Summary
When the nextBorderlandsgame releases, fans of the looter-shooter franchise can expect several things to remain intact. Though it will be more polished, the cel shaded visual style will surely follow the series into the future. Additionally, the focus on collecting hundreds of different weapons will undoubtedly be present, as will playable characters with unique abilities and a ton of humor. Beyond that, though, Gearbox will be free to experiment with the nextBorderlandstitle.
There have been plenty of suggestions about what the nextBorderlandsgame should include. Some of the these requests have been story-related, such as a return of The Watcher or answers about Zer0’s origins. Others have been tied to gameplay, like Pearlescents andtraditional raid bossesmaking a comeback. One interesting idea would fall into the latter category, and it comes directly fromMarvel’s Midnight Suns- a character relationship system.
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Marvel’s Midnight Suns’ Relationship Format Fits Borderlands Perfectly
WhileMarvel’s Midnight Sunswas unfortunately a commercial failure, likeMarvel’s Guardians of the Galaxyit is a great game that deserved to sell far more copies than it did. Its strategic gameplay is unlikely to be applied toBorderlandsanytime soon, but one aspect of Firaxis’ Marvel game certainly can. Between missions inMarvel’s Midnight Suns, players will level up their relationship with each hero, unlocking special boosts for the characters in the process.
TheMarvel’s Midnight Sunsrelationship system is simple in practice, but does a great job of exploring the various superheroes’ histories and personalities. Players level up their bonds by going on missions with the heroes and training with them, or completing hangouts where they watch movies together or play some video games. Additionally, players can compliment their favorite hero to further boost their bond, and giving them gifts they like or choosing the correct dialogue option during chats can boost the relationship meter as well. Each time it is leveled up, a special conversation occurs where the character opens up to The Hunter,Marvel’s Midnight Suns’ original protagonist.
Proper dialogue options are unlikely to be added inBorderlands 4, as they do not fit the style of game that fans have come to expect. However, the other methods of leveling up could certainly make the transition. Players could check in with each NPC aboard Sanctuary 3 after every major story event for a bit of XP, and completing quests for them could result in significant increases. Players could also provide the NPCs with gifts that they find when exploring the wasteland of Pandora or other planets, getting larger boosts if they match an item to a character. For instance,FL4Kcould love a collar for one of his beasts, while Gaige could appreciate tools to work on Deathtrap.
Each time players level up a relationship, they could acquire a character-specific weapon - thinkMad Moxxi’s exclusive guns, but with a deeper system than just tipping a character some money. At max level, an exclusive Legendary could drop, but players could also have a special conversation with the NPC that reveals a previously unknown detail about them. These special scenes could be huge for characters like Fiona, who disappeared at the end ofTales from the Borderlands, or characters like Zer0 who have a load of unanswered mysteries to delve into.
Borderlands’ characters have become iconic, and it is something that Gearbox should fully embrace with the next mainline entry in the franchise. While the gunplay is fun, and the weapons are interesting, the heart ofBorderlandsis its cast, from legendary villains likeHandsome Jackto Vault Hunters such as Moze and Athena. A hypothetical relationship system would not have to be as deep as the one inMarvel’s Midnight Sunsto work well, and having a way to unlock exclusive loot and dialogue with every major NPC inBorderlands 4would be incredible.
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