Review: Borderlands 4 plays it safe as a loot-shooter
Gearbox delivers a technically solid sequel that dares almost nothing new. A good game struggling to justify its status as a long-awaited follow-up.
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Borderlands 4 arrives after six years away from the main series, into a loot-shooter market far more competitive than in 2019. Gearbox answers with a solid game that takes almost no creative risks.
What still works just as well
The shootouts remain excellent, carried by a still-generous loot system and a new planet, Kairos, that varies its biomes far better than Pandora did. The four new playable characters offer skill trees distinct enough to justify multiple runs.
The problem: nothing surprises
The real issue is the near-total absence of new gameplay ideas. The main quest/side quest/optional dungeon structure is identical to previous entries, the comedic writing struggles to recapture the second game’s bite, and the whole package feels more like a very ambitious DLC than an actual numbered sequel.
Verdict
A good loot-shooter that gets the job done without ever trying to reinvent itself. Diehard fans will be happy; everyone else should wait for a price drop.
