- Borderlands 4 previews from various publications and content creators went live yesterday.
- Early opinions on the game have been largely positive, with previewers praising its combat, traversal, and other features.
- The almost unanimous praise has made Borderlands 4 my most anticipated game for 2025.
Borderlands 4, the upcoming iteration of Gearbox’s tried-and-tested looter-shooter formula, received a slew of previews yesterday, and the positivity is off the charts. The studio has minced no words in conveying just how much effort and love have gone into “the best Borderlands game to date,” as touted by Global Creative Executive Officer Andrew Reiner. And based on the glowing previews, it seems like all that hard work could usher in a new era for the franchise.
BL4 is going overboard with the sheer amount of new features stuffed into the package. We’ve got the transformative transition to a full-blooded open world sitting front and center. But the smaller changes aimed at reinforcing the moment-to-moment carnage have caught my eye. These range from a fleshed-out day and night cycle to Destiny-esque dynamic events, intermixed with emergent exploration and new ways to sever digital heads.
Crowning the ballistic sundae is a significant update to the game’s traversal. Vault Hunters can now double-jump, dash, and glide through Kairos’ vibrant locales, with a grappling hook tossed in for good measure. The tool is a jolt in the arm for your character’s mobility, allowing you to zip around combat arenas and sling explosive barrels at enemies. This will undoubtedly be the most welcome introduction to the franchise, and judging by the previews, it could make prior installments feel obsolete.
It’s impossible to discuss Borderlands without touching on its ludicrous arsenal of guns. BL3 did a fantastic job of making weapons from different manufacturers and classes feel distinct. Jacobs pistols struck like a hammer blow, Torgue shotguns were adept at blowing skags into smithereens, and Tediore—well, the less said about Tediore, the better.
Borderlands 4 builds on this beefy foundation by introducing a ‘Licensed Parts‘ mechanic. Guns can now be decked out with various parts from other manufacturers, stacking a new gimmick on top of the pre-existing gimmick. The initial brief for this mechanic failed to excite me in any way, but according to previews, the unholy mis-mash of different parts can result in guns that feel entirely distinct.
In essence, this could let players put together their own brand of chaos, and the painstaking farming required to gather the best parts should only add more gratification to Borderlands’ gameplay loop.
The last thing I’d like to highlight is the story at the heart of it all. Borderlands 3 caught plenty of flak for the quality of its writing, and Gearbox has been vocal about addressing that feedback. While previews hardly represent the whole experience, I’ve seen measured praise for the writing, with many outlets noting a marked improvement. More specifically, the series’ predilection towards cringe-inducing humor has been toned down, and even Claptrap’s clangerous clamor is said to have more charm.
To wrap things up, I adore Borderlands. It’s cacophonic combat coupled with the wonderous creativity behind its guns and alien backdrops creates a quiet refuge for me to nestle into, whenever the real world gets too real. I’m all for preserving what works, but this bold new shift has propelled Borderlands 4 to the top of my wishlist. And I simply cannot wait to get my hands on it,
With that being said, what do you make of the previews? Are you looking forward to the game? Let us know in the comments below.
