Borderlands 4 clearly has a lot of potential. The sequel has an interesting enough premise for a story, as the Vault Hunters will need to track down Lilith. Gearbox could continue to redeem the series’ least popular character by making Ava playable, letting players control the Siren and wield her powers. The universe has been expanded via all the new planets added in Borderlands 3, allowing for some bigger conflicts to be touched upon going forward. From a gameplay perspective, next-gen consoles can allow for new mechanics and better graphics.
Still, while there is a lot to be excited about when it comes to the next mainline Borderlands game, it is hard to not worry about one thing in particular: its villain. While Borderlands 3 does a lot of things right when it comes to its gameplay, its story has come under heavy criticism from fans of the franchise. At the root of this problem is the Calypso Twins, as they fail to live up to Handsome Jack’s impressive legacy. With this problem being so evident in the last game, it is hard not to worry about history repeating itself in Borderlands 4.
Why The Calypso Twins Were Not On Par With Handsome Jack
There are many reasons that Handsome Jack was so popular, ranging from his complexity as a character to the excellent performance that brought him to life. His story had many layers to it, though he also managed to boast a great sense of humor that most characters in the Borderlands series are known to have. While the Calypso Twins were well acted, their story lacked depth, and the attempts to make them funny antagonists did not land. With the streamer parody forced so heavily, they felt more like caricatures than their own characters.
Perhaps the most obvious difference between the Calypsos and Handsome Jack is that Jack’s story feels complete. Not only do fans see his origins through Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, but his AI shows up in Tales From The Borderlands so that Jack can have an even greater sendoff. Not only do The Calypso Twins get less time to shine, but their story is heavily rushed. Having two characters means twice as much screen time should be given, but that does not happen. Instead, neither Calypso feels fleshed out, with Troy's death being sudden and Tyreen losing her signficiance as soon as she merges with the Destroyer.
At the midway point in Borderlands 3's story, Gearbox seems to be heavily teasing a breakup between the twins, with the power-hungry Troy turning on his sister Tyreen. This does not happen, though, as the two remain aligned the entire time. Seeing them break up could have provided some much-needed development, but unfortunately it does not happen. Further, gamers do not get the Twins’ backstory until after Troy is already dead, making it harder to connect with him. Yet another issue is seen with Maya’s controversial death, as the Calypso Twins replay what should have made a sad moment and try to make it into a joke. This angered fans in the wrong way, as it is the complete opposite of how Roland’s death was treated in Borderlands 2. While Jack killing Roland was devastating, he never came off as annoying in the aftermath like the Calypsos did.
Borderlands 4 Could Also Have A Villain Problem
Given how clear the villain problem was in Borderlands 3, it seems like it is destined to be an issue in the future games as well. With Jack viewed by some as one of the all-time great video game antagonists, trying to top or even match his presence seems impossible. Likewise, his appearance in three different games means that he was given far more time to develop than any new villain would likely be given. Jack perfectly balanced humor and intimidation, and it is hard to imagine another villain doing that so masterfully. Even if they did, they would always be compared to Jack and could be considered a poor imitation.
Borderlands villains will likely always be living in Jack’s shadow, which is a testament to just how well-handled that character was. As such, it may be best for the franchise to abandon the concept of a big bad. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands being set in the titular character’s fantasy world ensures that the villain does not matter, and it seems like Borderlands 4 will be more about finding Lilith than fighting some new foe. With The Watcher’s War also able to be explored, players could fight several mysterious Guardians as opposed to one main threat. With Jack being so hard to top, staying away from the archetype of a main antagonist may be for the best. If Gearbox keeps attempting to replicate the success of Jack, though, Borderlands 4 could struggle in the exact same way that Borderlands 3 did.
Borderlands 4 is rumored to be in development.