The latest game in the Borderlands franchise has arrived with Borderlands 4, and with it comes a new world, new heroes, weapons, and missions for fans to enjoy.
Playing as one of four characters, each with their own abilities, players will battle a dictator named The Timekeeper who has controlled the world of kairos.
The game supports four-player co-op in keeping with the franchise, and players will be able to enhance their abilities along the way as they gain experience.
The series has always featured colorful characters and an amazing number of weapons for players to wield, and this game is no exception. The combat and gameplay mechanics should be familiar to anyone who has played games in the series, as health regenerates over time, and players can buy, sell, and acquire new weapons and shield upgrades via the countless chests and boxes, vending machines, or via combat.
Despite the new enemies and locales, the game has a familiar look and feel, which allows players to jump right into the story and create a loadout for their character that works best for them.
I always find the abundance of weapons to be overwhelming, as I tend to find a combination of weapons that works best for me and only change up when they become less effective in combat, and it becomes clear that greater firepower is needed.
The game world is vast, and thankfully, players can call in a vehicle to travel around, and the weapons on it help when facing unexpected mobs and threats along the way.
The waves of enemies are abundant, and the usual boss battles feature the colorful characters, humor, and challenges that the series is known for. There is also abundant DLC planned for the game, which will continue the adventures long after the core game is done, even with abundant replay options thanks to the numerous side missions.
Some may say it is not much of a change from prior games in the series, as aside from the locale and enemies, it does fit in with what fans have come to expect from the prior releases.
Despite this, it is a good mix of old and new, as it does advance the mythos of the game but still feels familiar and enjoyable.
The cell graphics have never looked better, and the gameplay was smooth and engaging, which combined to make an enjoyable if familiar experience for me and a welcome return to the Borderlands universe.
4 stars out of 5
