The launch of Borderlands 4 is still months away, but based on what has been revealed so far, it is boldly making a notable shift in the series’ tone and design philosophy. More than any entry before it, Borderlands 4 looks like it could be a fresh start for the franchise, and, as Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford stated during the game’s recent State of Play showcase, «the perfect entry point for new players.» It may not qualify as a total reboot in the long run, but it might end up being one at its core, with a tonal shift that looks like it might be leaning more toward Mass Effect than the Mad Max feel it has maintained up to this point.
Borderlands 4 has always had sci-fi roots, but it could be argued that it has been more dystopian western than sci-fi. Previously primarily set on the desert planet of Pandora, Borderlands has brought players to a lawless landscape where anything is possible — lands on the borders of society, as the series’ name implies. On Pandora, players would encounter ruthless bandits and dangerous wildlife, similar to the untamed frontiers of classic Westerns. Borderlands 4, on the other hand, looks like it might be straying away from that design philosophy and instead embracing a world that is more sci-fi than the series has ever explored.
Borderlands 4 Looks More Sci-Fi Than Ever
Borderlands 4 Takes Players From Wastelands to Sci-Fi Realms
For starters, Borderlands 4‘s new planet Kairos means players will be visiting a realm they have never explored before that is presumably far from the planet Pandora they have become familiar with over the last 15 years. Whereas the Borderlands series has primarily emphasized desolate landscapes and anarchic humor, Borderlands 4‘s Kairos gives way to a more structured and technologically advanced environment.
Borderlands 3 began leaning more into sci-fi than the series had explored previously, but Borderlands 4 still looks to be on an entirely different level in that respect.
Borderlands 4‘s premise revolves around an entity known as the «Timekeeper,» who rules Kairos with an iron fist. Once Pandora’s moon, Elpis, crashes into a cloak placed around Kairos to conceal it, the Timekeeper’s rule over the planet is disrupted, unleashing chaos on the surface of Kairos. This effectively introduces players to a setting where synthetic armies and cybernetic implants enforce the Timekeeper’s law, marking a significant departure from the lawless frontiers of Pandora and offering a setting that is more akin to those found in classic sci-fi themes.
Borderlands 4 Introduces Sci-Fi Visual and Atmospheric Enhancements
Not all of Borderlands 4‘s Kairos has been revealed just yet, but what has been shown makes its visuals and atmosphere feel more sci-fi than the dystopian western themes the series has embraced up to this point. Kairos’ environments appear to be more technologically sophisticated and varied than many of the hobbled-together locations of previous entries. From neon-lit cities to high-tech facilities, Borderlands 4‘s art direction embraces a more futuristic aesthetic than the installments that came before it, and its improved graphics serve to reinforce those aesthetics by making the overall tone of the game feel darker and more oppressive.
Whereas the Borderlands series has primarily emphasized desolate landscapes and anarchic humor, Borderlands 4‘s Kairos gives way to a more structured and technologically advanced environment.
In short, Borderlands 4 is clearly charting new territory with Kairos, as it seems to be the clearest sign that the series is ready to evolve. Its emphasis on technology, more structured environments, and a far heavier sci-fi tone than ever before suggest a game that’s less about the edge of society and more about the heart of it. That doesn’t mean Borderlands is leaving its identity behind, but it does mean players should be prepared for a version of the universe that feels more like something they’ve borne witness to in a Mass Effect game rather than the world of Mad Max.
