Borderlands 4 Previews Praise Gameplay and More Mature Tone Ahead of Launch

Borderlands 4 Receives Strong Early Praise for Gameplay and Tonal Shift

With its release just around the corner, journalists and select content creators have shared their first impressions of Borderlands 4 based on an exclusive four-hour demo. The consensus points to a highly anticipated return to form for the beloved looter-shooter series, highlighting significant gameplay improvements and a notable shift in narrative tone.

In Borderlands 4, players will journey to the uncharted planet Kairos, taking on the role of a new team of Vault Hunters. Their mission is to navigate diverse regions and challenge the tyrannical rule of the Time Keeper, promising an epic new adventure for fans.

Key Takeaways from Early Previews:

• Refined Gameplay Experience: The demo allowed players to experience core gameplay elements, including a mission against one of the Time Keeper's minions. Reviewers universally praised the enhanced combat, calling it the pinnacle of the series' dynamic shooting. Michael Hoglund from Windows Central noted, "The gameplay in Borderlands 4 is so smooth that returning to Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands or even my beloved Borderlands 2 became a real challenge after it."
• Reduced Low-Grade Humor: A significant point of praise is the developers' decision to dial back the over-the-top humor that sometimes marred Borderlands 3. Previews suggest the game feels closer in spirit to the first two Borderlands titles, striking a better balance between humor and serious storytelling. Hoglund added that Borderlands 3 "felt like that high school kid trying too hard to be funny," while the fourth installment "returned to its roots."
• Improved Loot and Weapon Variety: The loot system has seen substantial enhancements, offering a greater diversity of weapons with unique modifiers. These modifiers create powerful synergies with each playable character's abilities, encouraging deep build customization.
• Engaging Character Builds: Reviewers highlighted the more elaborate character design and customization options. Paulo Kawanishi from Polygon shared his experience playing as Rafa, who features three specializations, each with its own skill tree and ultimate ability. Kawanishi particularly enjoyed Rafa's shoulder turrets, explaining how careful skill selection allowed him to extend their uptime with critical hits and restore his shield by getting kills with them, making Rafa exceptionally effective. This depth in skill customization promises endless possibilities for players to craft unique and potent builds.
• Dynamic Movement and Verticality: A new grappling hook adds a fresh layer to both exploration and combat. Players can use it to traverse more vertically designed levels or even to grab explosive barrels and hurl them at enemies, creating exciting new tactical options.
• Challenging Enemies: Opponents are described as agile, well-coordinated, and capable of dealing significant damage. Some journalists reported dying more frequently to regular mobs than to bosses, indicating a more engaging and demanding combat experience.
• Co-op and Solo Viability: While the potential of each Vault Hunter shines brightest in cooperative play, allowing players to cover each other's weaknesses, the game also offers plenty of room for players to craft deadly solo builds.
• Streamlined Weapon Mechanics: The weapon system has undergone notable changes, such as rockets no longer occupying a separate inventory slot. Furthermore, explosive ammunition now replenishes automatically over 10-20 seconds, eliminating the need to constantly search for it.

While the story component could not be fully assessed in a four-hour demo, previews suggest that Borderlands 4's overall tone is much closer to the beloved first two entries rather than the more divisive Borderlands 3. Many reviewers are not shying away from calling Borderlands 4 potentially the best in the series, citing its improved gameplay, diverse mechanics, and meticulously designed locations brimming with valuable loot.

This overwhelmingly positive early reception bodes well for fans, promising a Borderlands experience that feels both fresh and true to its origins. Players can look forward to diving into the action when Borderlands 4 launches next week on September 12 for PC (Steam, Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. A Nintendo Switch 2 version is planned for October 3, and full Russian text localization will be available at launch.