Borderlands 4 is one of the most anticipated games of 2025, especially now that Grand Theft Auto 6 has been delayed. However, I find myself a little weary of it. It isn't that I don't care about the Borderlands series, as I do. Rather, I feel like I've been let down so often by it that I don't trust whatever Gearbox has cooked up will be something worthwhile. I feel I am in the minority with my opinions on the series, which I find a great shame, as I'd so desperately love to return to the majority's way of thinking.

Of course, there's a reason Borderlands 4 is one of 2025's most anticipated FPS games, with its recent bout of gameplay trailers showcasing a more mature experience that seems somewhat divorced from Gearbox's past offerings. However, I have, in the past, found myself wondering if what we've seen so far is enough to get me back on board, especially after so many disappointing releases like Tiny Tina's Wonderlands and Borderlands 3. Fortunately, I'm not convinced that is the case anymore, especially as its plethora of trailers and the State of Play have been working their magic on me.

I Want To Love Borderlands

It Is My Perfect Game In Theory

I have always had a soft spot for Borderlands, like I imagine most budding teenagers did back in the early 2010s. Borderlands 2 was my entry point into the franchise, with my sister and I gunning down psychos and skags in split-screen co-op well into the wee hours of the morning before being scolded for staying up too late. It was always worth it as Borderlands 2 fostered an incredibly engrossing gameplay loop that was very easy to sink many many hours into without feeling like a second had ed by.

Unfortunately, since then, no other Borderlands entry - outside of the first briefly - has captured my attention in quite the same way. It isn't even just that my sister and I play fewer and fewer co-operative games together, although that is a shame. Rather, I think Borderlands' increasingly terrible writing has led to the series feeling boring at the best of times and downright unbearable at the worst. Worse still, beyond the bad writing, Borderlands has, in my opinion, stagnated in a way that is endlessly frustrating.

Even Borderlands 4 still has issues that the series has been suffering from since the very first game, which is why, at least initially, I didn't give it the time of day. I've long since moved on from the series, including avoiding the apparently terrible movie for fear of cringing even harder than I already have. It is a genuine shame, especially as there is so much potential for Borderlands to be something special. It also pains me how few FPS co-operative games - with split-screen - there are on the market, especially ones as colorful and playful as it is.

Borderlands 4 Has The Potential To Be Great

Its Combat Is Vastly Improved

However, while Borderlands 4 does look about as rough as the last few entries - its writing has not improved at all, somehow - there is a lot of potential here. returning Borderlands characters are.

From the enhanced movement options like the ability to grapple and slide, to Borderlands 4's interesting Vault Hunters should, at the very least, keep things feeling novel as they look excellent.

All of this, and more, definitely has my hopes up that this could be a return to form, or even just a solid shooter that's fun for a handful of hours.

Borderlands 4 also features gaming's greatest accomplishment - well, in my opinion anyway - split-screen co-op. It'll be fun to boot this up and play with my partner or even invite my sister around and give Borderlands another whirl. All of this, and more, definitely has my hopes up that this could be a return to form, or even just a solid shooter that's fun for a handful of hours. I don't think Borderlands needs to reach beyond its limited capabilities, it just needs to hit that fairly low bar at least competently.

Borderlands 4 Needs To Do A Lot To Fix The Series

Everything From Story To RPG Progression

However, as much as I'm excited for Borderlands 4, I am aware of the heavy lifting it needs to do to better the series and make it last beyond this entry. Borderlands has a place in gaming culture, and I'd like to see it retain it, at least for a few more games, but in order to do that, it needs to change a lot. While Gearbox has stated that Borderlands 4 is a return to the more grounded storytelling of the first game, I'm yet to see that. Let's just say the writing still has that hint of cringe.

The gameplay we've seen so far, especially in Borderlands 4's amazing State of Play breakdown, has been fun, but characters continue to talk like they're from an abandoned draft of a bad Marvel movie. Borderlands 4's narrative also sounds a little perfunctory, with the player liberating a planet from an all-powerful being that's keeping its inhabitants enslaved. Not exactly original stuff. Again, Borderlands doesn't need to reach for The Last of Us or Final Fantasy 7 heights, but it should strive for more.

I also feel like it is well overdue for an overhaul of its RPG mechanics. Getting a 5% boost to anything isn't exciting, nor is it ever really an impactful change, especially if enemies level up alongside you. While I appreciate that Borderlands 4 is offering players a more expansive selection of upgrades that accommodate more varied builds, I still feel significantly underwhelmed by its current approach to the RPG side of its gameplay loop. Perhaps it is just me, but I still feel like this is a huge sticking point.

However, Borderlands 4 is definitely a step in the right direction, and Gearbox is clearly tweaking enough stuff where, eventually, they'll find a perfect balance. I'll definitely be checking out Borderlands 4 as I'm more than ready to ingratiate myself back in this wonderfully weird world and engage in co-op FPS action, but I hope that my time and money aren't wasted. Borderlands 4 could be yet another disappointment from Gearbox, but I sincerely hope that isn't the case and that I haven't been fooled, once again, by captivating trailers.