I Can’t Stop Spamming One of Borderlands 4’s Best Systems

It’s safe to say I’m hooked on Borderlands 4, and I feel like I may be for a very long time. I don’t think I have a single complaint yet, but I do tend to fall more on the positive side of outlooks when it comes to video games, especially those that belong to my favorite franchises. There are plenty of things I find immensely enjoyable about Borderlands 4 — its side quests and other optional activities, just to name a couple. However, Borderlands 4‘s Destiny-like combat is probably my favorite thing about the game, and as both an avid Borderlands fan and Destiny fan, I can’t get enough of it.

Guns have always been at the heart of Borderlands‘ combat, and they mostly still are in Borderlands 4. But this particular entry changes things quite a bit with its emphasis on movement, which lends to its Destiny feel, and more versatile Vault Hunters than the series has ever seen. Those aren’t the only changes, though, as Borderlands 4 also made one of the best changes to grenades and heavy weapons with its Ordnance system, which I simply can’t get enough of. In fact, I spam it so much, I could probably get by with it and the new movement mechanics alone.

Why I Can’t Stop Spamming Ordnance in Borderlands 4

The Cooldown System Changed How I Play

What makes Borderlands 4‘s Ordnance system such a game changer is that grenades and heavy weapons are no longer tied to ammo or consumables and are instead tied to a cooldown system. In previous entries, you were given a small grenade capacity that could be expanded with SDUs, and once you ran out, you had to loot or buy more. Because of that, grenades were more just an occasional helpful tool than a core part of combat. Heavy weapons were similar, first introduced in Borderlands 3 and given a separate, incredibly scarce ammo pool. Running out of heavy ammo was common, so using them constantly wasn’t an option.

But the cooldown system for Ordnance in Borderlands 4 has completely changed the way I play. Since I don’t have to think about ammo or limited consumable items, I can spam it as often as my cooldown is up. In some cases, I’m using Ordnance between every one or two clips on my gun, and it allows me to mow through enemies with far more ease than ever before. Of course, this is balanced out with Borderlands 4‘s difficulty, which is a bit more than previous entries, but it’s done in such a way that encourages me to use it often.

Grenade Mods Make the Spam Worth It

Not every Ordnance weapon is treated equally in Borderlands 4, though, and I’ve found that grenades are far more useful than heavy weapons in most cases. For one thing, heavy weapon uses feel more limited than grenades, simply because you’re likely to burn through them faster. In other words, you can feel the cooldown more often with heavy weapons. Furthermore, I have a personal preference for seeking grenades in Borderlands 4, as I can toss them in the heat of battle and essentially forget about them, knowing they’ll more than likely hit something eventually.

I still really enjoy the gunplay in Borderlands 4, and that includes all the unique weapons I’m finding as I explore Kairos and threaten the Timekeeper’s regime. It’s as satisfying as it always has been to find that one gun in Borderlands 4 that gives you a few levels of the power fantasy you’ve always dreamed of. However, I just can’t get over the Ordnance system. I’d say it’s overpowered, but those are dangerous words. Instead, I’ll just stick with acknowledging it as one of my favorite new systems in Borderlands 4, and I’ll keep looking for the next best grenade.

Released

September 12, 2025

ESRB

Rating Pending