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.

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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.