Last Updated on Sep 23, 2025 @ 22:44:45 PM.
Recently, I had the opportunity to review Borderlands 4, the newest installment to the Borderlands franchise in all its glory, whether it be the numerous side quests that lurk around the large open world or defeating the hordes of enemies with glorious weapons of chaos, while also seeing the dark story that Gearbox Software has created for this new title.
Borderlands 4 Boasts Plenty of Gameplay for Players to Enjoy As They Venture Through This Large World
Throughout the years, the Borderlands franchise has been known to have very lively worlds filled with side quests, colorful NPCs, and bountiful worlds full of unique and interesting landscapes, and Borderlands 4 is no different.
While exploring the world of Borderlands 4, I came across a lot of unique locations that kept me intrigued and interested with the world that Borderlands 4 is set in, but what helped give these locations life were the different characters, quests, and bonus objectives that filled the world.
During my time with Borderlands 4, I attempted to do as much of the content that was available to me while ensuring I took in the beautiful landscapes that were set before me, and it is safe to say that I was not disappointed with what I saw during my chaotic Borderlands adventure.
A big part of what made the adventure fun and fresh was how no single mission felt the same, as each mission was entirely different from the last. This is a bit of a Borderlands staple, as in each Borderlands game, the developer Gearbox Software has always worked tirelessly to create chaotic and hilarious side quests that keep the player engaged with the world and its story, and as always, Borderlands 4 continues with this trend.
Along with interesting side quests, Borderlands 4 has also added numerous different side objectives within the open world that the players can explore as they venture through this large world. A majority of these objectives repeat throughout the world and are hidden from the player unless they explore, but they are very common and can be quite repetitive after playing for a very long time.
This meant that I only focused on side content within short bursts during my time with Borderlands 4 and focused on the main story to try to keep the content fresh and appealing. After a long time, it began to get quite tedious to explore the map in-depth, but that is an unfortunate risk within a game such as this.
To make exploring the map easier, Gearbox has also expanded the ways Vault Hunters can explore the large map to reduce the amount of running around players will have to do to get to these objectives. As always, vehicles are a staple within the Borderlands franchise, and they do make a return in Borderlands 4, which is good, but new traversal options are also added into the game.
Along with the vehicles, players now have the option to use a jetpack and a grapple hook that can help them maneuver the world of Borderlands 4 with ease. For me, this was a good addition, as it introduced a lot of new options for players both in exploration and combat that helped keep the experience fun and different from what we are used to, while also ensuring the traditional gameplay loop of Borderlands is embedded within.
Borderlands 4’s Story Takes a Deep Dive Into a Dark and Gritty Story While Keeping the World Fun
What makes Borderlands 4 stand out against the previous titles within the franchise is how this game takes a bigger step into the dark and gritty universe that the Borderlands games are set in, and this is evident right from the start of the game and is constantly reiterated throughout the rest of the game’s story.
In the past, the Borderlands games have always had some relatively dark and cruel characters that are always trying to do some kind of evil, but do it in a rather comedic way to downplay the seriousness of the situation; this has been changed in a lot of scenarios within Borderlands 4.
Right from the start of the game, players can see that this title will lean into some heavy and dark themes that will likely upset a lot of gamers, but it is done so well that it doesn’t go too far all at once, but just drips and feeds that darkness to players slowly throughout the game.
Along with the story being dark, the enemies the player will come across are also relatively dark. In previous games, the enemies the player comes across will always have some form of redeeming factor behind them, but in Borderlands 4, it is entirely different, as the different enemies that players come across, who have some form of role to play in the story, are just generally evil in every way, with no redeeming quality.
This does provide the relief that defeating these enemies isn’t a bad thing, as in a lot of cases they do deserve to be taken down by the Vault Hunter and will ultimately be defeated in a glorious battle to the death, whereas in the past, some enemies the player came across didn’t necessarily deserve to be defeated, but they were sadly on the wrong side of history.
As Always, the People You Meet Along the Way Are a Joy to Behold
The best part of any Borderlands game is the characters the player will meet on their travels, as these different characters are what make the amazing world come alive. Borderlands 4 continues this great tradition, as there are plenty of characters for the player to meet who bring a whole new vibe and flow to the game in numerous different ways.
Whether it be old or new characters, there will always be someone to connect with in Borderlands 4, and this is something I will always enjoy within a Borderlands game, as the amount of dialogue, interactions, and just general worldbuilding is incredible and provides even more depth to the game.
With Borderlands 4 being the most recent title from Gearbox Software, it is understandable that the devs took their time to look back through their history with the franchise and add some nods to previous games within this new title, which I won’t go into detail with, as I do not want to spoil the experience, but it is safe to say that there are plenty of familiar faces for players to come across in their journey.
Borderlands 4
Summary
While playing Borderlands 4, I constantly found myself enjoying the world that the game is set in, as it was full of colorful landscapes, as well as the numerous forms of life that made the game feel complete.
The side quests, as always, were very fun and kept me interested for a very long time, but after a while the long distances to run between them and their objectives did get tiresome.
HOURS PLAYED: 25
PLAYED ON: PS5
- The world is very large with a lot of content to enjoy.
- The side quests are very funny with interesting characters to meet.
- The new traversal mechanics make both exploration and combat fun.
- The distance between objectives and side quests can be quite dull.
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I am a long-time writer who enjoys talking about numerous different game genres as well as playing them. My main focuses are games like Helldivers 2, Warframe, and so much more.
