Six years after the release ofBorderlands 3and three years afterTiny Tina’s Wonderland, Gearbox Software and 2K Games are preparing for the launch ofBorderlands 4later this year. The next entry in the comedic looter shooter series will pick up whereBorderlands 3left off and give players four completely new vault hunters to choose from. ThoughBorderlands 4will supposedly be aspiring for a more mature tone than previousBorderlandsgames, recent trailers have indicated that the game’s combat will still bring the level of chaos that fans have come to expect from the series.
There are currently twogameplay trailers out forBorderlands 4, and both have showcased some exciting ways that the series has evolved sinceBorderlands 3. New animations, new enemy types, new action skills, and new traversal mechanics give fans plenty to be excited about. However, ifBorderlands 4is looking to improve upon its predecessor, an easy leg-up could be pulled from aBorderlandsspin-off game.
Why the New Weapon Type in Tiny Tina’s Wonderland Shouldn’t Be Forgotten
Gearbox releasedTiny Tina’s Wonderlandin 2022 between mainline entries. The game is based on an in-universeDungeons and Dragons-esque tabletop game introduced inTiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep— a DLC expansion forBorderlands 2.Tiny Tina’s Wonderlandtakes the combat and humor ofBorderlandsand places it in a fantasy setting created by the titular explosives expert. WhileTiny Tina’s Wonderlandis a smaller-scale spin-off from the main series, it still made some interesting changes to theBorderlandsformula.
The Introduction of Melee Weapons
Besides switching up the genre,replacing grenades with spells, and giving players the ability to create their own character for the first time in the series, one ofTiny Tina’s Wonderland’s most notable additions was the introduction of melee weapons. Players have always been able to perform a melee attack in theBorderlandsseries, butTiny Tina’s Wonderlandwas the first to let players equip a melee weapon of their own choosing.
Just like with guns in the game, players can loot and purchase melee weapons of different types and rarities. The types include one-handed swords, two-handed swords, axes, and blunt weapons like hammers or morning stars. Each melee weapon has unique perks regarding its crit chance, attack speed, and elemental damage type. Depending onwhichWonderlandsclass is chosen, the equipped melee weapon can have as much of an impact on combat as a player’s guns.
Bringing Melee Weapons to Borderlands 4
Melee combat was simplistic inTiny Tina’s Wonderland, but it was an interesting idea that helped the spin-off to stand out. While the melee system was designed with a medieval fantasy setting in mind, there’s no reason why it couldn’t make a reappearance inBorderlands 4. TheBorderlandsgames have long encouraged players to get up close and personal with their enemies thanks to the melee skills of characters like Krieg, Athena, and Amara. Combining those skills with the ability to select a unique melee weapon whose stats and damage type mesh well with the player’s preferred skill tree would add some appreciated depth and allure toBorderlands 4’s melee combat. Plus, withBorderlands 4’s teased mobility enhancements, getting into and out of melee with an enemy will be easier than ever before.
