Borderlands 4 Launch Weekend: A Chaotic, Fun and Mostly Smooth Adventure
After spending over 30 hours streaming Borderlands 4 during its launch weekend with early access, I’ve got a lot to say about this latest Vault Hunter adventure.
It’s packed with the humor, chaos and loot driven gameplay Borderlands fans love, with fresh additions that keep things exciting.
While there were some hiccups, minor lag and in some cases issues with elements like grass and roads not fully loading, they didn’t derail the experience. Here’s my take on what makes Borderlands 4 a wild ride in 2025.
Fresh Characters and a Hilarious Story
The story and characters in Borderlands 4 bring a new energy to the series while keeping that signature Borderlands vibe.
The Vault Hunters are quirky and memorable, each with distinct personalities that shine through in the dialogue.
Speaking of dialogue, it’s as funny as ever, packed with absurd humor and witty one-liners that had me chuckling throughout.
The writing feels sharp and fits perfectly into the chaotic world.
Classic Gameplay with New Twists
Borderlands 4 nails the classic looter shooter gameplay fans expect, with new mechanics that add depth. The movement system is a highlight: sliding, double jumping, driving your Digirunner and the grappling hook feel smooth and make exploration and combat more dynamic.
Whether you’re dodging enemy attacks or zipping to a high vantage point, these additions are a lot of fun.
The game feels fairly balanced, even on hard mode, offering a good challenge without being punishing.
The new skill trees give you plenty of options to customize your playstyle, keeping combat fresh and engaging.
An Open World Bursting with Activities
The open world is a chaotic playground filled with side quests, bosses, random events and outposts to capture.
The side quests stand out, scattered all around the world and telling their own stories.
From launching Order communication balloons to hunting Vault Keys, battling bosses in unique bubble arenas or infiltrating bunkers for epic loot, there’s no shortage of things to do.
World events feel varied and keep the gameplay loop exciting, whether you’re capturing bases or tackling challenging bunkers with a boss at the end.
Funny Quests and Sharp Dialogue
As always, the quests and dialogue are a highlight.
The writing is packed with humor, from ridiculous mission objectives to quirky NPCs that steal the show.
Side quests aren’t just throwaways, they’re engaging and sometimes build into bigger, meaningful stories. The dialogue is well crafted, delivering laughs while keeping you invested in the world.
Multiplayer: Chaotic and Scalable
Multiplayer in Borderlands 4 is a blast, with enemy scaling that makes co-op seamless.
A level 30 player fights level ~ 30 enemies, while their level 20 teammate faces the same enemies scaled to level ~ 20.
This keeps things fair and fun for everyone.
Playing with a group of four is pure, chaotic joy, challenging, rewarding and packed with laughs.
Coordinating to take down bosses or clear world events is a highlight and the loot system keeps the team happy.
Performance: Mostly Solid with Some Issues
Performance wise, Borderlands 4 ran mostly smoothly during my 30+ hours, but it wasn’t flawless.
I tested it on both high-end hardware and a PC below the recommended specs (GTX 1660 Super, i5 CPU, SSD).
On the lower-end setup, the game was playable but had noticeable quality dips, like occasional lag, minor hiccups and issues with grass and roads not fully or poorly loading.
However, critical elements like characters, sky, weapons, cutscenes and effects loaded perfectly, ensuring the core experience remained intact.
These issues didn’t ruin the fun for budget gamers, but those with high-end rigs will enjoy a smoother, more polished ride.
No game crashes or major bugs were encountered, but minor issues were noticeable at times.
A Wild Borderlands Ride
Borderlands 4 delivers the chaotic, loot filled experience fans crave, with fresh characters, a vibrant open world and smooth new mechanics like sliding and grappling.
The multiplayer is a chaotic joy, the quests are hilarious and the gameplay feels engaging.
While minor lag, hiccups, and some environmental loading issues popped up, they didn’t overshadow the fun.
If you’re ready for a wild Vault Hunter adventure, Borderlands 4 is well worth your time.
What’s your take? Drop your thoughts on Borderlands 4 in the comments and share your favorite Vault Hunter or side quest!
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Picture Souce: Bordelands 4 & Gamersuniverse Stream
