If I had to pick one game or series that was the most emblematic of what video games probably look like to non-enthusiasts, Borderlands would be one of the top contenders. This is a series that’s known for sending dopamine hits straight to your brain with green arrows pointing up and bigger numbers, and to top it all off, it’s packed with slapstick humor to boot. Borderlands 4 continues the tradition that the series kicked off back in 2009. There are no surprises here. You know exactly what you’re getting with this one.
Okay, there’s maybe one small difference. Or two. But let’s start from the beginning. You get to choose one of four Vault Hunters to play as, and as soon as the story starts, you find yourself trapped on the planet of Kairos, ruled by an enigmatic figure known only as the Timekeeper. The reason why we’ve never heard of Kairos, as the narrator explains, is because everyone who goes there is either imprisoned there or killed on the spot.
For my playthrough, I picked Rafa, the wiry rogue-style character in an exo-suit who excels with blades and other quick weapons. He’s capable of blasting enemies from afar with giant cannons, and also getting up close and personal with his twin Arc-Knives energy blades. While I’m sure the other three Vault Hunters have their charms, I was most drawn to Rafa’s tongue-in-cheek humor and quick wit. Basically, Team Rafa all the way. The rest of them are dead to me.
What’s interesting about all the Vault Hunters, though, is that each of their unique abilities are tied to a different element. And when you consider that elemental affinities and weaknesses play a much bigger part in Borderlands 4 this time around, you may want to think a little more carefully about who you go with. This isn’t to say that you can’t make up for your elemental blind spots with other weapons, but it’s something to consider.
After getting captured by the Timekeeper and subsequently busting out of prison with the help of an aspiring Vault Hunter who tragically dies (not actually that tragic), it’s off to the races with you. You quickly meet up with good ol’ Claptrap and get started on your mission to stop the Timekeeper and find the Vault that’s hiding on Kairos.
Right off the bat, while Borderlands 4 still retains its trademark humor and silly dialogue, it’s clear that Gearbox wanted to pump the brakes on that a little bit. Borderlands 3 received some flak for being just a little bit too out there and nonsensical; in comparison to that, Borderlands 4 feels a lot tamer and more toned down. I didn’t particularly mind Borderlands 3‘s story and tone personally, but if you felt that was too much, then you’ll be glad to hear that this fourth entry has a lot more restraint. I will say, though, that the Timekeeper is easily the weakest villain Borderlands has seen by far. Sure, I don’t expect everyone to reach Handsome Jack levels of charm, but it’s saying a lot when your villain feels dull and monotonous in one of the wackiest game series in history.
Once you’re out in the open-world, it’s business as usual. You’ll take on side quests at your outposts while progressing through the story and there will, of course, be loot. There’s a larger emphasis on traversal this time around; the game doesn’t wait too long before giving you a grappling hook, which can be used to reach high places, as well as a glider, which makes moving around such a breeze. Combine those with your vehicles, and you’ll be able to zoom through Kairos in little to no time. I vastly enjoyed the sheer act of moving around Kairos and I can’t believe it took Gearbox this long to add these much-needed traversal options to the series. They’re a game-changer, and I’m excited to see them iterated upon in future entries. And you can swim, finally.
It helps that Borderlands 4 is the series’ first real open-world game. Whereas past entries featured large zones that were separated by loading screens, Kairos is just one big seamless map that you can explore at your own leisure. It has all of the usual open-world trappings like side areas or optional puzzles that may reward you with more loot.
As far as the loot goes, however, I did feel like Borderlands 4 was a bit stingier on that front. For a game that prides itself on being a looter shooter, getting new guns felt few and far between. I kid you not; everywhere I looked it was just ammo. And even when I finally found a loot chest with new equipment inside, it was rare to find a weapon that was actually on par with my current level or that represented a significant upgrade. It’s possible that Gearbox wanted to make loot chests feel more precious and coveted, but it was more frustrating and annoying than anything else.
It helps, then, that the gunplay and combat are so satisfying. Now that you have so many more traversal options available to you, combat feels even more fast-paced and frenetic than before. You’ll spend your time grappling to one end of the map while shooting your foes below you, double jump around to get a better angle, or just slide around to give your enemies the slip.
Gearbox has upped the ante with its enemy types too. While the iconic Psychos are back, of course, there are plenty of new things to shoot and kill. The Timekeeper’s minions lend a fresh flavor to Borderlands 4‘s enemies, along with mechanical insects and animals that move in ways you might not expect. Bosses are also more interesting now, and aren’t just simple bullet sponges. Most bosses require you to learn some sort of mechanic in order to beat them, and even if they aren’t particularly complex, it still made me look forward to each boss encounter and seeing what was in store for me.
At this point, I’m sure you’ve heard of Borderlands 4‘s myriad technical problems. I played most of the game solo, which would probably explain why I didn’t really run into any issues. The game ran pretty smoothly on the base PS5, with little to no technical hiccups. Still, the game’s issues are well-documented, so they’re certainly worth keeping in mind if you’re playing co-op.
Borderlands 4 is a step in the right direction for this insane, unhinged series. Now that Gearbox has finally opened the series up with a large open-world and even more traversal options, it truly feels like it’s finally reaching its potential. Just be a little more generous with the loot, will you?
A review code for the game was provided by the publisher. You can check out our review policy here. Reviewed on PS5.
