Everybody has to grow up sometime, and it appears that Borderlands knows its time is now. While Borderlands 2 may have featured some of the most wacky and off-the-wall writing, its newer entries haven’t been as lucky. Borderlands 3, in particular, was primarily toilet humor and overstayed its welcome, holding back the otherwise fun and engaging gameplay. We now know Borderlands 4 is going back to the drawing board and hoping to keep the humor a little less crappy this time around.
No Cap, I Hope ‘Borderlands 4’ Still Has Some Rizz Left in the Tank, Frfr
Sure, Shooty McShootface may not have aged well. But, beyond that? It’s still a great game with an excellent cast that didn’t linger. Borderlands 3, on the other hand, was panned from the start for its reliance on toilet humor. Something that the Narrative Director of Borderlands 3 and Borderlands 4, Sam Winkler, is adamant will not be in this sequel.
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Surprisingly, this seems like it’s more than enough of a reason for plenty of players to get excited about Borderlands again. I’d be willing to bet that there’s still going to be a fair amount of crass humor. But, as long as everything isn’t a poop joke? I’m in. You can’t beat the satisfaction of a looter-shooter like this one.
The general gameplay loop of Borderlands 3 was genuinely great. It featured fast and furious gunplay with its unique visual aesthetic featured front and center. But, not everyone was on board with the Butt Stallion. And this cringy mascot made its way into Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, as well. I almost put that one down because of it, but I loved the ability to play as my own little freak and explore a D&D-inspired world.
Revisiting Borderlands 2 now feels great. Even though it’s already 12 years old, it still feels more refreshing than any of the more recent Borderlands games. And that’s saying something. Before memes lasted for a total of 10 seconds before fading into obscurity, it’s still rife with pop culture references that would make a specific green gecko wince.