Why Borderlands 4's Class Design Needs to Break Free from Tiny Tina's Wonderlands

Developers designing character classes for Borderlands 4 should take note of the misstep made by Tiny Tina's Wonderlands. Despite the spinoff's fantasy-themed setting and unique approach to character creation, its classes ended up being repetitive in nature. Borderlands 4 can learn from this experience and avoid the same mistake. Although Tiny Tina's Wonderlands added spells and allowed players to build their own characters with unique abilities, the issue with class selection cannot be overlooked. Nonetheless, the spinoff's in-depth character creation system remains the most advanced in the Borderlands franchise to date.

Borderlands 4 Shouldn't Repeat Tiny Tina's Wonderlands' Overuse of Class Pets

Despite the vast array of classes in Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, many of them share a common feature: AI-controlled pets that assist the player in combat. The Clawbringer, Graveborn, and Spore Warden classes all have this feature, although each pet has its own unique effects. Even the DLC Blightcaller class has a pet, although it is mechanically different as it is summoned from an active ability rather than being a constant companion. However, the prevalence of companion features across so many classes can make them feel less special. For example, the Stabbomancer stands out as a distinctive class due to its lack of a companion feature. While pets are a good addition to some classes, their overuse can make the classes feel too similar and detract from the game's overall uniqueness.

Character customization in Borderlands 4 needs to avoid overlapping classes in order to maintain uniqueness. For instance, certain classes might have deployable turrets or bonus shielding skills, but these abilities cannot be replicated across multiple classes as they lose their distinctiveness. While the Borderlands series has typically excelled at creating varied class identities, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands demonstrated the potential for improvement in this area. Though the game is still highly enjoyable, refining class design could elevate it to even greater heights. It is important for Borderlands 4 to learn from this and ensure that each class is unequivocally unique, rather than relying on an overabundance of AI companions. While AI companions can be effective for certain classes, as seen with Gaige's Deathtrap in Borderlands 2, it is crucial that they remain exclusive to specific characters rather than shared by multiple members of the roster.

Tiny Tina's Wonderlands is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.