As the September release date for the highly anticipated Borderlands 4 approaches, developer Gearbox is beginning to pull back the curtain on the game`s new cast of playable Vault Hunters. This week, the spotlight falls squarely on Vex, a new Siren character who, perhaps inconveniently, unlocks her immense powers at a rather… stressful juncture.
Meet Vex, The Latest Siren to Join the Ranks
Sirens, for the uninitiated, are a rare and powerful class of individuals within the Borderlands universe, marked by distinctive glowing tattoos and possessing extraordinary psychic abilities. Previous games have featured Sirens wielding powers ranging from phase-locking enemies to summoning spectral limbs. Vex, however, brings a decidedly different flavor to the mix: she`s a summoner, a necromancer of sorts, capable of fielding her own squad of spectral allies.
Master of Minions and More
Vex`s unique playstyle centers heavily around summoning minions to fight alongside her. One of her primary skill trees is dedicated entirely to a rather large, rather alien feline companion named Trouble. This isn`t your average housecat; Trouble can be summoned into battle, teleported around the battlefield at Vex`s command, and enhanced with various skills to make it a formidable presence, capable of soaking up damage, taunting foes, or even, in classic Borderlands fashion, exploding. One might ponder the ethical implications of repeatedly detonating one`s pet, but then again, this is Pandora (or wherever B4 takes us), ethics are largely optional.
Beyond her spectral menagerie, Vex demonstrates a versatile array of other Siren abilities. Gameplay overviews show her unleashing blasts of phase energy, briefly manifesting formidable wings, conjuring a small, hovering orb that functions much like a turret, and even firing projectiles directly from her empowered hand. Her third and final action skill allows her to either create multiple copies of herself to lay down suppressing fire from a distance or summon a psychic reaper for close-quarters combat. It`s a potent mix of ranged power and controlled chaos.
Deep Dive for Aspiring Vault Hunters
For those eager to theorycraft their perfect build before launch day, Gearbox has already made Vex`s full skill trees available for public consumption. This allows dedicated fans to meticulously plan out their character progression and minion-based mayhem well in advance. No excuses for a sub-optimal skill point allocation come September.
A Stressful Awakening: The “Purple Friday” Short
Alongside the gameplay details, an animated short titled “Purple Friday” provides insight into Vex`s origin story. In true Borderlands style, the short is a chaotic, bloody affair packed with signature humor. It depicts Vex working a mundane retail job when her dormant Siren powers inconveniently decide to activate during a particularly taxing shift. What follows involves sudden, explosive psychic outbreaks, romantic entanglement with a coworker, an unfortunate encounter with a demanding customer, and even a moment that appears to be a self-aware jab at a previous game`s narrative choices. It`s a vivid, albeit violent, introduction to her character and fits perfectly within the series` established tone.
The reveal of Vex marks the beginning of Gearbox showcasing the new playable cast. Expect similar deep dives and animated shorts for the other new Vault Hunters in the coming weeks, all of whom were briefly glimpsed gathered around a campfire with Vex at the end of the “Purple Friday” animation.
Release Details
Borderlands 4 is set to launch on September 12 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. A version for the Nintendo Switch 2 is planned for release later in 2025.
Callum Darby