How to Go Perya: A Complete Guide for Beginners and Enthusiasts
I remember the first time I stepped into the chaotic world of Borderlands - the vibrant colors, the over-the-top characters, and that unique blend of humor and mayhem that immediately hooked me. Now, as someone who's spent countless hours across multiple playthroughs, I want to share what makes approaching the newest installment, Borderlands 4, such a different experience compared to its predecessors. Let me tell you, the developers have taken a bold new direction that's both refreshing and slightly disorienting for longtime fans like myself.
When I first heard about Borderlands 4 distancing itself from the previous game's approach, I'll admit I was skeptical. Borderlands 3 felt like coming home to familiar faces constantly - it seemed like every thirty minutes, there was Scooter's ghost, or Moxxi flirting, or Claptrap being... well, Claptrap. Those characters weren't just background noise; they were the heart and soul of the experience. I still remember playing Borderlands 2 and forming genuine attachments to characters like the tragic Angel or the wonderfully unpredictable Tiny Tina. They weren't just quest givers; they felt like actual companions on my journey.
But here's the thing about Borderlands 4 - it's deliberately stripping away that safety net of familiar characters. In my first fifteen hours with the game, I encountered only three returning characters, and two of them were on screen for what felt like less than five minutes total. There's this one moment where a character from the previous games appears, delivers some crucial information, and vanishes - and that's it. No lengthy side quests, no recurring comic relief, just business. It's a stark contrast to Borderlands 3, where familiar faces appeared approximately every thirty minutes according to my rough count. I actually timed it during my last playthrough - the longest stretch without seeing a legacy character was about thirty-five minutes.
What surprised me most was how this change actually enhances the new Vault Hunters' stories. Without the constant interruptions from older characters, I found myself paying more attention to my character's personal journey and the new companions. There's this one new character - a grizzled mercenary with a mysterious past - who completely won me over in ways I didn't expect. In previous games, he might have been overshadowed by Handsome Jack's ghost or one of Moxxi's endless schemes. Here, he gets room to breathe and develop.
The environmental storytelling has taken center stage in this new approach. I spent about three hours exploring one abandoned facility that told its story through audio logs and environmental details rather than through interactions with familiar NPCs. It reminded me of the early days of Borderlands, before the franchise accumulated so much baggage. There's a purity to this approach that's growing on me, though I do miss the comfort of those familiar faces popping up regularly.
I should mention that not every legacy character gets the brief treatment. There are exactly two exceptions who have more substantial roles, and without spoiling anything, their limited screen time makes their appearances feel more special and meaningful. When one particular character from Borderlands 2 finally showed up after about twenty hours of gameplay, I actually cheered out loud - something that never happened in Borderlands 3 precisely because these characters were ever-present.
The new approach does come with trade-offs though. There were moments, especially during some of the more challenging boss fights, where I found myself wishing for some comic relief from our favorite annoying robot or a encouraging word from someone like Tannis. The silence felt almost unnatural after years of being constantly accompanied by these personalities. It's like when you move out of your parents' house - you appreciate the independence, but sometimes you miss the familiar noises and conversations.
What's fascinating is how this shift reflects in the game's pacing. Without the constant cutaways to established characters, the main narrative feels more focused and personal. I completed the main storyline in approximately forty-two hours, and throughout that time, I noticed how the developers used the absence of familiar faces to make the world feel both larger and more mysterious. There were whole regions where I knew nobody, and that unfamiliarity created a sense of discovery that had been missing from recent entries.
Would I recommend this new direction? Absolutely, though with the caveat that it might feel strange at first. It took me about ten hours to fully adjust to the new rhythm, but once I did, I appreciated what the developers were trying to accomplish. They're not just making another Borderlands game - they're reimagining what a Borderlands experience can be. And for newcomers? This might actually be the perfect entry point, free from the weight of decades of continuity and character relationships to track.
The beauty of this approach is that it makes the world feel fresh again. I found myself actually reading the mission text and environmental details rather than skipping through to see which favorite character would appear next. There's a scene about halfway through the game where you're exploring an abandoned research facility, and the story unfolds through data logs and environmental clues rather than through a familiar face explaining everything. It's a brave choice that pays off more often than not.
As I reflect on my time with Borderlands 4, I realize that the reduced role of legacy characters has fundamentally changed how I engage with the world. I'm not just visiting familiar places and people - I'm actually exploring unknown territory with unknown consequences. And in a franchise that's been around for fifteen years, that sense of genuine discovery is perhaps the most valuable treasure any Vault Hunter could hope to find.