Borderlands 4 – Will the Open World Bring Back the Glory of the Series or Bury It Deeper? 🎮🔥

For more than 15 years, the Borderlands series has stood as one of the most important shooter games that opened the door wide for the Looter Shooter genre. It taught players what it means to find a crazy new gun every minute, throwing you into a chaotic experience full of explosions and sarcastic humor but still fun. Every part of the series had its unique mark. Borderlands 2, for example, introduced unforgettable characters and a story that balanced dark comedy and drama. Borderlands 3, although it was the biggest production in the series, faced heavy criticism due to weak jokes and long, boring battles that turned bosses into bullet sponges draining your energy instead of fun challenges. Now with Borderlands 4, things have taken a different turn. Gearbox decided to leave behind the divided large levels system and introduce a true open world for the first time on a new planet called Kairos, full of diverse regions, side activities, weekly challenges, and new movement and traversal mechanics that make exploration a key part of the experience.

So, will this bold change bring the series back to the top? Will the open world actually be a strength or just a large empty space with no soul? Will the new characters manage to make up for the absence of the old familiar faces we got used to? Let’s find out.

Story

This time the story takes us far from Pandora, the planet we are used to, to a new world called Kairos. A large planet divided into different regions, each controlled by one of the followers of the main villain known as the Timekeeper. He managed to dominate the entire planet by brainwashing the population and turning their lives into a suffocating dictatorship. Every area is full of armies and strange creatures serving him.

The new Vault Hunters get involved in the story from the moment they find themselves part of this conflict. Instead of just chasing vaults like in the old games, this time they get dragged into a battle to free the planet itself. At the beginning, they are directly controlled by the Timekeeper after he plants a device in them that allows him to track and control their actions. That could have been a strong revenge motive, but then a small robot appears that can disrupt the signal and break his control, shifting the story into a massive resistance movement.

As the events progress, the Vault Hunters start gathering allies from every region, characters with personal stories like scientists or fighters who suffered under the dictatorship. The story introduces completely new characters like Levaine, who has a complicated relationship with some of the hunters, and also short appearances from familiar faces like Claptrap to keep the series’ spirit alive.

The story as a whole revolves around building a huge resistance against the Timekeeper and his three lieutenants, taking over one region after another until reaching his main base in Dominion City. Even though the events are more serious than before, Borderlands 4 still keeps the series’ comedy and craziness, whether in dialogues or in side quests that throw you from war atmospheres into weird and funny stories.

Gameplay

The game here takes a big step compared to any previous entry, not only in weapons or abilities but also in the very style of play. For the first time, Borderlands becomes a full open world on the planet Kairos with no loading screens between areas. There are four huge regions full of side quests, activities, bosses, and weekly challenges similar to MMO games.

Movement has become much smoother and faster. You now have Double Jump, Dash in any direction, climbing, swimming, a Glider that lets you cross massive distances, and even a Grappling Hook to grab enemies or explosive barrels and use them as weapons, or reach far locations. All of this makes battles very fast and full of new tactics.

Each of the four Vault Hunters has three different skill trees, allowing you to build your character however you like. For example, Vex the Siren can be built around spectral clones that fight beside you, or around elemental weapons that combine electricity, fire, and radiation. Rafa has turrets and DigiStruct weapons that turn him into a moving war machine, while Amon the Forgeknight brings brutal close combat with axes and elemental fire and ice powers. Harlowe has gravity powers to trap enemies in bubbles and play with them like toys.

Weapons are still the heart of the series, and every weapon is strange and unique. You might find an SMG that fires mini-rockets, or a pistol that launches darts exploding after a few seconds, or a grenade that turns into a black hole sucking everything around it. There are also new enhancements like throwing knives or mods that change how weapons charge.

The battles against enemies are more varied, especially with new types like mechanical spiders that reflect bullets, or creatures covered in crystals that you need to break before killing them. Boss fights are less about bullet sponging and more about fun mechanics, like using the environment or staying airborne when the ground becomes a trap.

For online play, you can play solo or with up to three friends. Each one can go do something else on the map and then regroup instantly through fast travel. The endgame also includes weekly activities, repeatable bosses for loot, and modifiers like enemies immune to fire or exploding into black holes when they die.

Graphics

Borderlands 4 still keeps its iconic cel-shaded cartoon style that makes the game look like a living comic book. But this time Gearbox upgraded the engine and added finer details in lighting, weapon reflections, and even character expressions.

The planet Kairos is divided into different regions, each with its own visual theme. You’ll find wide deserts full of sandstorms, glowing crystal forests, neon-lit ruined cities, and industrial zones with mechanical plants. This diversity makes exploration fun, and every area feels like it has its own identity.

The visual effects in battles are among the best parts of the game. Every bullet and every explosion is full of colors and lighting effects that give a sense of organized chaos. When you throw a grenade that creates a black hole and watch enemies get sucked in with sparks of fire and electricity all around, the sight makes you stop just to watch.

Enemy and boss designs also received more care. You’ll see foes covered in glowing crystals, or mechanical beasts with fine details in every movement. Big bosses come with special effects like energy waves breaking the ground or weather changes around the battlefield.

Final Score

9/10

Borderlands 4 is a bold step that clearly pushes the series forward with a wide open world, faster movement, and activities that make the experience last longer. The gameplay still delivers the fun mix of chaos and creativity, with a massive arsenal of crazy weapons and finally well-balanced Vault Hunters with fun playstyles. If you’re a fan of loot-based shooters and looking for a wild multiplayer experience, the game will bring you action, laughter, and that collecting obsession that reminds you of the series’ glory days.