Borderlands 4 Review: New Vault Hunters Shake Up an Otherwise Familiar Sequel

The Borderlands series has always thrived on excess. Excessive guns, excessive enemies, and excessive jokes that land somewhere between sharp satire and groan-worthy dad humor. Borderlands 4 continues that legacy, adding enough new ideas to feel fresh while still leaning heavily on what has worked for the last three entries. It is a game of extremes, both exhilarating and frustrating, and the result is a ride that deserves recognition even if it does not reach the heights of its predecessors.

From the start, Borderlands 4 grabs your attention with its updated presentation. The cel-shaded style remains iconic, but now there is a new layer of polish that makes Pandora and its surrounding worlds pop with more detail than ever before. The biggest leap comes in traversal. A grappling hook changes the way you move through environments, and the open zones are more seamless, eliminating many of the loading interruptions that once slowed the pace. Gunplay is as chaotic as ever, with hundreds of new weapon variants that spark joy every time you pull the trigger.

The most exciting addition comes with the four new Vault Hunters. Each one feels distinct in both playstyle and role, making character choice matter more than it has in years. Harlowe, the Gravitar, is a former Maliwan combat scientist who manipulates gravity and energy. Her entanglement ability causes linked enemies to share damage, while her action skills range from deploying overshields to suspending targets midair. She thrives in crowd control and team support. Vex, the Siren, leans into kinetic damage and flexibility. Her Phase Covenant allows her to match her action skill and melee damage to the element of her gun, letting her shift strategies constantly. She can also summon spectral constructs, creating a playstyle that is fluid and highly adaptable. Rafa, the Exo-Soldier, wears a Tediore combat suit that blends melee power with deployable turrets and drones. He works as a frontline bruiser who can adapt between direct combat and support firepower. Rounding out the cast is Amon, the Forgeknight, a melee-focused brawler who wields elemental axes, whips, and shields. He is built for close quarters aggression, soaking up punishment while dishing out heavy blows.

These heroes bring meaningful variety to Borderlands 4. Harlowe and Vex stand out as inventive designs that give players new ways to approach firefights, while Rafa and Amon serve those who prefer traditional tank or soldier archetypes. The downside is that while their abilities are exciting, their personalities fall short. Borderlands has always been known for loud, memorable characters, but the new crew rarely leaves a lasting impression outside of combat.

The writing overall lands more consistently than in Borderlands 3. The jokes are still rapid fire, and while not all of them hit, there is a sharper sense of timing and more willingness to poke fun at the series itself. Some side NPCs shine, but the villains fail to match the charisma of Handsome Jack, leaving the main story feeling like connective tissue rather than a compelling journey.

Combat remains the star of the show. Gunfights are louder, faster, and more elaborate, with swarms of enemies constantly pushing you to improvise. Elemental effects are as wild as ever, and the loot system remains generous enough to keep you tinkering with builds. Yet repetition creeps in. Enemy types are reused too often, and boss fights drag on far too long. Optional missions are plentiful and often entertaining, but they feel necessary to keep pace with leveling, which disrupts the main story flow.

On the technical side, Borderlands 4 runs smoothly on both PC and consoles. Co-op remains the best way to play, and online sessions are more reliable than ever. Few things in gaming match the pure joy of mowing down hordes with friends while chaos erupts around you.

At its best, Borderlands 4 is an addictive power trip that refines the formula and gives players new toys in the form of its Vault Hunters. At its worst, it feels bloated and uneven. Long boss encounters, uneven pacing, and underwhelming main characters keep it from greatness, but the sheer fun of its gunplay and the creativity of its new heroes ensure that fans will find plenty to enjoy. Borderlands 4 is a flawed but satisfying sequel. The new Vault Hunters make combat more dynamic than ever, even if their personalities disappoint. It may not be the definitive Borderlands experience, but it proves the franchise still has plenty of firepower left.

RATING: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Borderlands 4 is available for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S and X September 12th, 2025.