Borderlands 4 Review – Break on Through to the Other Side

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In simpler terms, Borderlands 4 has been in development for six years, costing more than twice the budget of Borderlands 3. It’s generated a lot of debate before its release, mainly due to concerns about its pricing. Now, with criticisms surrounding the third game’s story and characters, there’s a lot of anticipation that Gearbox will rejuvenate the franchise which popularized the looter shooter genre.

In approximately 60 hours and advancing to Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode Tier 5, I’m pleased to say that they achieved their goal, for the most part. Our narrative unfolds, just like any other, on a planet plunged into chaos amidst an impending tide of Order.

A Clean Slate

The vibe we’re getting from the campaign is not only that Gearbox intends to transition beyond Borderlands 3, but also to lay the groundwork for something fresh and potentially innovative.

Kairos is experiencing a series of rebellions against the Timekeeper, which can be interpreted as pockets of resistance having minimal impact for now. In your role as Vault Hunter, whether you’re Vex, Rafa, Amon, or Harlowe, you were apprehended and bound by the Order because of your inherent chaos. The Crimson Resistance facilitates your escape, but ultimately it is ECHO-4 that prevents the Timekeeper from gaining full control in a manner reminiscent of the Harbinger’s influence.

In the new installment, you’ll reencounter familiar faces such as Claptrap, Amara, Zane, and Moxxi, who, despite some persisting quirks, are significantly less irritating. New characters step up to play significant roles, making them intriguing additions to the storyline. The game, Rush of the Outlanders, exudes positivity but occasionally becomes emotionally heavy-handed. Defiant Calder continues his fight against the Order, even though he’s been outlawed by the Augers. Levaine, with her history intertwined with Zane, may not be the most developed character, but her attempts to adapt to the badlands provide a good deal of comedic relief.

Characters frequently appear, and to be honest, none of them made me turn off the voice-overs in the settings. It’s not that there aren’t cringe lines or instances where humor seems forced. I appreciated being able to tackle main missions in any sequence, but it felt odd to spend time with a primary group of characters, then move on to a new region and temporarily forget about them.

Additional characters often join the game, and honestly, none of them caused me to turn off voice-overs in the settings. There are some corny lines and humor that feels forced at times. I enjoyed being able to complete main missions in any order, but it felt a bit strange to spend a few hours with a key group of characters, then leave them behind to explore new regions.

Or:

More characters keep showing up, and for the record, none of them made me disable voice-overs in the settings. There are certainly moments that feel awkward or unfunny, and while I appreciated the freedom to complete missions whenever I wanted, it felt a bit jarring to move on from one main group of characters to another.

These paraphrases aim to maintain the original meaning while using more conversational language.

The storyline has its share of predictable inconsistencies, some glaringly apparent given the Timekeeper’s powers. The missions continue to require you to gather items, flip switches, and so on. Brace yourself for frequent use of the new “attach an object and hurl it at a target” mechanic.

There are exceptions though – like hijacking a driller as it circles a Ripper camp or a specific scene that might be the coolest in the series while it lasts. However, these exciting moments are often interrupted by long periods of waiting for another character to finish their dialogue before moving on. Escaping while listening to them over the radio can only do so much, unfortunately, but at least the scenes, whenever they occur, are well-crafted.

The vibe from the campaign suggests that Gearbox is aiming not only to distance themselves from Borderlands 3 but also to kick off something fresh and new. However, when intriguing elements of the larger storyline are occasionally touched upon, it can be disappointing for dedicated fans due to the significant time gap between releases and the uncertainty about how long it’ll take to expand upon them further.

Brave New World

Instead of merely populating spaces with tasks or items to gather, Kairos promotes exploration and discovery. While not all the activities are particularly innovative – happy news for those who missed safeguarding their Ghost while it hacks into something, as that activity has returned – they serve their purpose satisfactorily.

Over an extended period, Gearbox has been talking about the expansive scope of Kairos, effortless zone transitions, and its more fluid characteristics. The appearance of these Digirunners anywhere you desire gave off a sense of resemblance to Destiny.

This could be rephrased as: This development, perhaps the most significant for the franchise, offers a substantial leap in immersion and gameplay. The novelty of transitioning smoothly from the verdant Fade Fields to the arid wastelands of Carcadia Burn is quite intriguing. However, what truly sets Kairos apart is its sense of vitality. Unlike typical encounters with enemies merely going about their business, you’ll find that Kairos feels inhabited and alive.

For Outlanders, it’s a constant mix of push-ups and adventuring; for Augers, it’s often encountering battles with wild beasts or Order troops (and occasionally offering rewards when you lend a helping hand). The Order doesn’t merely scatter enemies in your path – they have fortified outposts that can be attacked. There are numerous activities to engage in: collectibles, hidden safehouses, Silos used for hunting Vault Fragments, Contracts, and side tasks such as Propaganda Speakers or Crawlers. Additionally, there are main quests that you can undertake. Despite the variety, your experience may differ, but I found the initial murder-mystery series, complete with its CSI Miami-like quips, quite enjoyable.

Instead of just populating spaces with tasks or items to gather, Kairos inspires exploration and discovery. While not all activities are particularly innovative (for instance, Guardians who’ve been neglectful in protecting Ghost during his hacking can take comfort as this task has been reintroduced), they generally function effectively.

The Crawlers serve as a comparative example, much like scaling an aging Far Cry tower, albeit with an additional task: carrying a battery to unfasten vent clamps for a gleaming trinket. However, there’s a catch – you can’t climb or scramble while holding the battery, so clever tossing becomes essential in addition to your traversal skills. These tasks, among others, earn you SDU, which increases inventory slots, maximum ammunition for each weapon type, and more. While not compulsory, they are rewarding enough to make it worth going the extra mile.

Regarding the compass: It’s functional enough for navigation, but occasionally, the icons can be confusing because they overlap. Although I didn’t particularly miss the mini-map, solely using the compass to locate enemies proved challenging because it doesn’t show their relative proximity, which on occasion led me astray. Fortunately, there’s a combat radar, but luckily, it wasn’t crucial for successfully defeating opponents.

Skill Trees on the Loot River

Each decision seems to have far-reaching effects, and I’m still exploring the full potential of Incarnate’s tanking capabilities, particularly with the introduction of new Armor Shields.”

This version maintains the original meaning while using more everyday language and a simpler structure. It also clarifies that you are discussing the “tanking” (defensive) possibilities of Incarnate.

While the storyline and game environment of Borderlands might not be its main attractions, it’s undeniably the loot collection and transformation into a nearly invincible killing machine that truly draws players in. This could also mean assuming the role of a time-delay damage dealer, using Phase Specters and Reapers to inflict multiple debilitating statuses, all while launching singularity grenades for added chaos.

As a lover of Sirens, I’ve spent a considerable amount of time on Vex, who excels in minions and Kinetic damage but is versatile enough for solo lifesteal builds or even an elemental terror. Although you can only activate one Action Skill at a time, various passives offer different benefits suited to various purposes. I recently came across an intriguing shield that lacks actual shield health but offers health regeneration and damage reduction instead. Combined with additional damage reduction and increased maximum health from Phase Phamiliar, it’s quite formidable. If you prefer, you could add more Damage over Time (DoT) to your arsenal, making gun and skill critical hits inflict Bleed status on enemies. This synergizes well with Dead Ringer’s passive, which applies another status effect on top of the original, thanks to the Incarnate tree.

This doesn’t consider the Augments and Capstones either, whether you’re summoning Reapers for additional health regeneration using Coven or activating Banshee’s Wail to lessen enemy damage while gaining an Overshield. I primarily used Dead Ringer, appreciating the fun of letting my Specters fire at enemies like an unexpected firing squad while I explore, or summoning a Grim Reaper to inflict more status damage. Her Class Passive allows for generating minions that focus on specific elemental damage. Each decision feels significant in various ways, and I haven’t even fully explored the tanking potential of Incarnate, particularly with the new Armor Shields.

Fortunately, there are more novelties to mention. The Order’s weapons can store energy before firing multiple shots simultaneously, which consumes more ammunition. Daedalus provides the option to switch between two types of ammo and various firing modes, making it versatile enough to function as a submachine gun or shotgun when needed. Additionally, Rippers work similarly to Beyblades: by holding down the trigger, they unleash a continuous barrage of fire in full auto mode.

Legendary items might not always impress, their effectiveness often relies on your specific character setup. While some frustrating assault rifles discharged bullets in a random pattern, I’ve encountered remarkable Maliwan shotguns that effortlessly demolished groups of enemies.

It’s great that each weapon performs well individually, but the true excitement lies in mixing parts from different manufacturers. For instance, you can get a Maliwan shotgun that alternates between two elements, with varying spread patterns and projectiles. However, it might auto-fire continuously if you hold down the trigger due to a Ripper component, which surprisingly works well with a Specialisation passive. Additionally, I came across a Legendary Daedalus SMG capable of burst firing and dealing significant damage to armored enemies with its Corrosive element. What’s even more thrilling is that the Jakobs part causes the shots to ricochet on critical hits, damaging surrounding foes as well.

Having such a system is indeed essential, but it’s not the whole picture. After all, it wouldn’t be like playing Borderlands without some over-the-top elements, and this game delivers on that promise. Fan-favorite quirky alternate weapon firing modes, such as a transformed projectile into a mobile sentient gun, make a comeback. However, there are also railguns, flamethrowers (though they behave more like spinning flame grenades), and shockfields. You might encounter an armor shield that shatters and releases missiles or amplifies damage based on the remaining armor segments, or a grenade that generates electric tethers, linking enemies for a specific duration. This setup encourages inspecting almost every loot drop, sometimes even when caution suggests otherwise.

As a gamer, I’ve got to admit I’m a bit bummed that some of these new additions, including a familiar vendor, don’t seem to allow for an over-the-top barrage of shots like I was hoping. However, it’s not a game breaker by any means. What can get tiresome is the loot management, especially when I’m constantly swapping out inferior gear for upgrades during the campaign. Sometimes, marking items as junk accidentally marks items two spaces above instead, so I find myself resorting to the trusty right-click. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to filter through weapons, manufacturers, elements, and even equipped/unequipped items, so if you want to quickly mark all unequipped items as junk in the inventory, feel free to do so.

Legendary items in this game can sometimes be unpredictable, but their effectiveness largely depends on how you’ve tailored your character. For every underwhelming assault rifle that disperses bullets either vertically or horizontally, I’ve encountered some remarkable Maliwan shotguns capable of decimating hordes. Similar experiences were had with the Legendary Daedalus SMG and a Legendary shield, both offering massive shield amounts and temporary gun damage boosters respectively. However, a Legendary Maliwan SMG that doesn’t consume ammo if you have Overshield and can deal substantial damage when built into is another matter altogether.

Unfortunately, many of the Legendary perks fail to clearly explain their functions, leaving players guessing as they experiment with Death From Above, hoping it performs differently from other grenade combinations.

Run and Gun (and Glide, and Dash)

In simpler terms, when it comes to the bosses, the significant battles with the most distinctive gameplay mechanics are undeniably the ones that stand out. Among these unique encounters, the Primordial Vault Guardians are particularly memorable and dramatic, although they may lack slightly in overall complexity compared to others.

Regarding Borderlands 3, there’s much to discuss, but let’s focus on its solid gunplay and movement mechanics. These elements are maintained in Borderlands 4, with additional features added for a more varied experience. One of the most notable new additions is grappling, which allows you to hoist explosive or elemental containers and throw them at enemies. This feature remains fun, even if it loses effectiveness as you progress through the game.

What truly impressed me in Borderlands 4, however, is the Glide Pack. This feature enables hovering in the air for a certain period and performing mid-air dashes. While limited initially, it’s still quite powerful. Combining the grapple with the glide allows for quick repositioning or even circling enemies while raining down fire and various other projectiles, making combat feel exceptionally satisfying.

The experience with the guns is similar; they offer a satisfying sensation when fired or thrown at enemies, although they might not quite reach the level of ‘Destiny’. The shooting mechanics are generally robust, despite some room for improvement in certain firing modes. Gearbox excels in creating diverse adversaries, such as Order soldiers who can reverse time under pressure, and Rippers, reminiscent of Bandits with multiple cybernetic enhancements. In the game, you’ll even encounter a Bandit that fights by breakdancing, and there’s more: wildlife including Maulers and Pangolins, which charge at you and roll around while launching spikes respectively.

Admittedly, I faced challenging situations involving snipers and powerful adversaries who charged at you. Regardless of my character’s level, health or damage resistance, they inflicted an unusual amount of damage. This could be designed to motivate new Repkits, though their skills and healing abilities should provide enough incentive.

Additionally, there’s a new enemy type that requires precision when aiming at weak points to make it vulnerable. Initially, this felt frustrating, but after obtaining better weapons post-game, it wasn’t as oppressive as expected. However, some tweaks could be made to prevent tedium during the storyline.

Concerning the managers, while avoiding revealing spoilers, the key story battles are undoubtedly those that leverage the most unique gameplay elements. The Primordial Vault Guardians, in particular, exude an epic aura, although their overall complexity is somewhat simpler. The optional bosses, scattered throughout various side activities, are less intense but offer some unique quirks, such as double or even triple spawns. Lastly, there are characters like Orbulus – present, but relatively simple to defeat thanks to the Timekeeper’s grace. Since farming bosses play a crucial role, it’s reassuring that most of them have their own distinct features, although they may not be particularly difficult.

We’re in the Endgame Now

Additionally, it’s important to note that only a single Weekly Wildcard Mission and Weekly Big Encore boss are available at any given time. While I can comprehend the reasoning behind the latter, even if increasing the weekly count to three wouldn’t make a substantial impact on player metrics, I feel that additional options are crucial for the former.

Undeniably, the key debate surrounding modern-day looters revolves around their ultimate goals, particularly the mixed responses towards Mayhem Mode in Borderlands 3. While Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode offers a more promising approach, it too has certain issues that need prompt resolution.

Upon completing the story in Kairos, it’s implied that everything progressively intensifies and becomes more difficult. Two fresh endeavors make their appearance: the Weekly Wildcard Mission and Moxxi’s Weekly Big Encore, joining Maurice’s Black Market. The Weekly Wildcard alters a campaign mission with additional modifiers, such as every enemy kill resulting in a black hole explosion, and increased-level adversaries promising a guaranteed Legendary reward.

Moxxi’s Weekly Rerun allows you to fight a particular boss again for Eridium, boosting the chances of them dropping legendary items as loot. The Black Market is a shifting vending machine that moves weekly – once found, it allows you to buy one legendary item, but it goes on cool-down afterwards. Occasionally, this cool-down could be bypassed after a specific time period, or it would let me view the menu, but I couldn’t purchase anything before it returned to cool-down. The basic idea of a vendor similar to Xur in Kairos (with much more charm, I might add) works well overall.

My initial concern is that these activities aren’t entirely fresh; they essentially rehash previous content. Although the added modifiers and tougher foes provide some excitement for Wildcard missions, there are no other significant updates. A single Legendary reward seems underwhelming, considering you could alternatively explore vending machines, engage in the Weekly Big Encore, or try your luck farming a Vault Guardian instead.

One aspect is that only a single Weekly Wildcard Mission persistently remains accessible. Similarly, just one set of Weekly Big Encore bosses is available at any given time. While I can appreciate the reasoning behind keeping the latter as-is, even if increasing the number from one to three wouldn’t have a significant impact on player statistics, it would still be beneficial. However, for the former, more options are imperative to keep things engaging and fresh.

If you’re looking for alternatives, some fresh experiences can be undertaken during the final stages, such as Auger Mines, Command Posts, and Drill Sites. The first two are somewhat similar to mini-adventures with elements of platforming and problem-solving, while the latter concentrates on hordes – all of them conclude with a showdown against a boss.

These contents aren’t exactly “novel,” but they’ve been made more available due to their advanced requirements. It’s not advisable to jump right into UVHM immediately after unlocking, as the level scaling becomes quite strange in the process. In the overworld, enemies are usually around your level, except in areas like Silos where they significantly outmatch you, leading to a harsh defeat. Since you’re still gathering Uncommon, Rare, and Epic gear while searching for Legendaries, it can take some adjustment to comprehend why things turn out this way.

In an action RPG like this one, apart from reaching the maximum level, discovering Legendaries, and customizing your character’s build – the typical tasks – most of the effort goes into advancing through the tiers in UVHM. This is done by accomplishing challenges that demand defeating a boss within that tier, followed by completing the specific Wildcard mission (distinct from the Weekly Wildcard) to move forward to the next tier.

Specialized abilities provide a competitive edge, serving a role similar to Guardian Ranks while granting unlockable passive skills that can be selected. Although there may be some effort required to acquire the top options, they prove to be exceptionally valuable. A 30% damage reduction based on the extent of your health or shields, whichever is greater? Count me in! At times, having only four slots may not seem sufficient, but the potency behind each option (or most of them) makes them vital. It encourages experimentation and tweaking, much like leveling up your skill trees, which enhances build-crafting fun, even during endgame play.

Beyond reaching the maximum level, locating Legendaries, and customizing a gameplay style – common elements in action RPG games – the main challenge is advancing through UVHM’s tiers by accomplishing tasks, which always involve defeating a boss from that tier followed by completing a specific mission (distinct from the Weekly Wildcard) to move forward. This approach not only encourages fighting previously untouched bosses and engaging with various locations like Bunkers, Drill Sites, Mines, and even side quests, but also provides a fresh twist to the gameplay experience.

I’m a bit frustrated because I can’t separate Rare and Uncommon items during endgame, even though they occasionally offer a modest damage boost. While I don’t necessarily need Epic or Legendary items all the time, if the lower rarity loot isn’t an improvement in any way, could you please convert it directly into cash instead?

As a fellow gamer, diving into another gameplay system here – Firmware! This bad boy offers set bonuses once you gather matching components. I haven’t delved too deeply into min-maxing it yet, but the perks it offers seem like sweet enhancements, complementing rather than dictating my build setup. They add that extra edge, yet you can still play effectively without them, which is a nice touch. However, the ability to switch Firmware between similar equipment feels a bit like an extra dose of randomness on top of everything else – something I could do without.

All in all, the endgame in this new title surpasses Borderlands 3 in many aspects. However, I find myself yearning for additional content post-UVHM Tier 5. Upon completing the obligatory Wildcard mission, returning to base without any dialogue or reward felt quite odd and disappointing.

Performative Behavior

Despite the numerous considerations, I must admit that the visual quality was generally impressive. The intricately designed, albeit disturbing, enemy models, the vast expanse of Kairos’s settings, and the smooth cel-shading effect were compelling enough to overlook the somewhat simplistic animation movements from NPCs.

As a dedicated fan, I must confess that the PC performance initially posed a significant challenge for me. Randy Pitchford’s comments about it being nearly unplayable on minimum system requirements resonate deeply. My Core i5-11400 CPU, despite its best efforts, struggled to keep up, especially with the task of compiling shaders for new locations. This resulted in frequent stutters, even when I was playing at mostly Medium settings at 1440p on an RTX 4060 and 32 GB of RAM.

Lowering the resolution to 1080p, enabling Frame Generation, and switching to DLSS Balanced helped mitigate some of these issues, but I still encountered stutters, even minor pauses, that marred the experience, despite consistently hitting 60 FPS more times than not. However, subsequent updates have noticeably improved the situation, allowing me to use DLSS Quality more frequently (stutters are now less common than before). The shader compiling process remains an issue, even during fast-travel.

Despite the various caveats, I found that the visual quality in general was quite impressive. The intricate and admittedly gruesome enemy designs, the vast expanses of Kairos’s surroundings, and the smooth cel-shading technique were factors that made it effortless to overlook the somewhat simplistic movements of NPC characters.

No Rest for the Wicked

In simpler terms, Borderlands 4 doesn’t revolutionize the action RPG looter genre, nor does it significantly alter its core gameplay compared to current trends in crafting, advanced end-game systems, and so forth. While exploring the world and defeating enemies can be fun, there are several conditions preventing it from creating an iconic experience like Borderlands 2.

Despite appearances suggesting that Gearbox may have still been haunted by the shadow of the second game, the franchise in Borderlands 4 seems to have adopted a modern atmosphere without compromising its distinct qualities. This game can be seen as both a return to form and a leap forward – though its narrative implications are yet to unfold, it offers an engaging experience for seasoned fans and fans of looter shooters alike.

This game was reviewed on PC.

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2025-09-11 15:20