplay and mobility and that stuff is admittedly nice to see. The refocus on the story with a brand new planet, new characters, new tone that’s harking back to Borderlands 1 in my thoughts I believe might be an excellent signal for gamers like myself who had been just a little turned off by a few of Borderlands 3’s comedy chops. And so indicators definitely level to sure, however as with all these belongings you by no means actually know till you possibly can play extra of it. I do not know that 5 hours is sufficient for me to say definitively, however I am definitely heartened by what I noticed.
danieladams5132 asks: Will there be dungeons scattered all through the open world to discover optionally?
Travis Northup: I believe the reply is sure. So I did not get to discover an excessive amount of. We had been placed on the primary map after which we went and did one vault. That was mainly the extent of the areas we had been allowed to discover. However whereas I used to be on the primary open world hub space, I did a aspect quest the place I used to be gathering items of a vault key to go and do the vault that I used to be then later put into. And so there are seemingly skippable dungeons you possibly can go to, however I did not see something the place it is like, “Oh, here is a cave I can wander into that results in an entire boss combat.” I believe they’re extra bespoke and there is in all probability fewer of them than a Skyrim dungeon the place you are working round. It is extremely a lot according to what we have seen in Borderlands up to now the place you are doing sure actions. However there was fairly a bit to do on the map. Despite the fact that there weren’t particular dungeons, there have been loads of locations I may raid with hidden Loot and due to the brand new traversal choices, you are gliding across the map rather a lot and hopping into your automobile immediately, which I believe you simply noticed there in among the footage, which is admittedly cool to have the ability to do. It feels extra like an open world sport regardless of nonetheless very a lot not being open world.
matthewdavey1462 asks: My largest query to this point is hoping we see a return to Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel’s system the place Vault Hunters may work together with one another whereas enjoying multiplayer.
Travis Northup: We tried out multiplayer on the very finish of the demo for about 40 minutes, possibly an hour, and I did not see any of that the place the vault hunters had been interacting with one another. The vault hunters talked just a little bit throughout this demo, however per Borderlands custom, the characters you are enjoying as will not be the principle characters in Borderlands and so there wasn’t an entire bunch of interplay there. However admittedly I did not get to see quite a lot of multiplayer, which is bizarre. I might say 99% of the Borderlands I’ve performed has been a multiplayer and so it was bizarre that wasn’t the main target of the demo. I am considering possibly that is an element that they are nonetheless placing collectively and dealing on. And so I did not get to see a ton of that sadly.
deviatetaco3757 asks: (on the 6:38 mark of the video preview) Was {that a} rattling podracer?!?
Travis Northup: Yeah. So I believe I did search for these timestamps earlier than we began recording. I imagine that one is me hopping into my automobile that you simply get. So there it’s proper there. Pod racer. So you possibly can summon your automobile everytime you need on this sport. It is a new function, you do not have to go to a catch a trip station anymore. And on this case there does appear to be a automobile pores and skin or type or mannequin that appears rather a lot like a pod racer. I didn’t get to play with that actual mannequin. I solely bought the starter one, however there does appear to be a automobile that appears an terrible lot like a pod racer within the pores and skin, which fairly cool.
TannerHarperReviews asks: (on the 3:27 mark of the video preview) So does that imply that weapons now not have the alt firing modes that we had in BL3? I truly appreciated that addition to the gunplay.
Travis Northup: Yeah. So I believe this commenter was reacting to a remark I made about one of many new gun producers, which I imagine is known as the order which has an alternate firing mode. You may see that right here. The context right here is essential, which is I used to be enjoying within the earliest components of the sport and so I truly do not know the way frequent alt firing modes are within the sport generally, however the order’s key function is that their weapons particularly have alt firing modes and so I believe it’s one thing they’re consolidating right into a producer, however I in all probability didn’t play sufficient of this sport to say that for positive. This gun that you simply’re seeing here’s a pistol made by the order and it is alt firing mode is that it could create gravity wells, which was tremendous cool. And they also have alt firing as a function on this sport, however I didn’t see it on the overwhelming majority of the weapons I used. And in order that could possibly be completely different in the long run sport whenever you’re getting legendaries and doing different stuff like that. However at the least with the blues and greens and stuff I used to be discovering for the overwhelming majority of my play by way of, I didn’t see an entire lot of alt firing and those I did see had been solely to this gun producer.
98nirki asks: Is there actually one thing new and thrilling right here to carry new gamers? It seems to be and feels roughly the identical method for over a decade…
Travis Northup: I believe that may be a actual concern. There’s just a little little bit of a push and pull between followers who need to see a return to type and followers who need the shape to be fully completely different. I believe that is a extremely robust line to stroll whenever you’re making a fourth, fifth, sixth sport in a franchise, which I imagine, though that is Borderlands 4, it is at the least the sixth sport. They have spinoffs and all kinds of stuff. I believe that is robust.
They very clearly need this to be a Borderlands sport and so I believe should you straight up don’t like Borderlands 1 and a couple of particularly, you are in all probability not going to love this until your predominant considerations with these video games had been. I do not suppose the gunplay is nice as a result of that has been their predominant focus. They’re specializing in gunplay first, among the RPG mechanics second or in all probability story second after which the RPG mechanics after that. And so if nothing drew you into the opposite Borderlands, I do not suppose that that is going to vary right here. And I do not suppose that that is their objective. I believe their objective is to say to Borderlands followers, “Hey, we’re nonetheless enhancing on the components that you simply love, however the components and the bones of this factor are going to stay largely the identical.”
It’s a drawback with just about each franchise, proper? How do you retain one thing new whereas making it the identical? You do not need to change it an excessive amount of in any other case followers shall be upset. The sentiment I’ve heard is give me gunplay from Borderlands 3 with the story and tone and characters of Borderlands 2. I believe that they are saying, “Yeah, we need to try this, however we’ll even attempt to do rather a lot higher than the gunplay in Borderlands 3.” As a result of that has very clearly been a spotlight, the gunplay is, and I am positive we’ll get to questions on that.
kirawood-e2i asks: I’ve heard hearsay that we’re not getting Tiny Tina concerned which i feel is a disgrace as Wonderlands was superb in my view. Are there going to be any characters that we truly know of?
Travis Northup: I did not see any in my time enjoying with Borderlands and I believe that may be a very intentional shift. Borderlands has this factor the place it depends on quite a lot of the identical characters in each sport. This sport does have returning characters for positive. We have confirmed that Moxxi goes to be within the sport and stuff like that. We have seen that. The demo I performed had no characters in frequent apart from I believe Claptrap was in it for just a little bit or had some voices, however he is mainly the mascot of Borderlands. He must be on it. However except for that, I did not have folks speaking in my ear who had been earlier characters in Borderlands or something like that. They’re very a lot shifting away from these characters. And I believe it speaks to the bigger feeling that this can be a tender reboot. The NPCs, I used to be speaking to the story, it is on a very completely different planet. We’re not on Pandora, we’re in a unique world studying about completely different characters. It was only a very clear break. So I believe Tiny Tina, that rumor that Tina just isn’t within the sport might be true simply primarily based on my restricted time with it and speaking to the builders and listening to them speak about how they needed a recent begin and to inform the separate story within the separate place in order that’s simply my guess.
momintim asks: I’m wondering if there shall be a hub of kinds?
Travis Northup: So Borderlands 3 positively had this with the ship that you simply’re on. I did not see one on this sport. My guess is they simply did not need to present it to me, doesn’t imply that it isn’t within the sport. However I did not see one, so I truly do not know the reply to this query in any respect. It wasn’t one thing that they talked about.
liamhollands344 asks: This is a query: Are there nonetheless group autos? Or are we simply gliding round on completely different sorts of jet bikes?
Travis Northup: I am undecided if there are group autos on this sport. Those I noticed had been solely a single individual. Simply primarily based on the way in which you summon them there won’t be group autos any extra until they’re like particular tanks or one thing like that that I have never seen. However the purpose I do not suppose that there are group autos is as a result of you are able to do every thing out of your private automobile and you too can summon it wherever you might be at any time. So it makes group autos irrelevant as a result of the speeder I used to be on had a number of firing modes. I may shoot missiles, I may shoot a machine gun, it may go actually quick. I may get out of it and get in it wherever I used to be at any time. And so whenever you’re in that dynamic, I do not actually know that you might want to load everyone up in the identical automobile anymore. And so I believe the reply might be no. Right here I didn’t see any on this sport and indicators level towards this probably being one thing that they do not have anymore.
Testes-f1i asks: Did you play this on straightforward?
Travis Northup: I didn’t get to decide on my problem. So I truly do not know what sport mode I used to be enjoying on. These had been pre-made recordsdata loaded up for us with pre-made builds, and so I did not get to undergo character creation or something like that. I do not suppose it was on straightforward. I do not know. I performed these video games on the toughest problem out there to me as a result of I take pleasure in a problem. I do not know if there is a query right here concerning the footage. I noticed some commenters commenting on my footage and my gameplay not being the best. That does occur whenever you do a demo, it is your first time enjoying the sport. You are given no tutorial. They don’t inform you what the construct consists of or how any of its powers work and you do not have time to learn all of the menus and skills since you bought to get in there and play the sport. After which additionally you often have a developer speaking in your ear and attempting to clarify stuff to you when you’re enjoying and also you’re wanting over your shoulder. And so these dwell demos is usually a little difficult and it would not at all times make for the perfect footage, it is simply a part of the job sadly. I do not suppose I performed it on straightforward, however I could not inform you.
LM0671 asks: One query: When will the graphics engine lastly see a serious evolution? Episode 5?
Travis Northup: I might say it has. So that is Unreal 5. Maybe not totally realized in our footage that we captured. Full disclosure, I used to be not in a position to in charge of the settings. They gave me a rig and so they stated, “Click on this button whenever you need to seize.” So I do not know what its output was, however I can inform you as someone who has performed all the Borderlands video games, like that is the prettiest sport. I believe the change in engine and the brand new instruments they have for it are fairly clear. So if that does not present up on this video, I believe it is going to whenever you play it in individual. It caught out to me as being significantly fairly. That stated, they don’t seem to be altering the artwork type, they’re nonetheless doing cel-shading. They’re nonetheless cartoony stuff. And I believe that is in all probability the best transfer. It must appear to be Borderlands.
mjjenkins8809 asks: Is there an choice to play in third individual?
Travis Northup: I do not suppose that there’s. I went into third individual a number of instances since you do it whenever you transition into driving your automobile or no matter and proper right here after I’m slashing round with my swords. However I might be actually stunned if immediately Borderlands was now not primarily FPS. I believe that is what they are going for and I do not suppose there is a third individual choice.
kingmickey666 asks: What’s the humor like? BL3 was infantile and BL2 did not age very nicely. I just like the darker tone, however I hope the humor is not misplaced.
Travis Northup: This can be a essential query to me as a comic myself. Humor has at all times been tremendous essential in Borderlands, and I believe everyone’s bought their very own opinions about what works and would not work. And once more, I believe it is in all probability too early to inform, however I’ll inform you my preliminary impressions, that are this sport has a really, very clear completely different tone than I might say actually any of the Borderlands video games. The story is fairly severe. It is in all probability closest in its tone to Borderlands 1 in that there is a lot occurring the place there is a planet with this one that’s enslaved all the inhabitants, and there is quite a lot of commentary about that. And so there’s a cyberpunk darkish sci-fi edge to it. That stated, there’s nonetheless loads of jokes. All of the villain … There was one boss I fought the place he was speaking to me about … I do not know, having his nipples tweaked or one thing like that. He was a type of bosses who likes ache or no matter and makes it actually sexual. And they also went down that path and stuff. I believe your mileage could range. Borderlands has at all times been potty humor. And so should you had been an adolescent and also you appreciated Borderlands 2 and now you are older and possibly you do not like that, I might argue that your comedy tastes have modified. And I believe that is positive.
I actually am a 30-something who enjoys potty humor, and so if it is executed nicely, I can get behind that. And I believe among the jokes labored and a few of them did not. It definitely was not the identical tone as Borderlands 3 and the type of joke was very completely different. And so I believe we’ll have to spend extra time with it. However I will say in my time with it, among the jokes landed and a few of them did not. I believe it was already a step up from Borderlands 3, which isn’t that prime of a bar.
In the event you’ve seen Tiny Tina Wonderland, I might say it was across the similar consistency as Tiny Tina’s Wonderland. However Tiny Tina’s Wonderland has a really completely different vibe to it. It is simply much more excessive as a result of it is pure fantasy and it is mainly identical to, oops, all bits. And this wasn’t that. That they had some bits, that they had some sections the place there was an ongoing joke, just like the boss that was speaking to me about how he could not wait to be tortured or no matter, however there have been additionally durations the place there wasn’t that occurring and there have been severe matters taking place, particularly within the vault the place I used to be studying a few backstory with a personality and there was some story stuff occurring. And so I believe they’re attempting to stability it and we’ll see what number of of … Like I preserve saying, I used to be heartened by what I noticed to this point. In all probability too early to inform.
RobotJungle asks: Why all of the hate?? This seems to be f*cking superior and I hated bl3
Travis Northup: My guess is why all of the hate is as a result of whenever you lose the gamers’ confidence, it is arduous to achieve it again. Gamers are simply … They’re that method. Their loyalty is fleeting. And I believe that is in all probability an excellent factor as a result of it provides suggestions to builders instantly on what they need to change. But in addition I believe there’s been some stuff that is occurred round this sport that is not associated to the sport that has pissed folks off. Perhaps Randy Pitchford’s feedback on how a lot a sport ought to price and that stuff. And I am seeing quite a lot of feedback on our preview which are about that, and I do not blame them, however that is separate from the query I am attempting to reply with my previews and my evaluations at IGN, which is like, how does the sport really feel to play, is it value your time, is it enjoyable et cetera. I am not going to touch upon whether or not I believe varied CEO feedback are sensible issues to say or not.
It positively made me root for them having performed the sport. I used to be like, okay, cool. They don’t seem to be resting on their laurels. They’re attempting to enhance the sport. They’re very clearly listening to fan suggestions and attempting to vary the path and so I am right here for it. I prefer it when video games attempt new stuff and so they get sequel concern. I do not suppose they’re doing that with this. I believe they’re taking possibilities and so they’re attempting some new stuff and so they’re attempting to maintain previous stuff that they suppose labored nicely, and they also’re doing precisely what I might hope a group engaged on a brand new Borderlands sport could be doing. Whether or not or not that’s profitable stays to be seen, however I am at the least extra optimistic having performed it a bit.
artvandelay123 asks: Will the sport have a minimap? FOV sliders?
Travis Northup: The mini-map, I believe the reply isn’t any. And we will pull up the footage proper now and see it, however I do not bear in mind there being in mini-map. FOV sliders, once more, I did not look within the menu extensively, however I believe there have been FOV sliders. I used to be enjoying on a PC. That operate is extra frequent on PCs, so whether or not that exists on console, I am not precisely positive. However I didn’t see a mini-map. The primary factor that they use is the compass, after which you possibly can pull up your map fairly shortly. And I used to be making markers or making a notice of which icon I needed to go towards after which getting in my automobile or working in that path mainly. However yeah, no mini-map. I believe there are FOV sliders, at the least on the PC model I used to be enjoying.