Borderlands 4 has learned many lessons from the past. Specifically, from Borderlands 3, which has become regarded as the black sheep of the franchise in recent years, for its slapstick and haphazard approach. In tone, Borderlands 4 couldn’t be more far apart. This is a game that takes itself seriously, without forgetting the relief that humour may provide.
It’s challenging, and deals with difficult subject matter, but the balance is tight – so that with each step, your journey has meaning, purpose, and satisfaction. You care about your mission, and each character, in a way that weaves your emotions through the plot.
I can’t say too much about the opening hours of the game in this latest (and final) preview, comprising a major boss battle – only that my Vault Hunter, Vex, has teamed up with the Crimson Resistance on the planet Kairos, to take down the forces of the dominating Timekeeper – but I think it’s fair to say I’m having a certified Good Time™ so far.
Read: Borderlands 4 preview – Back in business, baby!
The latest preview portion of the game, as shared with ScreenHub, comprises an early-stage skirmish against one of the Timekeeper’s key lieutenants, the hulking, laser-wielding Idolator Sol. The Crimson Resistance, at the mercy of the Timekeeper’s whims, have decided on a forward-charge to press their advantage, and take out a part of the Timekeeper’s operations.
What follows is a high-stress break-and-enter as you ram through Idolator Sol’s fortress, and into the heart of his operation. The journey to getting there requires a good deal more strategy than you might expect from a Borderlands game.
Idolator Sol and strategy in Borderlands 4
As I covered in my early preview, Borderlands 4 is a tougher adventure than what’s come before. Shields are more easily broken, and while you can now heal yourself on the go, health is scarcer than ever. To balance this, there’s a more diverse array of unique guns, and it’s much easier to obtain second winds, to keep yourself going. Enemies also have persistent damage, and their shields mostly don’t regenerate after they’re shattered.
In these tweaks, the game offers more complex and rewarding combat, with layers of strategy required to keep you going. It’s not enough to run and gun. Instead, you’ll be working out the best techniques to deal with each enemy, and then flitting around the battlefield, deploying your tried-and-true method. Playing as Vex the Siren, taking stock of my surroundings, that meant wielding a vortex knife to scatter enemies, sending my pet cat-ghost Trouble to deal passive damage, and then taking down enemies in a precise fashion.
Attack the less-powerful enemies first, whittling their health down low. Then, turn focus to the bigger enemies and have them absorb as much damage as possible, throwing knives, gunning, and unleashing Trouble’s attacks. So when Vex dies, inevitably, all it takes is a few scattered shots at the less-powerful enemies to revive with a second wind.
You’ll need to find your own patterns, fast, because even on its easier modes, Borderlands 4 can be difficult. And when you die for real, and you reload into an area, remaining enemies will be back at full health, ready to kick you into the dirt again. At the very least, there is one nice change here: enemies you defeat will remain dead when you return – so if you resurrect, you’ll only be on cleanup duty for any enemies you missed.
That doesn’t apply to boss battles, of course. Which makes Idolator Sol an incredibly tough opponent, requiring patience and that all-important personal strategy. After you make your way through his fortress, taking down armies of goons on the way, you’ll end up in a wide, open arena where Sol stands guard at the centre. It’s a classic, heavy-hitting battle with patterns of combat that must be followed strictly.
Idolator Sol begins by shooting out a slop laser that you must avoid at all costs. Then, he’ll fire off metal poles that break ground – one of which will host a special chemical which you must harness and fling at Sol to break his defences. While he’s vulnerable, it’s a free-for-all. Shoot, knife, and command Trouble away (or otherwise wield your Vault Hunter’s primary abilities), until his health is down and his shield returns.
Dancing with disaster
It’s a dance, like most good bosses. You need to balance your hubris when you run in for the attack, and figure out which guns are the best for whittling health. You’ll also need to pay attention to your sight lines – for when lower-powered enemies are nearby, in case you need a second wind, and for when Sol unleashes more powerful and deadly attacks.
When you get to his final health bar, he’s unleashing all sorts of badness, from lightning-powered attacks, to what look like stink bombs. And if you put one foot wrong, you can wind up being blasted by an attack that shatters your shields, and leaves you entirely vulnerable.
High stress, high reward. When you finally put Idolator Sol away, you’ll know that you’ve earned it, with strategy and reaction time playing an ample part in victory. That’s really what any good game does. It presents you with high stakes, treats its subject matter seriously, and gives you reasons to celebrate when you finally, achingly earn your wins. When Idolator Sol was in the ground, I know I breathed a sigh of relief.
As another glimpse into Borderlands 4, this preview was an entirely promising experience, and one that provided a reassurance about the tone, gameplay, and overarching vibe of the upcoming adventure. There are many more steps to take, but already, the journey has proved fruitful. I’ll have much more to say about Borderlands 4 in future, so stay tuned ahead of launch, on 12 September 2025.
