Overview : Borderlands 4 : Can’t Hold Me Down : Seasoned Gaming

Everyone has no less than a few gaming franchises that imply extra to them than most. For me, Borderlands sits close to the highest of the record. When the unique launched, I gamed day by day with an outdated good friend group I cherished, and, by time the sequel arrived in 2012, my complete household would play Borderlands 2 endlessly. From late evening farming runs to spending numerous hours making an attempt to determine essentially the most “broken” builds, I’ve a really lengthy historical past with the collection.

Since then, Borderlands has turn into a globally acknowledged property with 4 mainline video games, spin-offs, widespread characters, and even a blockbuster film (c’mon, I needed to). However, for all of its recognition, sentiment among the many hardcore, no less than anecdotally, is that the collection peaked at Borderlands 2 and hasn’t recaptured that very same degree of brilliance since. Gearbox has spent an excessive amount of time promising that Borderlands 4 is a “return” to what folks liked about Borderlands whereas specializing in motion, story, and, in fact, loot, with the entire options you’d count on in a recreation releasing in 2025. So, with all of that in thoughts, have they succeeded?

No Rest for the Wicked

There could also be very minor spoilers for many who didn’t play Borderlands 3 or beforehand watch the Gearbox displays on Borderlands 4

With Borderlands 4, Gearbox’s goal was to inform a extra grounded and impactful story. New writers had been introduced in for the challenge, and, for the primary time within the mainline collection, the setting doesn’t embrace Pandora. After the occasions of Borderlands 3, the planet of Elpis is teleported away by Lilith solely to find a beforehand hidden planet named Kairos. Kairos is held below a tyrannical grip by our important antagonist, The Timekeeper. As you may need guessed, a resistance has fashioned, and a few new vault hunters are thrust into the combo with the aim of taking The Timekeeper down.

Playing by means of the marketing campaign of Borderlands 4, I used to be reminded of one of many causes I fell in love with this collection within the first place. There’s a goofy allure to Borderlands, one thing that felt largely misplaced in Borderlands 3 because it leaned extra into being edgy and social media aligned. Thankfully, the story of 4 is extra grounded and pure “sci-fi” whereas nonetheless retaining the silliness of the collection at occasions. The journey to The Timekeeper and the occasions surrounding it are partaking, and I as soon as once more felt invested as a personality in what was occurring alongside the best way.

While it makes an attempt to seize the impression of among the most memorable and beloved moments in Borderlands 2, it, sadly, doesn’t fairly attain these heights. The Timekeeper was very clearly meant to duplicate the general really feel of difficult Handsome Jack, however these are huge sneakers to fill for Borderlands followers. Regardless, there are points I really loved, and it pays homage to the collection in a variety of methods, which put a smile on my face. It’s additionally value noting that the overwhelming majority of the marketing campaign has you battling hordes of enemies and enemy varieties to soften into puddles, together with The Timekeeper’s “Order” goons who current new challenges. There’s completely no scarcity of motion alongside the best way, which isn’t solely enjoyable however permits you to experiment with the intensive loot and weaponry as you go.

It’s additionally largely a contemporary begin so far as the collection is anxious. There are a handful of returning characters together with some surprises alongside the best way, however Borderlands 4 avoids most of the collection’ overused cliches, and the brand new setting of Kairos is excellent. Kairos is a sprawling panorama with completely different biomes, huge areas to discover, and a wide selection of monsters and enemies so that you can shake the loot out of. In phrases of a setting enhancing total gameplay, that is the place Borderlands 4 actually begins to shine.

Catch a Sliiiiiiiiide

While Gearbox is cautious about calling Borderlands 4 an “open-world” recreation…Borderlands 4 is an open-world recreation. While that moniker might deliver some destructive connotation for some, it’s a badge of honor for Borderlands 4 as, with out query, it’s essentially the most lovely and fascinating title within the collection but.

The landscapes are huge and beautiful with a incredible sense of verticality, which expands each exploration and fight eventualities in quite a few methods. Exploring Kairos and discovering caves, hidden areas, collectibles, actions, bounties, and many others., is solely a pleasure, and even after almost 80 hours of play simply within the evaluation interval (I’m…drained), there’s nonetheless loads to do with my first character, ought to I select to. In addition to huge landscapes and mission selection, there are additionally mines, bunkers, and vaults which will be re-run endlessly to farm to your coronary heart’s content material.

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Beyond exploration, the environments permit for extra diversified fight, as nicely. From battling hordes of enemies in a confined Order constructing to sniping Kraks (AAAAA) from the ledge of a mountain high, and all the pieces in-between, the number of motion feels countless. With an important array of enemy varieties and problem modes together with the brand new randomized boss occasions, Borderlands 4 provides gamers the flexibility to easily wander around the globe whereas being challenged and scoring high-tier loot as an alternative of being compelled to play a sure manner. I admire this as one of many marks of an important loot-based ARPG: that I’m not confined to re-running a single boss a whole lot of occasions (although, as famous, you are able to do that too in the event you choose).

Some of what makes the setting and encounters a lot extra thrilling in Borderlands 4 is the brand new motion suite. Highlighted by Gearbox because the debut of the sport, the motion from Borderlands 3 has been expanded additional. So, along with sprinting, sliding, and clambering, now you can double soar, glide, and grapple to designated factors or environmental hazards. Given the scale of the world and scope of fight, these skills add one other layer to gameplay, and, when you get used to them, there’s merely no comparability to prior entries as that is simply the most effective feeling and enjoying Borderlands but.

That brings me to doubtless my largest gripe with the sport, nonetheless. And that’s: regardless of the large, lovely world and fluid motion suite, Kairos is designed with pathing that aligns with quests and particular factors within the recreation. So, regardless of you having the ability to see and attain ledges and buildings, there are invisible partitions all through that may stop you from doing so until you’re taking a sure route. It’s a really odd design alternative, and it’s one which turns into relatively irritating the extra you play. When mixed with the truth that the grapple solely works on designated factors, you’ll usually go to double soar or glide to a spot that appears fully accessible, solely to hit the invisible wall, fall down, and be compelled to search out one other manner.

While I perceive the need for gamers to find areas alongside the story and missions, each time I play I discover myself wishing they merely allowed the grapple for use wherever (just like, say, Halo: Infinite) and to have the ability to go wherever that’s accessible. There are nonetheless areas which are “Out of Bounds,” which make sense, however the arbitrary blockers usually detract from exploring the gorgeous Karios with the complete freedom you’ll count on.

So You Wanna Be A Vault Hunter?

One of the largest highlights of every mainline Borderlands launch is assembly the brand new vault hunters. In this case we get a brand new set of 4 whose playstyles shall be acquainted to veterans of the collection.

• Amon is a Forgeknight and the most important vault hunter but (even greater than Krieg).
• Harlowe is an ex-Maliwan fight scientist who makes use of distinctive know-how.
• Vex is the Siren of the sport and is accompanied by her companion, Trouble (which you’ll be able to construct into).
• Rafa is an ex-Tediore soldier and makes use of a Tediore exo-suit with distinctive skills.

Everyone has their favourite vault hunters all through Borderlands‘ history (shout out to my Mordecai stans). Throughout the review period, I completed the campaign and reached the current max level of 50 with Harlowe, and then I spent a little time with Vex, Rafa, and Amon at level 30 to get a feel for them. I also played most of the campaign in co-op with a mix of the vault hunters. Each feels unique, and there’s one thing right here for everybody, although it does really feel a bit conversant in prior entries, which will be good or dangerous relying in your perspective.

Builds and theory-crafting tackle the acquainted form you count on from Borderlands the place most of the abilities are relatively primary on the floor, however, when mixed with higher-level loot, can vastly evolve your injury output. Funny sufficient, I found a damaged construct with Harlowe that sadly gained’t dwell past the day one patch, however it was enjoyable whereas it lasted. And, in fact, I’m positive others will discover methods to stretch the bounds over time. But whereas I nonetheless yearn for a Borderlands that contains a deeper skill-building suite, Borderlands 4 does take it up one other notch with the characters’ skill-trees and loadouts.

As all the time, Borderlands excels in chaos, cranking it as much as 11 with an nearly unbelievable quantity of motion occurring on-screen when enjoying in co-op. The capabilities for combo play are broad, and we had an absolute blast enjoying by means of the action-filled marketing campaign collectively. At no time did we expertise any points with the gameplay itself; nonetheless, we did discover numerous bugs with co-op progress. While important mission progress saved for everybody with out challenge the whole manner, many different points, akin to map unlocks, SDU and problem progress, and base location saves, didn’t carry over correctly. While I’m unable to talk as to whether this shall be resolved for launch, it was a particular frustration in the course of the evaluation interval and meant re-playing a major quantity of content material in my solo recreation.

Accompanying the motion is a surprisingly diversified soundtrack. While Borderlands has a historical past of utilizing notable tracks for trailers and intros, Borderlands 4 takes it to a brand new degree all through, which I really like. One second you’ll be tangling with a boss whereas a bombastic, classical-like characteristic performs, and the following you’ll be ripping faces off of Rippers to riffs that may really feel proper at residence in DOOM. My complete co-op evaluation group commented on the soundtrack a number of occasions because it enhances the general expertise totally.

Loot ‘Splosion

If you’re like me, that is why you’re right here. Loot, loot, and extra loot. Chasing that feeling of getting simply the best piece of drugs that completes your construct. And, on that entrance, I’m extraordinarily proud of Borderlands 4 out of the gate. I say out of the gate, in fact, as a result of everyone knows the sport will proceed to evolve on this entrance with new legendaries and the Pearlescent rarity already on the street map from Gearbox within the close to future.

There are just a few new wrinkles to the programs right here, and, usually, I actually get pleasure from all of them. The first is that rocket launchers, grenades, and new heavy weapons all occupy a single slot referred to as “Ordnance.” There’s a full vary of weaponry, right here, together with mini-guns, throwing knives, launchers, and extra, and you’ll swap them out at will. And, higher but, there are not any ammo counts to fret about as their utilization is outlined by their card stats and a cooldown. It’s a superb addition, and, take my phrase for it, give attention to the throwing knives.

Another addition is the brand new “Repkit.” The Repkit acts as your therapeutic potion, now, and it additionally acts on a cooldown. But additionally it is one other slot of your loadout that has randomly rolled stats, which may embrace overshields, various sorts of regeneration, and extra bonuses.

Combining with these are the category mods, shields, enhancements, and, in fact, weapons that you understand and love. But, when taken on the entire, the chances for drops and construct mixtures have expanded but once more. And, for folks like me who love principle crafting and experimentation, you’re going to be in for one hell of a journey.

Taking it a step additional, within the later ranges loot can then drop with gear set bonuses. Each gear set has three ranges and may present some relatively important bonuses. And, just like different loot-based ARPGs, you’ll be able to switch the bonus to different items of drugs by destroying the unique. It’s yet one more layer of build-crafting that takes Borderlands 4 additional than earlier than, and I’m all for it.

Of course, Borderlands wouldn’t be full with out comical and ridiculous weaponry as nicely, so don’t fear, it’s right here. A fish grenade that regularly spawns bouncing fish that explode? Check. A Ghostbusters-themed particle beam weapon? Check. How a couple of gun modeled after Reading Rainbow that really shoots rainbows? Yep. As all the time, it’ll be a number of enjoyable discovering all of this ridiculousness alongside the best way.

One of the opposite huge additions in Borderlands 4 is the flexibility for objects to drop with various attributes from completely different producers (which even contains some firms past the usual ten in Borderlands 4). While objects dropping with elements from completely different producers isn’t new, the best way it’s carried out right here is extra outlined and impactful. For occasion, the distinction between a throwing knife that has a Maliwan-themed singularity impact versus one which has a Jakobs-themed essential hit bonus is huge if you’re specializing in particular builds. And this selection continues to develop at larger ranges. The capacity for a Maliwan sniper to drop that has dual-element switching, an alt-fire mode that shoots rockets, a Jakobs attribute inflicting essential hits to bounce to different targets, and an Order journal which will be charged as much as shoot a number of pictures in succession is, nicely, simply superior. And, naturally, it expands the drops and on-going loot hunt additional than ever earlier than.

The End…For Now, Game

It goes with out saying that the top recreation is the place most Borderlands gamers will spend their time, and Gearbox has accounted for this in a variety of methods for launch. Upon finishing the marketing campaign, you’ll unlock Ultimate Vault Hunter mode. Enabling this can improve enemy density and problem whereas rising loot percentages, identical to earlier than. There are 5 ranges of UVH at launch, and every requires you to finish just a few challenges, after which a “Wildcard” mission, to maneuver to the following degree. It’s not a nasty system, however the Wildcard missions are merely missions pulled from the marketing campaign that you just’ll should run once more whereas dealing with harder enemies with particular attributes. It appears like there might have been a extra thrilling method to implement the system, particularly given the scope of Kairos.

Regardless, I really like the truth that the top recreation opens after beating the marketing campaign and doesn’t require you to succeed in degree 50. UVH modes and the brand new Specialization tree turn into instantly accessible, and also you’ll start incomes expertise for specialization factors straight away. The specialization tree is a broader tackle the outdated badass system, however it has just a few new wrinkles, together with further abilities which let you proceed specializing your late-game construct. It’s an important addition that feels extra significant as you proceed leveling past the core degree of fifty.

The devoted areas with set bosses, such because the vaults, mines, and bunkers, and that functionality of working them endlessly and immediately now, are very welcome modifications. Beat a boss, seize your loot, teleport again, and spend cash or eridium to immediately spawn them once more, if you want. It’s an important addition that makes devoted farming runs much more environment friendly. And, as I famous earlier, Kairos is so huge and full of high-level enemies on Ultimate Vault Hunter, you’ll be able to proceed the grind in no matter manner you like.

Can’t Hold Me Down

Borderlands is a beloved, storied franchise in gaming. And Borderlands 4 is a welcome return to the silliness and chaos that made it so fulfilling within the first place. With the backdrop of an impressive new setting in Kairos, and by refining the storytelling, honing in on participant skills, and increasing builds and loot in sensible methods, Borderlands 4 is probably going my favourite Borderlands but. And given my love and nostalgia for Borderlands 2, that’s in all probability the largest praise I can provide it.

While it doesn’t fairly obtain these heights narratively, and whereas we confronted some annoying bugs previous to launch, what it accomplishes in almost each aspect is solely incredible. Combined with a packed roadmap of additives that features two further vault hunters, Borderlands 4 will preserve me and followers enjoying for years to come back. Damn it feels good to be again.

You can discover Seasoned Gaming’s evaluation coverage right here