Borderlands 4is introducing a significant quality-of-life improvement to its skill tree system: an “Invest Maximum Points” option. This new feature allows players to quickly max out skills, eliminating the tedious process of repeatedly clicking to allocate individual skill points, a common frustration in previous games.
This addition is particularly relevant given thatBorderlands 4’s skill trees are significantly larger, with each Vault Hunter gaining three distinct Action Skills and associated trees, offering unprecedented build diversity. As for what other quality-of-life features the game could have, here’s to hoping they are equally as valuable.
Borderlands 4’s Quality-of-Life Features Should Improve On Earlier Entries Across the Board
This streamlined process is part of a broader skill tree overhaul, which Senior Project Producer Anthony Nicholson describes as the deepest and most diverse in the series' history:
Borderlands 4’s new trees feature branching paths, Augments, and Capstones, allowing for instant switching between unique builds. Coupled with unique Vault Hunter Traits and a new slotting mechanic for Action Skills, Augments, and Capstones (without spending skill points), the “Invest Maximum Points” feature is aimed at enhancing experimentation.
This improvement also hints at a much more user-friendly respeccing process, encouraging players to explore the expanded options when the game launches. However, while this is a welcome step forward, the broader success ofBorderlands 4’s quality-of-life featureswill depend on addressing other pain points and refining existing mechanics.
Quality-of-Life Feature Wish List
Inventory Management Overhaul
Beyond skill tree management, another crucial area ripe for improvement is inventory.Borderlands 3’s limited inventory spacecreated constant frustration, often forcing players to make difficult decisions about which legendary items to keep. To truly enhance the player experience,Borderlands 4desperately needs expanded backpack and bank storage, alongside better organization tools. Features like item tagging, robust sorting options, and the ability to save loadouts would significantly streamline inventory management. Furthermore, the ability to mark items as trash directly upon pickup would be a game-changer, eliminating interruptions during intense gameplay sessions.
In theBorderlandsecosystem, players must log into multiple characters and make numerous trips to the vault to compare gear across their roster. An inventory management app or cross-character access system would eliminate this tedious process, allowing players to view and transfer items between characters without being bombarded with loading screens. This slight tweak would transform what currently takes precious minutes into a seamless experience.
UI and Menu Improvements
Despite patches aimed at addressing this particular issue,Borderlands 3’s menu system remained sluggishthroughout its lifespan. This led to frustrating delays when trying to check maps, allocate skill points, or manage inventory during co-op sessions. As a result,Borderlands 4needs completely rebuilt menu systems that respond instantly, particularly during split-screen play, where menu lag can make the game almost unplayable.
Comparingweapons inBorderlandscan be complicated, as it requires players to manually contrast numerous stats without clear indicators of overall effectiveness. A streamlined comparison system highlighting meaningful differences between weapons would help players make informed decisions quickly during gameplay.
Visual Clarity and Performance
Borderlands 3suffered from extreme visual pollution during combat, making it difficult to see enemies or important items during intense firefights. Players need options to reduce particle effects, explosions, and screen shake without sacrificing core visual information. If nothing else, a visual effects slider of sorts would let players customize their experience based on their preferences and hardware capabilities.
Frame rate drops and stuttering were persistent issues in previous editions, particularly during co-op play. To distinguish itself from its forebears,Borderlands 4needs better optimization mechanics to maintain stable performance across all platforms, especially during chaotic combat scenarios with multiple players.Borderlands 4’s transition to Unreal Engine 5provides an opportunity to address these long-standing performance issues.
Split-Screen Optimization
Split-screen co-op inBorderlands 3was nearly unplayable at launch due to severe performance issues and UI problems. While Gearbox has announced improvements to the lobby system forBorderlands 4, the core split-screen experience could use a revamp to ensure smooth gameplay without the crippling lag that plagued the previous game.
