Borderlands 4 review: Chaos, consequence, and a franchise reborn
Summary
Borderlands 4 arrives as a reinvention of the looter‑shooter formula — bigger, darker and more frenetic. The game moves the series to an interconnected open world called Kairos with four distinct regions full of secrets, varied biomes and fresh traversal tools like a grappling hook and double jump. The narrative leans harder into consequence: a dictator called the Timekeeper controls the planet and an implant in your head raises the stakes beyond the usual punchlines.
Combat and progression see meaningful upgrades: a weapon wheel for quick swaps, faster movement and on‑the‑fly Repkits for healing and buffs. The Encore Machine lets you reset and farm bosses, which is great for gear hunters. That said, launch bugs, clipping and some invisible walls temper the experience — and pacing/level scaling can punish players who skip side quests.
Key Points
- Interconnected open world (Kairos) with four varied regions, rich secrets and improved traversal (grappling, dashes, double jump).
- Darker, more grounded story centred on the Timekeeper and an intrusive brain implant that raises emotional stakes.
- Four new Vault Hunters with distinct skill trees and stronger character interactions; side characters get more spotlight.
- Combat improvements: weapon wheel for seamless swaps, faster mobility, Repkits for on‑the‑fly survival and Encore Machine for boss farming.
- Some design rough edges — invisible walls, occasional filler side quests and punishing level scaling if you skip content.
- Performance issues and bugs at launch on PC/consoles; patches are expected to smooth things out.
Why should I read this?
Short answer: because this one might actually matter. If you care about whether Borderlands has regained its edge or whether you should buy at launch, this review cuts through the noise. It explains what’s genuinely new, what’s better, and what still needs fixing — all without making you wade through the whole game first. In plain terms: it’s loud, messy, and often brilliant — but not flawless. Read this before deciding whether to dive in day one or wait for patches.
Source
Source: https://dotesports.com/borderlands/news/borderlands-4-review