Borderlands Mobile unexpectedly dropped on iOS this morning and is out now on the App Store as a limited-time test. Whether it is here to stay or will be taken off the store before the full launch is currently up in the air. With no announcement, marketing, or even posts from the Borderlands social media accounts, it has shadow dropped on the App Store for “select regions”. I feel like my first impressions are a mixed bag, but if they can stick the landing, maybe I will hang out a bit longer.
Currency Overload
How many forms of currency can we add to a mobile Borderlands game? I assume that is the question that was asked internally when they decided to make this game. In my short (1.5 hours) time with it so far, five different types of currency can be used to upgrade weapons, skills, or unlock loot boxes. While not surprising for a mobile game, this is a lot for your average gamer to try to wrap their head around.
Borderlands Mobile starts you out with a tutorial on how to run, shoot, and loot. It feels true to how you remember any Borderlands game feeling when playing with a controller. The limited time I spent with the touch screen controls, while not preferable, seems to transfer over to the mobile experience well. It then takes you to the prologue, which has you run five missions to help rebuild ClapTrap’s ship. You select a quest, and the game loads you directly to the start of the quest. Once you complete the quest, there is nowhere else to go. You return to the main menu and upgrade, purchase, and unlock skills before advancing on to something else.
Same Mayhem, Smaller Screen
Borderlands Mobile looks and feels much like playing any other Borderlands game. It really is amazing how far technology has come that a Borderlands game can look this good on a phone. The gunplay is fun, and the NPCs are as funny and witty as ever. A psycho yelling “I need a helmet!” as I shot him in the back of the head is 100% the type of humor I love in Borderlands. I played on my iPhone 17 Pro Max with a Backbone controller connected. So it may not run as well on some older phones.
There are multiple modes in the game, but I have only played two so far. The campaign is straightforward as it progresses you through the game’s story. In Tiny Tina’s Tower of Terror, you find yourself going from floor to floor (with advanced difficulties per floor), killing the enemies on each floor. You obtain better loot on each floor you go up. It is worth noting that you need to have a ticket for each level you want to attempt. Completing a level typically gives you rewards and returns your entry ticket. It is not clear to me at this time whether these tickets can be purchased for real-world money or if they can only be unlocked by completing dailies, challenges, and other quests.
The other modes in the game are Circle of Slaughter, Psycholands, Bounty, Raid Boss, and Faction Wars. I am not 100% sure if these are unlockable at this time or if they will come with the full release of the game. It does seem like some of these modes will be much more enjoyable if you have a full squad to play the game with via online co-op.
There are four classes presented to you to play as: the Summoner, Exo-Tank, Outrider, and Assassin. The Summoner (playable now) feels very much like that “base” character in any Borderlands game. Her main ability for the class is to summon a skag named Nigel to help attack enemies with you, and so far, I enjoy playing as her.
Final Thoughts
Whether or not Borderlands Mobile has legs is yet to be seen. As someone who personally does not play many mobile games, I have enjoyed my short time with it so far. What makes a great mobile game, in my opinion, is something that keeps me wanting to come back daily and doesn’t overstay its welcome. I don’t want to feel like I need to play more than 10-15 minutes a day to advance in the game. Borderlands Mobile seems to scratch the itch when it comes to get-in, get-out gameplay. Playing a single mission usually takes under 5 minutes, which I love. No wandering around an open world looking for the next objective. It is straight to the point. That being said, I am excited to play more in the coming days and look forward to trying some of the other classes and game modes that I have yet to unlock.
