Borderlands 4 Takes a Bold New Direction, But Risks Losing Its Essence – Preview

I recently got to mess around with Borderlands 4. It’s like, woah, a massive transformation. Y’know that feeling when you give a series a slick haircut and a snazzy new shirt? Yeah, that’s it. It’s got this new mature vibe, kinda like it’s grown up but maybe threw a bit of that old chaos out the window? Not sure how I feel about that. Let’s dive into it.

So, they’ve plopped us onto this new planet, Kairos. Never heard of it? Neither did anyone else until a moon just up and crashed through its shields. Boom! Now, we’ve got this mix of new and old happening, like tossing your favorite bands into a blender. You get back some familiar faces and guns but in a world that feels, well, different.

Now, lemme tell ya, it’s a looker. A sci-fi dreamland! They’ve thrown away those annoying loading screens. Thank heavens, right? Just a sprawling, green landscape where you can roam free. I got to peek at just a slice, but man, found a secret boss at some drilling site. Kinda magical, if you ask me. Feels a bit like Destiny. In a good way, though!

But here’s the rub—filling that open world with stuff to do? Didn’t quite hit the mark. Sure, there are audio logs and symbols scattered around, and random gunfights pop up. But most of the time, it’s like, “Oh great, endless stretches of nothing.” Only found one spaceship to loot. Endless drives of mind-numbing nothingness.

At least when the bullets start flying, it’s still got that rich caramel gunplay we love. Guns! Shooting people! Elemental bolts! I mean, a shotgun that turns into a murder-happy little robot? Yes, please! But, wait for it… they’ve tinkered with the whole gun manufacturer thing. It’s all about weapon parts now. Some guns used to have this brand character, right? Now they’re just a soup of stats and features. Is it cool? Yes. Do I miss the distinct brand flair? Also, yes. It’s like if you shoved a Bugatti engine into a Ferrari. Is it still the same car?

And oh boy, the humor. Remember Borderlands’ crazy tone? Well, it seems they hit the brakes there. It’s more… respectable now? Like they cringed at the wild antics of Borderlands 3 and decided to tone it down. They’re playing it safe, I guess. Met this dude Rush, who’s all polite muscle and mild jokes. Nice guy, but where’s the chaos?

Then I stumbled on Claptrap doing his Claptrap-y things. That was funny! Made me smile more than the main storyline, anyway. But I’m worried—does that mean the rest of the game is less funny too?

You get these quests now where you just go off, do the task, and bam, you’re done. Like, hunt down Romeo, the evil dog, and voilà—a gun and some cash. Zilch flavor. It’s like they’re nodding back to the first game but without all the cheeky banter.

In the end, there’s a part where you blow up Claptrap’s memories—a farewell to the past games. Quite poetic, actually. Sort of bold and sad at the same time. It leaves a sting, especially if you’re wrapped up in the nostalgia of it all.

At least there’s the vaults. Those big boss showdowns followed by a loot frenzy. Tried one out, and it was intense. Grappling around, dodging thorns, took down a massive boss. It was thrilling. But the treasure? Two chests. Two! No grand loot shower like before.

Coming away from this preview, I need more time with it. Two hours weren’t enough. The changes are huge, and I’m baffled about what to really think. Here’s a tip: approach it with an open mind. It’s a fresh start, like it’s a brand-new series. It’s fun, no doubt, just… different.

If you were deeply in love with the old days of Borderlands, brace yourself. It’s not the same beast anymore. Less wild, less zany. And, man, not one joke about tearing out your heartstrings. That’s the kicker.

So that’s my take. Borderlands 4—it’s changing, and it’s daring. But, we’ll see if it resonates with the die-hards. Cue dramatic music.