In the last few weeks, I’ve been rinsing the Borderlands series, which prepared me quite nicely for an extended demo of Borderlands 4 at Gamescom. However, my preparation was rendered mostly insignificant when I discovered just how much of an evolution Borderlands 4 is over Borderlands 3 (and the rest of the series).
As I explored the seamless and sumptuous open world of Kairos with Harlowe, the ‘Gravitar’ Vault Hunter, I found myself marvelling at the sheer level of differences that set Borderlands 4 apart from everything that came before, while still managing to retain most of what makes Borderlands Borderlands.
Read on to scope out my full Borderlands 4 preview, pieced together from an exclusive, never-before-seen demo at Gamescom.
Before you dive in, here are 35 minutes of Borderlands 4 gameplay, featuring Harlowe:
Less Border, More Lands
Borderlands 4 has a stunning open world that’s the biggest single environment Gearbox has created in the 20-year history of the franchise. It’s a hugely ambitious undertaking that reflects nothing but the sharpest quality. The classic cartoon visuals of Borderlands 4 are more detailed than ever before, allowing players to study the most minute elements of this enormous map.
To accommodate the size and scale of Kairos, Gearbox has created a Borderlands game that has more traversal options than you can shake 30 billion guns at. From grapple hooks and gliders to double-jump mechanics and multiple customizable vehicles, there’s no shortage of ways to get around this vast map.
Those elements feed into the game’s combat sequences, too. I found myself flying around the battlefield as Harlowe, employing powerful gadgets to hold enemies in stasis or blast them with an incredible launcher that corroded them from the inside out. It’s easy to never stop moving in Borderlands 4, which is great, as you’ll be digging through the map for many, many hours.
Humor, But Different
In a pre-demo presentation, I learned from Gearbox that the traditional humorous elements of Borderlands are still present in Borderlands 4, but they’ve been toned down a little to reflect the tone of the game. I still had a chuckle at some of the more entertaining character introductions and dialogue choices, though.
The core gameplay loop around the campaign has also been altered, going from a mostly linear path to a truly flexible, sandbox-based RPG. You’re free to do what you want, when you want, where you want, and that suits me down to the ground. It has been revealed by Randy Pitchford that Borderlands 4 has immensely tough bosses, so you’ll want to grind and level up before challenging them.
From a technical perspective, I played Borderlands 4 on both controller and with a keyboard and mouse, and both inputs were accessible, enjoyable, and familiar. I didn’t experience a single bug in an hour, the game rendered and ran beautifully, and the weapon variation and abilities popped nicely.
The same old weapons manufacturers are present, but new ones have been added to the mix, and cross-licensing now happens, bringing one brand’s parts and abilities to other weapons – at a cost. Vehicles can be deployed from anywhere, the skill paths are varied and support multiple styles, and customization has been improved.
Like I said, it feels like an entirely new game, but it still takes a few key elements from the older titles.
Officially a Contender
I’d say that Borderlands 4 is a contender for Game of the Year. Given how strong the year has been for me thus far, that’s not a light statement. I was overwhelmingly impressed by Borderlands 4 during my preview at Gamescom, and one hour of gameplay wasn’t enough for me.
The love that Randy Pitchford has for this game is so clear and tangible, which also fills me with faith for the road ahead.
Let me know on the Insider Gaming forum what you think about Borderlands 4 and whether you’ll be getting it on day one.
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Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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