The Borderland Franchise is now home for four main lines and an equal number of spinoffs. Unlike some other popular gaming franchise where any post has a chance to be someone's favorite, Borderland Fans tend to put a record over the rest.
Too many, Borderlands 2 is the best entry into the Looter Shooter -franchise's long history. Many people believe that it delivers one of Gaming's best villains, has the best vault hunters in the series and delivers the best battle for your money in franchise history. While I agree with these feelings, Borderlands 2 is not my favorite entry into the series, and that preference makes me enjoy Borderlands 4 Even more.
Why Borderlands 1 is my favorite entry
2009's Borderland Was not only the first post I played, it was the first looter shooter I ever tried, the first game I played where character ability was important and the first title where humor felt like the main event rather than a thought. Apparently nostalgia plays a big role in my love for the first Borderland. But there is more than that.
I've visited Borderlands 1 A few times in the last decade and a little, with each Playthrough coincidence that occurs in fairly important stages in my life. My first Borderland Playthrough happened when I was only 11 years old, which was admittedly far too young to play a game in its ILK. My first replay of Borderlands 1 Happened when I was about 16, where I finally recognized many of the game's jokes.
I was 21 and at the university for my third Borderland Playthrough, and I remember finding a newspaper appreciation for his looter shooting mechanics in the wake Destiny 2Launch one year before. And I have last touched the first Borderland A few months ago just to remind me how far the series has come.
Every time I have visited BorderlandMy love for the first post is only getting stronger. There is an inherent simplicity and charm to big franchise -debuting that I admire so much, which is one of the many reasons for it A new hope is my favorite Star WarsThe Batman begins is my favorite of Nolan Dark knight trilogy and Ring scholarship is my favorite Lord of the rings entry.
2009's Borderland Is the one that started everything, and in my opinion it is still the perfect distillation of the identity of the franchise. While Borderland Still has its fair share of bizarre moments and over-the-top characters, it compiles those with grounded efforts and “straight men” that are routinely used to highlight the absurdity of the situation.
Sure, Borderland“Environments may look a bit boring and its skill tree is very limited compared to modern looter shooters. But tone, I think Borderlands 1 Still feeling pitch perfection.
Borderland 4 gives me big BL1 vibes, and I love it
Like many fans vibe not with Borderlands 3S tone. The developer gearbox increased the zaneest features of the series, and the final product felt a little too rogue for my taste. Borderlands 4But feels like a return to shape from the beginning.
Borderlands 4 Starts with the player's arch hunter being detained by the new, evil company the order. Players break out almost immediately, but the stakes are effectively set from Get-Go, and the more grounded and ripe tone that Borderlands 4Developers talked so much before the launch is cemented directly.
I'm about 15 hours in Borderlands 4 At the time of writing and the grounded tone has been repeatedly reinforced at every turn, all while the game continues to inject well of brand Borderland Humor in the whole. For the first time in a long time, Borderland“Characters create a good balance between feeling like over-the-top caricatures and actually having depth and clear motifs.
All Borderlands 4efforts to make the game feel more grounded while it still retains the core features of the series makes it feel more like Borderlands 1 than Borderlands 2And I personally love that tone.
- Published
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September 12, 2025
- ESRB
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Rating in anticipation
