Borderlands 4 loot capsules frustrate players with forced carrying and poor rewards

Kotaku says the loot capsules in Borderlands 4 are the worst part of the game for the writer, calling the mechanic tedious and baffling even while enjoying much of the rest of the game.

These small pods must be picked up and carried back to the nearest safehouse to be opened, but holding an object prevents you from mantling, climbing ladders, driving the hover bike, aiming down sights, throwing grenades, or fast travelling. That limitation can force long on-foot treks to the “closest” HQ, prevent use of a grapple hook or other shortcuts, risk the capsule being dislodged and lost during combat, and sometimes requires awkward platforming that can cause the pod to respawn where it was found.

The writer also complains that Claptrap repeats lines every time a capsule is picked up, and that the rewards rarely justify the effort: after opening close to two dozen, they say they never received a legendary and friends reported similar results. As a result, the writer often ignores capsules when playing solo, though they say they still enjoy most of the game.

Key Topics

Culture, Loot Capsules, Gearbox, Claptrap, Hover Bike, Grapple Hook