Borderlands 4's Vault Hunters Prove You Can't Judge a Book By Its Cover

Borderlands 4 is arguably the franchise’s last chance to innovate, and so far, it has proven that it might actually have what it takes. With its seamless exploration on the new planet Kairos, unprecedented traversal mechanics, a greater focus on RPG, and much more serious tone in its storytelling, Borderlands 4 is somehow still a Borderlands game and yet already looks like something entirely different from what fans have experienced so far. This design philosophy has even impacted the game’s new Vault Hunters as well, as Borderlands 4 has seemingly given its iconic arsenal of guns the backseat in exchange for some truly interesting heroes riding shotgun.

Over the last several weeks, Borderlands 4 has been unveiling its Vault Hunters in stylish fashion, showing off bits and pieces of their gameplay across multiple trailers, and the more that is shown, the tougher it gets to decide which one of them is the best pick. From Vex the Siren with her ability to summon familiars to Amon with his versatility and build flexibility, Borderlands 4‘s Vault Hunters are certainly proving to be something special. Ironically, they weren’t always viewed that way, as they failed to leave a good first impression, regardless of the excitement they are stirring now.

Borderlands 4’s Vault Hunters Have More Than Proven Themselves

The main Vault Hunters of Borderlands 4.

Borderlands 4’s Vault Hunters Were Initially Underestimated

When they were first revealed in Borderlands 4‘s world premiere trailer shown at the 2024 Game Awards, many fans expressed disappointment in the game’s Vault Hunters on account of their overall blandness. What many perceived was a group of playable characters who lacked the dramatic flair and over-the-top personality that Borderlands‘ past Vault Hunters possessed. The group of heroes were even criticized as appearing as though they were merely cosplaying as Vault Hunters, with the familiar comic-book aesthetics largely missing.

Some even pointed out that every member of the group was human — no aliens or robots — which made them almost blend into the background rather than stand out as they should have. This also led to confusion about their classes, since each one of them not only appeared to be far too normal but also seemed to be too much like the others. Finally, in comparison to Borderlands 4‘s new planet and new enemies, the Vault Hunters were criticized as being too boring by comparison.

The Latest Reveals Prove Borderlands 4’s Vault Hunters Mean Business

However, the latest reveals for Borderlands 4‘s Vault Hunters have been doing quite a number on their previous reputation, showing each character to be far more than meets the eye. The full extent of Harlowe’s skillset has yet to be truly revealed via gameplay footage, but Vex, Rafa, and Amon have all already received deep dive trailers for their gameplay, and anticipation has only grown. What Borderlands 4 has proven, more than anything else, is that a book shouldn’t be judged by its cover, as although the game’s Vault Hunters initially appeared to be underwhelming, they are far from it in substance.

The Vault Hunters facing off against a powerful enemy - Borderlands 4

Borderlands 4‘s Amon, in particular, has struck a chord recently with fans, as his three skill trees allow him to specialize in melee, ranged, and defensive combat. Plus, with the ability players will have to mix and match skills across trees, he can essentially be a powerhouse of their choosing. Vex and Rafa have also both received praise, with Vex hogging the spotlight at first but Rafa coming in hot with some fast-paced Devil May Cry-like gameplay. And then there’s Harlowe still to come, whose skills have already been confirmed to center around AoE and crowd control. Needless to say, these are shaping up to be the Vault Hunters the series has needed for quite some time, showing that even someone who looks underwhelming can still be an overwhelming force of nature.