Borderlands 4

Sometimes a game doesn't need to be deep or thought-provoking at every turn, it just needs to be a blast to play, and I can safely say that Borderlands 4 is the most fun I've had in a game in a long time.

Borderlands 4 is a masterpiece.

Overall, Borderlands 4 is a masterful continuation of the series. It honors its roots while daring to venture into new territory, both geographically and mechanically. The diverse and compelling new world of Kairos, combined with the most extensive skill trees and a refined sense of humor, makes this a must-play for both long-time fans and newcomers to the franchise. It's the same Borderlands you love, but bigger, bolder, and more beautiful than ever before.

Borderlands 4 delivers fast-paced action, next-gen visuals, and excellent PC performance with impressive use of DLSS 4. Its engaging story, charismatic characters, and a diverse set of activities will keep fans hooked but replaying can feel less exciting over time. Post-launch content promises to keep the chaos alive on planet Kairos.

Borderlands 4 adds many new features and quality of life updates to the franchise, and along with its new open-world, makes it easily the best entry in the series.

As someone who played all Borderlands games, and even the Tiny Tina spin-off, I can definitely say that Borderlands 4 is my favorite one so far. Not only does it have very satisfying gameplay and a great story, but the open world of Kairos is amazing and full of quests, side content, collectibles and so on.

Borderlands 4 elevates the franchise, showcasing the best the gameplay has ever been and greatly improving on the storytelling and writing of Borderlands 3. However, performance issues keep this game away from a perfect score, and I urge would-be buyers to keep an eye on fixes before paying the steep cost of entry for this otherwise incredible title.

Borderlands 4 is bigger and grander than its predecessors. But with the addition of new ways to move around, an extensive system to make your character stronger, and challenging boss fights that require more than just button mashing, it's also the best Borderlands game to date. Essentially, it remains the king of all looter-shooters: you blast enemies to get better equipment, which allows you to shoot enemies even more efficiently. A highly addictive and satisfying gameplay loop that you gradually get caught up in.

Chaotic, ridiculous, and ridiculously fun – Borderlands 4 is Gearbox back at its very best.

If you already love the Borderlands franchise--even the third game—you’re guaranteed to love this newest addition to this chaotic and bombastic looter shooter. Borderlands 4 is undoubtedly my favorite Borderlands game to date. It is a culmination of everything that the franchise has learned thus far and then some. Be it a new traversal, quality-of-life improvements that make the hunt for the perfect legendary all the more palatable, or even vastly improved writing, Borderlands 4 excels in everything its predecessors struggled with. The sheer diversity of characters, gear, and ways to have fun is never-ending, and the open-world format is a surprisingly welcome addition to this amazing co-op FPS. Borderlands 4 is a leap in the right direction, and I can only hope that this trend continues upwards for the rest of the franchise.

Borderlands 4 is bloody chaotic and pure mayhem. Vault Hunters with dozens of perks across multiple skill trees. Guns raining from the sky with wildly unique perk combinations. Enhancements, Class Mods, set bonuses, and more dramatically feeding into your builds, making numbers go higher and enemy health bars go lower. Each system links arms with the other and grabs hold of you as you dash, grapple, sprint, and shoot your way through battlefields of screaming, rambling psychos that will test your build to its limits. Borderlands 4 is the best the series has been in decades and a testament to Gearbox’s ability to absolutely cook. Are you ready to taste the chaos?

Borderlands 4 is designed thoroughly with fun in mind. It doesn't play like a greatest hits compilation of what has come before, but rather as an evolution of the series.

Borderlands 4 is the redemption the saga needed - Gearbox has listened to the community and fixed everything that needed fixing. It's fresh, crazy, fun, chaotic - everything Borderlands should be and the perfect answer to that saying "two plus two always equals four". They've taken the best parts of Borderlands 2, corrected the mistakes of Borderlands 3, and added new mechanics that work without losing the essence.

Borderlands 4 is easily the best in the series when it comes to gameplay and fun factor, and the best overall game in the franchise since Borderlands 2, but some performance issues on PC are cause for concern.

No matter what I'm doing in Borderlands 4, I'm always earning something that offers a new way to strengthen my character's identity. Guns each feel more distinct than ever, making the loot grind that much more enticing. Each fight is an opportunity to flex my personality thanks to the movement system allowing me to approach and react in dozens of ways, with bosses acting as the exclamation point to it all. But most importantly, Borderlands 4 struck the best tonal balance yet. Borderlands 4 feels like the idealized version of what this series was always striving to be.

Gearbox has truly delivered one of the best looter shooters to date.

Ultimately, Borderlands 4 gets the crucial things right that you would expect from a Borderlands game. It's a loot shooter, and the looting and shooting works so well that we don't want to stop playing. Shooting tons of weapons at tons of enemies and collecting tons of loot has always been the DNA of Borderlands. It's a fun loop that still hasn't gotten old after 16 years and has once again been perfectly implemented in Borderlands 4.

The series has officially returned to looter shooter glory with Borderlands 4.

While it isn’t perfect, with optimization especially leaving something to be desired, Borderlands 4 is a very clear improvement over its predecessor, with a far better paced story, a convincing set of characters, and a gameplay that benefited greatly from the newly added movement mechanics.

Borderlands 4 realises the full potential the series has always had, delivering that unmistakable Borderlands experience but with a ton of modern sensibilities to establish itself not simply as a fun co-op shooter, but as the definitive example of what a fun co-op shooter should be.

Borderlands 4 is not merely a refinement of its predecessors' flaws; it is the series' greatest masterpiece, presenting the future of the franchise through three monumental innovations: a seamless open world, multidimensional combat, and a farming system of infinite possibilities.

There's no question that Borderlands 4 is an ambitious improvement over the last installment. Its visually impressive open world is full of enjoyable content to discover, the narrative is more serious without being dull, and the series' wicked humor is intact via side quests. In fact, the risks Gearbox has taken pay off so well it made me wish they'd taken more chances with combat. All the vault hunters are fun to play, making multiple playthroughs or co-op rewarding. Borderlands 4 doesn't revolutionize the franchise, but it absolutely evolves it and sets up an exciting future for the series.

Borderlands 4 is a masterfully crafted sequel. It pays homage to its roots while boldly venturing into new territory. The rich and compelling new planet of Kairos, paired with the series' most expansive skill trees, movement system and a sharper sense of humor, makes this a must play for veterans and franchise newcomers alike. This is the Borderlands we love, just bigger, bolder, and more beautiful than ever.

Borderlands 4! Still crazy. Still cool. This successful sequel learns from the mistakes of the past. It builds on the strengths of the series, such as loot hunting, responsive shooting and memorable character interactions. Despite some flaws, it offers a fun and exciting co-op experience.

Borderlands 4 is a statement of intent. It’s not the chapter that rewrites the rules of the game, but the one that refines them with the confidence only a mature franchise can have. Gearbox chose not to chase fleeting trends, didn’t give in to the temptation of turning Borderlands into a soulless live service, nor to betraying its own DNA.

Borderlands 4 preserves the series’ most essential DNA while delivering meaningful innovation. Although its open-world structure is not yet fully refined and shows some rough edges, the game remains immensely enjoyable and unmistakably Borderlands.

Borderlands 4 establishes itself as a well-rounded entry that offers updated and tremendously fun gameplay. A lackluster campaign and a somewhat generic open world prevent it from reaching its full potential, but this is a looter shooter capable of standing alongside the best in the genre.

The Borderlands series has long refined the looter-shooter formula, and Borderlands 4 feels like it has finally reached its theoretical peak. From seamless maps and freer movement to expanded skill trees, every change serves the same purpose: letting players and their friends dive into the endless loop of shooting, looting, and powering up in more satisfying and varied ways.

Borderlands 4 marks a confident course correction for the looter-shooter franchise, bringing back the series' core strengths while introducing welcome refinements. Set on the new planet Kairos, the game sheds the baggage of its predecessor with a semi-reboot approach, tighter narrative focus, and satisfying combat. Despite performance hiccups and lackluster menus, it succeeds in recapturing what made Borderlands a genre favorite.

The best Borderlands game to date, if your PC is premium enough to handle the deadly mix of Unreal Engine 5 and Denuvo DRM with an open-world game.

Under normal circumstances, this game would deserve a much higher score, but optimization has become the true enemy of what might be the most fun Borderlands game ever. If you can somehow get it to run properly, there’s no way you won’t have a good time. One day, when Borderlands 4 finally works as it should, it’ll carve its name into history in Eridium letters.

We were pleasantly surprised by Borderlands 4. It's a game that managed to hook us for weeks during the process of writing this review, and we know we'll continue to clean up loose ends and experiment with the rest of the characters. However, the technical issues raise some alarm bells that we hope are just that. For better or worse, the reality is that it's more Borderlands. We don't mean that as a necessarily negative thing; after all, its value as the game that popularized looter shooters is impossible to deny. What we mean is that if you're the type who didn't enjoy the loop of the previous games, we don't expect this title to change your mind.

A revitalized and reformed installment in virtually every aspect, with positive results, despite a few critical issues. It's the richest installment in terms of content and the most solid gameplay, but it's also set in a very classic and conservative open world. If you can overlook this aspect, however, you've got a robust game that could provide dozens and dozens of hours of unbridled fun, especially when played with a close-knit group of friends. The battle against the Chronokeeper's regime has only just begun: are you ready to join the Resistance?

Borderlands 4 is a rock-solid co-op game that will keep you busy for dozens of hours. The story isn’t its strength, but the hunt for the best loot is pure fun.

The definitive Borderlands: bigger, bolder, and badder than ever, it revamps the franchise, making it more modern, dynamic, and playful. It's a shame about the optimization.

Borderlands 4 motivates with tons of loot and tight gunplay – it is and remains one of the best loot shooters ever. Now that the story and endgame has returned to most of its old strengths, you can easily spend dozens of hours here before boredom sets in. Only the open world wasn't really necessary.

Though many of the series’ core elements remain intact, Gearbox has refined and reconfigured them in such ways that Borderlands 4 rises beyond anything the series has accomplished to this point, making for a chaotic looter-shooter worthy of the series’ sterling early-2010s reputation.

Borderlands 4 doesn’t reinvent the wheel but expands the chaotic loot-shooter formula with faster gameplay, creative weapons, and a larger, more varied world. While the story and enemy variety still leave room for improvement, the dynamic combat, hilarious tone, and strong co-op potential keep the experience fun and addictive. Fans of the series will feel right at home, and newcomers willing to embrace the madness will find plenty to enjoy.

Borderlands 4 is everything fans were waiting for. Too bad that its way of being "more of the same" ends up being less than expected. It sticks to the gameplay formula stubbornly — the new approach to combat is insane — but the graphics, which don’t make a strong visual impression, also carry a heavy toll in terms of performance and system requirements. The missions take on a new style, but they’re less impactful than in previous installments. It’s not so much the added seriousness that makes the formula less satisfying, but rather that sometimes the motivations of the heroes or villains feel like they just don’t care enough to be compelling... But in the end, who cares? Grab a gun and jump into the arena: there’s lead, madness, and flying guts for everyone.

With fantastic visuals, top-tier voice acting, excellent comedic writing, and an addictive gameplay loop, Borderlands 4 is just freaking fun. While not groundbreaking, the story of Kairos and the Timekeeper is well-done and engaging. Despite some technical issues that will hopefully be resolved quickly, Gearbox’s latest is a game fans won’t want to miss. It’s good to have Borderlands back.

Borderlands 4 is a step in the right direction. You can tell Gearbox has listened to its players, and has evolved the formula to deliver the best gunplay in the series, well-balanced gameplay and a story worth getting into.

In terms of game mechanics, Borderlands 4 is the best installment in the series, but the open world is a bit of a letdown.

While it won’t win any new fans, Borderlands 4 is a return to form for the original looter-shooter and a must-buy for fans of its particular brand of madness.

Even a terrible UI and choppy performance didn't spoil several dozen hours of numbers-go-up bliss.

Borderlands 4 lacks the polish of a flawless AAA release, but it delivers on some of the most important parts, such as offering thrilling gameplay, an expansive world, and a story that actually makes you care. The darker story and serious tone might disappoint fans who want nonstop jokes, but these changes make the game’s emotions and stakes stronger than previous games. It’s a wild, rewarding journey across a beautifully chaotic world full of secrets, explosions, and loot that never quits. Whether you play solo or with friends, Borderlands 4 reaffirms why this franchise remains a shining beacon in the looter-shooter genre, still messy, still loud, still totally and utterly addictive.

Borderlands has found its identity again with the latest installment. The humor has been toned down, but the sheer fun of the gameplay has taken its place. The story could be stronger, though it’s far from the lows of the third entry, and the open world would benefit from more varied activities. On the other hand, it serves its purpose well as a playground for hunting top-tier loot, cosmetic trinkets, and mountains of gear. With every hour, I had more fun, and in the end, I’m left with the feeling that the series is finally back on the right track.

Borderlands 4 earns a high rating because its innovations and polished gameplay deliver a return to form that the series desperately needed. While not every player will have a smooth experience, those who can navigate or tolerate its technical issues will find a game that rewards you for playing it exactly like you want to. It is a bold and energetic entry that revitalizes the series, and for me, a jaded veteran, the combination of core improvements and inventive design is enough to justify its final rating.

Borderlands 4's new approach to the franchise's classic formula is expertly crafted. Unexpectedly, the open world fits like a glove into the shooter's irresistible dopamine-fuelled loop. There's always exciting loot to discover, builds to create and enemies to vanquish, in an endless gale of violence, with exponentially greater numbers crushing anyone who dares to stand up to us. A positive point also goes to the tone of Borderlands 4, much more serious and restrained than its predecessor, but without losing its trademark humour. I never thought I'd say it, but even Claptrap is bearable this time around.

I really like Borderlands 4. I like it on the story front, gameplay front, mechanical front, and just all of it really. I have every intention of coming back to it and replaying it with the DLC characters in later playthroughs, and while the endgame stuff isn't that fleshed out yet, I have faith that it'll improve as time goes on. Let's just hope everyone else can enjoy it without bugs soon too.

Borderlands 4 expands with an open world, new mechanics, and complex skill trees that enhance combat, but design flaws, balancing issues, and tedious travel hold it back.

Borderlands 4 is an incredibly fun game with a couple of flaws. The world of Kairos is beautiful to play through and there's no shortage of challenges to dive into. While the Unreal Engine still has some issues, the stuttering is corrected without a big hit. With over 30 billion combinations of weapons, no two guns are the same. Multiplayer makes this game a must play if you have friends that are interested in the series. Simply put, Borderlands 4 is fun, immersive, and worth picking up right away.

Borderlands 4 sticks to the formula that made the series famous: frantic gunfights, dark humor, and a creative arsenal. Although it retains its classic gameplay and doesn’t innovate much, the skill progression and combat remain highly satisfying.

When it comes to gameplay, aside from the gunplay, this fourth game is probably the best Borderlands yet. That said, it clearly needs to find the right balance on the narrative side, along with some fresh tricks to give more personality to the huge supporting cast — who, as of now, feel more like a nuisance than an asset. If you’re into shooting, Borderlands 4 is a safe bet, but when it comes to everything outside of gunplay, Gearbox’s game still lags behind.

Gearbox's latest is a return to form and a reminder of everything that made its looter shooter so unique, nagging issues aside.

Borderlands 4 is a safe Borderlands game, but that's why it barely makes any mistakes. The action feels great thanks to the new movement speed, the game is packed with fun missions featuring unique locations and characters, and there are many play styles to master. Developer Gearbox is deliberately returning to the series' foundations, likely to win back long-time fans. There's a good chance this installment will actually succeed.

Borderlands is back with a game that is much closer to its DNA, boosted by modernity and dynamism, but still suffering from a slightly outdated structure.

We haven't had a Borderlands game this packed with changes and new ideas since Borderlands 2. In many ways, Borderlands 4 feels like a natural continuation of the franchise's trajectory. It isn't without faults, but what it does deliver on makes for an evolution unlike any other game in the series.

Borderlands 4 surprised me. After not gelling with the series’ prior two entries, the fourth mainline instalment provides some of the most fun I’ve ever had with the quirky looter shooter. Its characters are well-written and not lacking in charm, but most importantly, Gearbox has achieved something I thought impossible: making Claptrap likeable. Some performance issues do need ironing out - especially on PC - and I wish some of the side challenges were a bit more fulfilling. But overall, this is easily the best Borderlands has ever been; yes, even when stacked up to the iconic first sequel.

While it's great to be able to hop straight into the endgame with a new Vault Hunter, Borderlands 4's campaign is so good that it almost feels like you're missing out on doing so. Still, for anyone who plays through a Borderlands game to get to the endgame loop and focus on a particular build, Borderlands 4 has you covered in ways that will make revisiting a past game harder. Borderlands 4 is ultimately "more Borderlands", but it understands that assignment so well that it ends up being the best the series has felt in over a decade.

Small issues aside, Borderlands 4 should give fans of the series most, if not all, of the experiences they were looking for. It's bombastic, spectacular fun that puts the emphasis on the player to go out and have a brilliant time. Playing through the story for the first time is one aspect (and again, an enjoyable one), but it's what you do after all that's said and done that really drives home what this game is meant to be. Whether taking on a raid boss with other players or free roaming the world in search of adventure, I sat there with a big, stupid grin stuck on my face for literal hours afterwards. Any game that delivers out-and-out fun at the rate of Borderlands 4 deserves its flowers, and it lives up to the reputation that the previous games so carefully built.

Borderlands 4 delivers the ultimate Vault Hunter experience, a dazzling gem where every system from gunplay to movement to loot shines with obsessive care. I’m struggling to find faults beyond some lackluster performance hiccups that don't really dampen the chaos. Honestly, writing this review pulls me away from blasting Slitters and chasing legendaries, and I’m dying to dive back into Kairos.

The latest installment proves that the series still has a lot of potential. The open world, which feels totally natural, looks truly beautiful, and stimulates the urge to explore, while the parkour elements enrich the experience even further. Overall, I think it's one of the best Borderlands games.

Borderlands 4 is a badass open-world evolution of a wonderfully unhinged looter-shooter series that needed to try something new, and it largely nails the biggest swings it takes. Combat is slicker than ever thanks to exciting new movement options and some interesting enemy designs, and the entertaining story takes things in a fresh direction while still tying neatly into existing lore. The transition to an open world isn’t the smoothest, especially when troubling terrain with a few too many invisible walls can make it feel like these environments are all for show, but that’s more than worth putting up with in exchange for being able to chart your own path and freely explore the wacky, violent world of Kairos. The bugs my crew and I encountered were bad enough to occasionally sour our co-op groove, but in between them we had a great time, and my friends and I have found ourselves utterly at the mercy of its loot grind. The Borderlands series feels like it has been a bit stuck in the mud for some time now, and especially after a few patches, Borderlands 4 is exactly the kick in the pants it has needed.

Driven by nostalgia, historic reverence, and a caution to avoid repeating past mistakes, Borderlands 4 is born from many lessons learned. It comes in confidently, understanding what makes this series lovable and matching expectations. A huge and nearly seamless open world is certainly commendable, especially when it still feels densely packed with objectives. This isn’t without its shortcomings, though, as bloated content and performance issues can impact the engaging gameplay loop. However, with friends by your side, Borderlands 4 is a satisfying, if imperfect, lootin’ shootin’ good time.

So, while I can't say whether you'll find much joy in finding all of the collectibles and having to explore Kairos, especially multiple times as you level up the different Vault Hunters, I can promise that Borderlands 4 is a step forward for this series, an improvement on Borderlands 3, and a title that shows Gearbox still has ideas, some on the mark and some not, for elevating and innovating with its tried and tested formula.

Borderlands 4 extracts the essence of a finale shootout and spins it across an entire game, with a staggering amount of guns allowing for pure carnage. While the game's story and tone fall far from those heights, at times it simply doesn't matter as much as shooting six robots out of the sky with an electrified explosive gun.

A new planet, a bigger focus on new characters over returning favorites, a new tone set between the dry humor of Borderlands and the humor of The Pre-Sequel, and a stronger focus on worldbuilding and gameplay mechanics results in a refined game that delivers hours of fun on the back of excellent gameplay, levels and boss design.

Borderlands 4 rises above it all by committing fully to the bit. It serves up exactly what the fans wanted, exactly what it would be like to play as Cate Blanchett for one sixty hour mission, blowing up aliens and weirdos alike, ascending and descending from spacecraft.

Gearbox’s venerable looter shooter has finally developed a modicum of maturity, with improved gunplay, a proper open world, and some half-decent storytelling.

Borderlands 4 is a wildly enjoyable romp, with a raft of systems that work smoothly together. It's not without friction, in terms of its high challenge level, but it all serves a greater purpose, feeding into a cohesive and mature narrative about escaping tyranny.

Borderlands 4 is a great RPG shooter with rewarding, engrossing gameplay. Some of the set dressing, like the bland new characters and pointless grappling hook, take the shine off, but the sheer amount of fun we've had with the game can't be overlooked. Borderlands 4 reminds us exactly why we were such big fans of the original two games, and falls on its sword in learning the mistakes of 3.

Borderlands 4 is for the most part a big step forward. The gameplay feels better than ever, the Vault Hunters have much more personality and you get tons of movement upgrades. The world however is not as diverse as previous games, the structure of the story makes it feels a lot smaller and Gearbox hasn't yet mastered the technical side of the game. Hopefully the technical problems can be fixed before launch.

Unfortunately, poor optimization, boring plot, stumbles in gameplay balance, and a number of minor bugs negatively affect what is otherwise a very good gaming experience.

Borderlands 4 is the entry in the franchise with the best gunplay since 2, and if you have friends to join you in exploring Kairos, it guarantees countless hours of fun. However, all of the game’s qualities end up being overshadowed by the technical disaster it is on PC, at least in the version we reviewed. Once those technical issues are overcome, longtime fans of the series will love it — and newcomers will too.

Like so many recent releases, Borderlands 4 has a magnetic, engrossing experience at its core that's been built on a hundred smart design decisions, but its performance on PC keeps you at arm's length. [Issue#416, p.114]

This massive sequel brings a new dose of great action to the series. However, the story itself is uninteresting and drawn out unnecessarily. Navigation and travelling through the environment could also be improved.

Despite subpar performance, a strange lack of identity, and the PR disaster Borderlands 4 has been garnering online, it really is a fun game with an engaging story full of fun and interesting characters. The negatives around the game really do weigh on it, of course, but when you can really sink your teeth into the meat and potatoes, Borderlands 4 is genuinely one of the most fun, if not the most fun, entry in the series so far. The guns feel amazing, the game hasn’t compromised its art style (just the world feel), the Vault Hunters feel fantastic, and the writing is great, but I’ll be damned if those issues don’t weigh down on it. It’s definitely a great game, but with everything else surrounding it, it’s a tough sell for a lot of people to be sure. If you’re just looking for a good looter shooter to play though, Borderlands 4 is a great one, assuming it runs as intended.

Borderlands 4 takes a turn that won't please everyone. In an attempt to satisfy some fans' requests, the developers have lost sight of the game's identity. It is less funny and striking than previous episodes, and it is only in its secondary content that we find some small, funny, offbeat stories. It's only after a few hours, or when playing in co-op with friends, that the game really comes into its own. Borderlands 4 is extremely generous and will keep you hooked for hours before you even reach the endgame. While it's undoubtedly a good shooter-looter, it's clearly not the best game in the Borderlands series.

Solidly grounded, Borderlands 4 is a satisfying looter shooter, with a quest for the ultimate equipment that will undoubtedly appeal to many players. But the transition to an open world hasn't been entirely smooth, and despite all the nice new features in this installment, it's hard to get overly invested in the planet Kairos: generic activities, erratic difficulty, and an overall pace that's choppy due to too many dialogue sequences somewhat spoil the fun. Is this enough to prevent you from fully enjoying a 100% co-op game with very decent content? Not sure.

The punk-apo revolution won't happen in 2025. Building on the saga's historical qualities and seeking to iron out its flaws, Borderlands 4 shines with its artistic direction, its generosity, its RPG mechanics, its cooperative multiplayer, and the dynamism of its combat, but it comes up against a harsh reality. A looter-shooter struggles to thrive in an open world. This newfound freedom offered to Vault Hunters ends up exacerbating a pervasive feeling of repetitiveness. Fans of the genre in perpetual search for power should find what they're looking for, those eager to explore an unknown world a little less so.

All in all, if uncovering loot, crafting builds, and unleashing chaotic mayhem is what you're looking for, Borderlands 4 has you covered. It's the most mechanically sound Borderlands game to date, and the various Vault Hunters each present an entertaining opportunity to tackle the game in a different way. Just maybe find a good podcast or video essay to fill the moments between the shooting and looting. The game's story and characters aren't strong enough to hold your attention on their own, and the game's combat begins to drag once you've seen all the enemy types there are to see.

Borderlands 4 offers - who woulda thunk - more Borderlands. Frantic gunplay with improved movement, entertaining weapons, spectacular boss battles and a crude sense of humor, which doesn't always hit the mark and takes turns with the comparatively serious, dark main storyline. During our review, the game lacked polish and took a few rough hours before it started to pick up its pace. The large, open world has almost zero transitions or load screens. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, it also requires somewhat up to date hardware. The endgame is meant to entertain users for many weeks and months via events and increasing challenges for bigger and better loot. That sounds promising in theory - release will show how it works out in practice.

Borderlands 4 is a great correcting of the mistakes of Borderlands 3, a good “Borderlands”, but only an adequate game, with huge optimisation issues.

Players should really listen to Randy Pitchford on this one and leave Borderlands 4 alone for now. It's a fun game when it works, which isn't often, and it'll probably be better in a year when it's cheaper and hopefully fixed.

Borderlands 4 brings a more sensible script and a true open world to its pseudo-cel-shaded gun-show. But these moderate improvements are undermined by frustrating exploration and combat that takes too long to properly shine.

Borderlands 4 could have been great. Its storyline and gameplay are the strongest they’ve ever been, but it's plagued by performance issues, missing features, and outdated UI's that almost drag it down to the murky depths of its predecessor.