Anyone who has played Borderlands before knows that the looter-shooter is known for a couple of things primarily; lots of guns, infantile humor, and lots of guns.
Borderlands 4 appears to go back to the roots after the third entry received a lukewarm reception after release. Gearbox was confronted with a choice – double down on the mayhem or dial it back a notch. So what did they do?
Naturally, they did the former, and the early previews don’t undermine that statement in the slightest. The looter-shooter king wants its crown back, and Gearbox is aware that it needs to push the series forward, without making it lose its soul, the very essence of what made the previous games so addictive.
Yes, the humor is still a bit much for some, the weapons are over the top but the scope feels grander, broader than other titles before – so could this be the renaissance?
Borderlands 4 World Design Wants You To Explore
The most noticeable change in Borderlands 4 is the scale of the world, which was a point criticized in prior titles.
It appears to offer a wider, more seamless world without feeling like another dime-a-dozen open-world game. Think hub-worlds, but more open with side quests, hidden mini-bosses, and other areas to explore, which finally reward you for being a curious vault hunter.
In general, Borderlands 4 invites exploration a bit more and rewards the player accordingly – that’s not just apparent in the world design. The vehicles are faster, there are more and faster options for traversal, and the game world is more vertical this time around. If this carries through the entire game, we’re confident, that this could be the best Borderlands since Borderlands 2.
Weapons, Loot, and More Loot
Borderlands lives and dies by its guns, and Gearbox isn’t holding back. The procedurally generated arsenal is even more unhinged, with weapons that morph mid-fight, guns that double as vehicles, and elemental effects dialed up to absurd levels.
Customization is also front and center. Mod slots and upgrade paths mean your favorite gun can grow with you, rather than being discarded for a slightly shinier replacement with slightly better stats, which feels little more than number crunching at some point.
It’s a smart tweak that makes loot feel more personal, rather than disposable, especially considering how often you tend to swap weapons and other gear in a Borderlands game.
Is Borderlands 4 Going To Be The Next Looter-Shooter Hit?
If you’re reading all this, you probably ask yourself: Okay, but is that it? True, Borderlands 4 isn’t exactly reinventing the wheel, but it doesn’t need to either.
Whether it justifies the controversy surrounding the Borderlands 4 price tag remains to be seen, but Gearbox appears to lean into the chaotic just the right way.
This might just be the perfect entry point for new players, as well as being a welcome trip back home for Borderlands fans.
