Summary
Borderlandshas a distinct identity and style among looter-shooters and the FPS genre overall. Gearbox Software’s frantic and zany series starring a cast of outlaw Vault Hunters, bandits running amok, and ludicrous amounts of weapons has never taken itself too seriously. Although it does have emotionally engaging moments and characters that aren’t all for laughs,Borderlandsstraddles the line between being straightforward and silly, and this often sets it apart from other games that lean more into one at the expense of the other. Striking a good balance of narrative stakes and goofy asides, the franchise has shown a fondness for both.
A bigger part of this charm is thatBorderlandshas a ton of Easter eggsand humorous hidden secrets scattered throughout its titles. Many poke lighthearted fun at other properties, providing fans with a fun and funny encounter or gag while they explore and blast their way through its world. One of these riffs on a hugely recognizable character from all across all media, DC’s Batman. Or, asBorderlandsdubs its version, Rakkman. Rakkman has appeared on more than one occasion, and with the nature of the original’s popularity,BL4is primed to have another and perhaps more elaborate Rakkman reference.
Gearbox has not officially announced or confirmedBorderlands 4, but it is heavily rumored to be in the works.
Borderlands 4 Should Feature More of The Rakkman
Borderlands' Reference Rapsheet
Borderlandshas always sprinkled in memes and a wide range of references to IPs and pop culture/celebrities. Usually these are short one-offs, some easily missable, some more niche or passing fads, as culture sometimes outpaces relevance. But as just a small sample of some ofBorderlands' previous parodiesand notable shout-outs:
Borderlands' Rakkman
Batman’s popularity, though, has hardly ever waned, regardless of the quality of the current media the caped crusader appeared in at any given time.Borderlandsbegan its rise around the same time that the Christopher Nolan films andRocksteady’sBatman Arhkhamgameswere releasing. These are both considered to be some of the best modern works featuring The Dark Knight, which likely made it an even easier choice forBLto satirize.
Rakkman showed up first inBorderlands 2as a psycho enemy (found in The Rakk Cave) using similar Batman weaponry like smoke bombs and “rakkerangs.” Rakkman had the chance of rewarding players with several unique drops, like thelegendary Night Flyer pistol, making him more worth their time to seek out. He appeared again inBL3as a rare bounty side quest, making him into a reoccurring reference.
How Borderlands 4 Can Have Rakkman Return
Rakkman could show up again inBorderlands 4, and Gearbox can take his inclusion even further with a few possibilities. Perhaps with an entire area that is a recreation of a section ofGotham City. Or maybe more fittingly, in true warped fashion, a version of Arkham Asylum overrun and populated by a group of bandits a la the institution’s inmates. Another fun option would be forBL4to let players acquire a Rakkman themed vehicle, a “Rakkmobile” or “Rakkcycle,” that could be an enhanced version of existing ones, with a few unique modifications and weapons.
If Gearbox were feeling particularly ambitious, it could even extend this out to a series of quests given by or centered around The Rakkman. Though it may also be wise to limit his presence to a couple of smaller encounters so as not to distract too much from the rest of the main plot and any other new jokes or memes that are likely to pop up. Still, there’s plenty of room for more Rakkman inBorderlands' next entry, and seeing more of him would be a nice treat for fans.
