Looks like Borderlands 4 heavily relies on the series' lore-bomb Sirens again, but it's sweetening the deal with new Vault Hunter Vex and her big purple cat

From the ashes of the Borderlands 4 State of Play stream today rises a phoenix – no, a new Siren, who seems to have made it out of the looter shooter's apocalyptic rubble with a big-ass purple cat.

"Vex the Siren is a powerful Siren who can empower herself or manifest deadly shades to fight alongside her," a press release says. During the Borderlands 4 State of Play, we see how Vex wields supernatural phase energy to blast away enemies with her bare hands, or to create scythe-wielding spirits to fight her battles with her.

Like other Borderlands 4 Sirens – ultra-powerful, otherworldly beings, including the fan-favorite bad girl Lilith, who may or may not be dead at the end of Borderlands 3 – Vex seems highly capable. But even with magic at her fingertips, it looks like she couldn't turn down her purple panther companion.

Gearbox shows off its muscle during State of Play, while demonstrating Vex's class abilities, or action skills. Vex can use something like the skill Incarnate to trigger a Phase Explosion that destroys opponents while regenerating her health, but Phase Phamiliar offers what looks like a more unique combat strategy.

With this skill, Trouble, Vex's ghostly Minion, can turn "into a Badass" that restores health and boosts damage for a limited amount of time. If only I could get the pigeons on my roof to do the same thing.

You'll be able to play as Vex and her evil kitty cat – along with three other new Vault Hunters including, an exo-suit soldier Rafa, whose impressive range of weapons was also showcased during State of Play – when Borderlands 4 launches on September 12.

Whoa, Borderlands 4 made huge changes to guns: we basically have 5 weapon slots now, and there are 3 new manufacturers plus modded guns with "Licensed Parts" combos.