Borderlands 4 Actually Feels Closer to BL1 Than BL2, And I Couldn't Be Happier

The Borderlands franchise is now home to four mainline entries and an equal number of spinoffs. Unlike some other popular gaming franchises where any entry has a chance of being someone’s favorite, Borderlands fans tend to put one entry above the rest.

To many, Borderlands 2 is the best entry in the looter shooter franchise’s long history. Many believe it delivers one of gaming’s best villains, has the best Vault Hunters in the series, and delivers the best bang for your buck in franchise history. While I agree with those sentiments, Borderlands 2 isn’t my favorite entry in the series, and that preference is making me enjoy Borderlands 4 even more.

Why Borderlands 1 Is My Favorite Entry

2009’s Borderlands wasn’t just the first entry I played, it was the first looter shooter I ever tried, the first game I played where character abilities were important, and the first title where humor felt like the main event rather than an afterthought. Obviously, nostalgia plays a big role in my love for the first Borderlands. But there’s more to it than that.

I’ve revisited Borderlands 1 a good few times over the last decade and a bit, with each playthrough coincidentally occurring at pretty pivotal stages of my life. My first Borderlands playthrough occurred when I was just 11 years old, which was admittedly far too young to be playing a game of its ilk. My first replay of Borderlands 1 happened when I was about 16, where I remember finally understanding a lot of the game’s jokes.

I was 21 and at university for my third Borderlands playthrough, and I remember finding a newfound appreciation for its looter shooter mechanics in the wake of Destiny 2‘s launch a year or so prior. And I most recently touched the first Borderlands a few months ago just to remind myself of how far the series has come.

Each time I’ve revisited Borderlands, my love for the first entry only grows stronger. There’s an inherent simplicity and charm to big franchise debuts that I admire so much, which is one of the many reasons why A New Hope is my favorite Star Wars, Batman Begins is my favorite of the Nolan Dark Knight trilogy, and Fellowship of the Ring is my favorite Lord of the Rings entry.

2009’s Borderlands is the one that started it all, and in my opinion, it’s still the perfect distillation of the franchise’s identity. While Borderlands still has its fair share of bizarre moments and over-the-top characters, it juxtaposes those with grounded stakes and ‘straight men’ that are used routinely to highlight the absurdity of the situation.

Sure, Borderlands‘ environments may look a little dull and its skill trees are very limited compared to modern looter shooters. But tone-wise, I think Borderlands 1 still feels pitch-perfect.

Borderlands 4 Is Giving Me Big BL1 Vibes, And I’m Loving It

Much like many fans, I didn’t vibe with Borderlands 3‘s tone. Developer Gearbox ramped up the series’ zaniest qualities, and the end product felt a bit too unserious for my taste. Borderlands 4, however, feels like a return to form from the outset.

Borderlands 4 begins with the player’s Vault Hunter being taken into custody by the new, evil corporation The Order. Players break out almost immediately, but the stakes are effectively set from the get-go, and the more grounded and mature tone that Borderlands 4‘s developers were talking so much about before launch is cemented right away.

I’m around 15 hours into Borderlands 4 at the time of writing, and that grounded tone has been repeatedly reinforced at every turn, all while the game continues to inject plenty of trademark Borderlands humor throughout. For the first time in a long while, Borderlands‘ characters strike a good balance between feeling like over-the-top caricatures and actually having depth and clear motivations.

All of Borderlands 4‘s efforts to make the game feel more grounded while still retaining the series’ core traits are making it feel more similar in tone to Borderlands 1 than Borderlands 2, and I’m personally loving that tonal shift.