Borderlands Mobile may have come out of nowhere, but it’s not taking long for it to get the attention of the franchise’s passionate fan base. While the game has plenty of typical mobile mechanics, like a mix of voiced and unvoiced dialogue, a background resource gatherer via Tales from the Borderlands’ and Borderlands 3’s Vaughn, and so on, it also feels like a proper Borderlands release. The art style is present, shooting and looting feels satisfying, and the psychotic enemies of Pandora ramble on and on in silly battle chatter. And, rather shockingly, it feels like Borderlands Mobile is already more content complete on day one than Borderlands 4 is after several months.
Borderlands 4 Shift Code Gives You a New C4SH Exclusive Skin
Borderlands 4 players can unlock an exclusive new skin for DLC Vault Hunter C4SH via a recently revealed Shift Code.
Borderlands Mobile is Filled With Content
Obviously, with Borderlands Mobile being shadow dropped, there are still questions as to whether the “coming soon” descriptors for different Vault Hunter types and purchasable cosmetics are being used for unlockable content or to gate future additions that aren’t actually in the game yet. Still, even with the base Summoner Vault Hunter type and the existing content, it feels like Borderlands Mobile has the variety that BL4 fans have been craving. The following modes all exist in Borderlands Mobile:
While bite-sized campaign missions are a great way to introduce mobile players to all the mechanics of this Borderlands spin-off — getting used to the default auto-firing can take some time — it’s all the other content that should keep them coming back time and time again. It seems like modes such as Circles of Slaughter will rotate out every few days, giving players a reason to check back in. A battle pass will also be available, which fans of cosmetics and Borderlands’ Vault Cards will surely appreciate progressing through.
Balance the critic averages
Balance the critic averages
Easy (6)Medium (8)Hard (10)
Perhaps what’s most shocking is that, per @EpicNNG, Borderlands Mobile has launched with a raid boss. This wouldn’t have seemed like a massive deal back in the Borderlands 2 era, but considering recent release patterns, it’s quite noteworthy. Borderlands 3 didn’t receive its first raid boss until Wotan was added via the Maliwan Blacksite Takedown on November 21, 2019. Borderlands 4 got its first (and currently only) raid boss via Bloomreaper in the December 11 update. With the recently released DLC failing to add one, though, many feel like Borderlands 4 lacks the depth of other entries, a problem Borderlands Mobile seemingly won’t have since it added a raid boss far quicker than the last few Borderlands releases.
Borderlands Mobile even features item upgrades and weapon scrapping for materials like in Bungie’s Destiny 2, ensuring that this mobile game has an impressive level of depth.
Borderlands Mobile May Have a Brighter Future Ahead of It Than BL4 Does
With Borderlands 4’s Mad Ellie DLC being on the shorter side, and marking the midway point for Borderlands 4’s Season Pass content, the future of the game is quite concerning. It’s certainly possible that Gearbox hears the complaints about Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned being too short, ensuring expansion two is full of things to do. Similarly, Horrors of Kairos could have been a learning experience that leads to better seasonal events, and the Takedowns will hopefully be a big win. Still, based on everything that has released post-launch thus far, there’s reason to be worried about what’s next.
Borderlands Mobile, on the other hand, seems to be focusing on what players desire most. A day one raid boss suggests that there will be plenty more to come, while challenging, quick, and easily replayable content like the wave-based Circles of Slaughter (and whatever Tower of Terror turns out to be) could keep players grinding for loot. Mainline Borderlands has always struggled with live-service elements, as it’s often caught between a rock and a hard place and only half-commits, leaving few players fully satisfied instead of embracing one style. Borderlands Mobile seemingly knows what it needs to do to win over anyone disappointed by the direction of the main games, and it being so content complete could help this unexpected game thrive for the forseeable future.
