The Borderlands 4 preview kicked off in a dimly lit room, with Randy Pitchford watching from across the floor as we, the media, took our seats. Moments later, we were dropped into the vibrant new world of Kairos, where an ambush between two warring factions was already unfolding just down the road.
After a quick rundown of the game’s premise, I did what any Borderlands fan would do – jumped in guns blazing with my mouse clicking away non stop for two hours as I explored Gearbox’s latest signature looter shooter – Borderlands 4.
There’s more guns, more chaos, and a whole lot of loot. Borderlands 4 is shaping up to be a big step forward for the franchise and whether you’re excited or skeptical, it’s definitely got people talking. Like it or not, the looter-shooter king has returned. While my time with the game was brief, it was enough to get a solid taste of what’s coming—and from what I played, there’s a lot to be excited about.
Set in Kairos, the world of Borderlands 4 feels more vibrant and alive than its predecessor. It still sticks to the signature cel-shaded comic book style, so the upgrade isn’t immediately obvious – but once you start exploring Kairos, the difference hits. The vistas are stunning, the environments feel richer, and yes – you can finally swim. (finally).
First up, there have been noticeable improvements to the movement system – Borderlands 4 feels dramatically faster right from the start. The usual sliding and vaulting are back, but now there’s added mobility with features like grappling, double-jumping, and a new health stim that lets you stay in the fight longer or pull out briefly if you’ve burned too much ammo. Gearbox has definitely nailed the pacing, putting Borderlands 4 in line with many of today’s fast-paced shooters. These simple additions bring a faster energy to the gameplay.
THE CHEAPEST PRICE: $119 WITH FREE SHIPPING FROM AMAZON
During the preview, we had the chance to try out two of the new Vault Hunters: Rafa, an exo-soldier, and Vex, a siren—each with their own unique traits and playstyles. I started with Rafa, who fits the classic fighter archetype, using melee-focused attacks with kinetic-style blades for close-range damage. His standout ability is morphing into a mech suit, allowing him to unleash rockets and heavy firepower. It’s a solid mix of up-close combat and splash damage that makes him a versatile pick for aggressive players.
Switching to Vex felt like a much better fit, especially for a solo playstyle. The preview build lets us summon two siren ghosts that automatically target nearby enemies, making it easy to shift aggro away and deal damage from a safer distance. This was a huge help during my solo run through the Vault mission. Vex’s character design also stood out as the more intriguing of the two, and she’s definitely someone I want to learn more about. Overall, Vex felt like the obvious pick for solo players—though I expect we’ll see some balancing and character tweaks before launch.
When it comes to looting, there’s still plenty of it – but weapon drops have definitely been scaled back a bit. During my hands-on, I didn’t see a single legendary drop, and honestly, that’s how it should be. It makes those rare finds feel way more exciting and actually worth the grind.
With only a limited time with the build. I didn’t dive too deep into the skill tree but it looks vastly improved and bigger compared to its predecessor. There’s a lot of things to take in and I can find myself getting lost building out the perfect vault hunter spec. The improvement on the UI also makes building out your character seems less convoluted than before.
Borderlands 4 is more of the same – in the best way possible. It delivers everything fans expect, but with an improved co-op experience and refined gameplay. For a looter shooter that thrives by sticking to its strengths, that’s exactly what it needs to be. While I had a few hours of hands-on with the preview, there’s still lots to discover and I’m intrigued to see how the other vault hunters play out – so far, I’m just goddamn keen for more Borderlands.
Borderlands 4 arrives on the PS5, Xbox Series X, PC and Nintendo Switch 2 on 12th September 2025. The cheapest price is $119.95 with free shipping from Amazon
