Borderlands 4: Deluxe Edition

Borderlands 4 gives the series the massive kick in the pants it has needed, with a fantastic open world and greatly improved combat, even bugs and invisible walls can sometimes throw off that groove.

To its detriment, Borderlands 4 feels like a direct response to Borderlands 3.

Borderlands 4 brings a more sensible script and a true open world to its pseudo-cel-shaded gun-show. But these moderate improvements are undermined by frustrating exploration and combat that takes too long to properly shine.

Even a terrible UI and choppy performance didn't spoil several dozen hours of numbers-go-up bliss.

Every time Gearbox made me laugh or grin, I would catch myself wishing for more of that authenticity

It’s simultaneously a poster child for excess and restraint, which sounds paradoxical, but for a series named for existing on the border of seemingly opposed concepts, it feels right at home.

Familiar and predictable, but also well-honed and significantly less juvenile, the fourth Borderlands game is a blast

Borderlands 4 is a great RPG shooter with rewarding, engrossing gameplay. Some of the set dressing, like the bland new characters and pointless grappling hook, take the shine off, but the sheer amount of fun we've had with the game can't be overlooked. Borderlands 4 reminds us exactly why we were such big fans of the original two games, and falls on its sword in learning the mistakes of 3.

An open world was the right move for a Borderlands franchise that's on its back foot. If you can grin and bear through some bad console performance, Borderlands 4 rewards you with a whole lot more looting and shooting. Some small new additions around the edges and a solid slate of bosses and side-quests spice up this fourth numbered entry that's still as brazen and immodest as ever.

Borderlands 4 is the best the series has been in decades and a testament to Gearbox’s ability to absolutely cook. Are you ready to taste the chaos?