Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Refined Combat
Deep Customization
Technical Issues
Borderlands 4 delivers refined looter‑shooter action with satisfying gunplay, a new open‑world format, and deep customization that feel like a strong evolution of the series. Some technical issues, UI frustrations, and storytelling elements hold parts of it back, but the core gameplay and co‑op remain engaging.
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.
Gearbox Software takes a 'back to basics' approach with Borderlands 4 that ends up being exactly what the series needed.
Borderlands 4 gives the series the massive kick in the pants it has needed, with a fantastic open world and greatly improved combat, even bugs and invisible walls can sometimes throw off that groove.
Even a terrible UI and choppy performance didn't spoil several dozen hours of numbers-go-up bliss.
Sixteen years in, this is Gearbox’s cel-shaded shooter series at its best. From a well-calibrated tone, still-satisfying guns, best-in-class traversal, and an inviting open world, Borderlands 4 answers the question I asked when it was announced. How much can the Borderlands series possibly change? Turns out the answer is both not much… and a whole lot.
Every time Gearbox made me laugh or grin, I would catch myself wishing for more of that authenticity
It’s simultaneously a poster child for excess and restraint, which sounds paradoxical, but for a series named for existing on the border of seemingly opposed concepts, it feels right at home.
To its detriment, Borderlands 4 feels like a direct response to Borderlands 3.
Don't expect the grind for Pearlescent guns to be easy when they're added to Borderlands 4.
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Further winners include Final Fantasy Tactics and Digimon Story.
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No need to dive into Ultimate Vault Hunter if you're not ready.
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Harlowe now has a broken build of her own.
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