Screenshots & trailers
What players say
Why the number is what it is: aspect mentions counted across 384 sampled Steam reviews (151 positive / 233 negative), recent and most-helpful. Plain keyword counting, fully reproducible; nothing here is written by a machine.
What positive reviews talk about
- Story & writing29% mention it
- Performance23% mention it
- World & exploration19% mention it
- Progression & loot16% mention it
- Combat10% mention it
What negative reviews complain about
- Story & writing38% mention it
- Performance31% mention it
- Bugs & crashes21% mention it
- World & exploration14% mention it
- Progression & loot13% mention it
Satisfaction by hours played
Same score, different games: see how sentiment holds up the longer people play.
Under 5h
41%
32 reviews
5-15h
42%
60 reviews
15-40h
37%
100 reviews
40-100h
34%
128 reviews
100h+
50%
64 reviews
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 82 | 200 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 60 | 2 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 58% | 59 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 50 | 449 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 45% | 48 | 786 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Jul 30, 2026) · 300 reviews sampled · 786 total reviews in window · weighted 102.5 up / 127.5 down · computed 1h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (179)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 60
“Borderlands could have done with a shakeup, but a substandard grappling hook and an obscene number of fetch quests in which players take luggage for walkies isn’t it. Such banality permeates what is otherwise a decent enough shooter, impacting so many other elements that it wrecks things. Adding to that is a one-note tone and huge technical difficulties, making Borderlands 4 a far from “premium” game.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Borderlands 4 is, unfortunately, a big disappointment, which, despite changing the formula, has neglected many important elements. The plot is formulaic and predictable, and while the gameplay is an improvement over its predecessor in many ways, in many cases it is a complete step backwards. I won't even mention the technical state of the game, because it's just sad. Unfortunately, my expectations have not been met.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“The Borderlands series returns once again to the forefront of shooter games, offering an advanced and smooth movement style that makes navigating its massive environments more enjoyable, with epic encounters full of excitement and variety, and a vast world rich in details and secrets that always push you to explore. The story, in turn, succeeds in drawing you directly into the game's distinctive atmosphere, which combines seriousness with the series' usual comedic touch, adding a special character that attracts players from the first moment. Despite the numerous technical problems that may distract from the experience at times, Borderlands 4 remains one of the most beautiful and enjoyable cooperative shooter experiences that is difficult to miss.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Borderlands 4 is a good installment in the series. You'll enjoy a great combat system with a rich arsenal of weapons and choose from a bunch of interesting abilities. However, even though GearBox Software makes the most of its flagship brand's strengths, it fails to learn from its long-standing mistakes. These include repetitive level design and, above all, the title's inferior technical condition, which can spoil every other joyful moment of gameplay.”
read full review ↗ - 80
- 65
“Borderlands 4 is a game that builds on the solid foundation of its past while also striving to move into the future. It features a massive arsenal of weapons, dynamic combat, charismatic characters, and an open world that won’t let you catch your breath. If you’re a fan of the series, there’s no question about it. If you’re new to the series, get ready for a serious dose of chaos, humor, and shooting that will keep you entertained for dozens of hours. Yes, the game has its flaws, the biggest of which is its technical issues, specifically, crashes, which is exactly what drags the game down so badly. Once the technical issues are ironed out and everything is fixed, this title will undoubtedly become a major time sink.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The relative linearity of previous titles kept the helter-skelter madness of Borderlands in a container to the series' benefit; Borderlands 4 drives an axe through that container with glee.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“Borderlands 4 is a great correcting of the mistakes of Borderlands 3, a good “Borderlands”, but only an adequate game, with huge optimisation issues.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“orderlands is a beloved, storied franchise in gaming. And Borderlands 4 is a welcome return to the silliness and chaos that made it so enjoyable in the first place. With the backdrop of an outstanding new setting in Kairos, and by refining the storytelling, honing in on player abilities, and expanding builds and loot in smart ways, Borderlands 4 is likely my favorite Borderlands yet.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Borderlands 4 isn’t just another sequel, it’s a reinvention. It honors the series’ roots as the original looter shooter while fixing its most glaring issues. The shift to an open-world structure, the rebalanced humor, the satisfying loot system, and the excellent side missions all combine into a game that feels both modern while still distinctly Borderlands.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“We recommend Borderlands 4 to anyone who’s ever enjoyed absurdity, chaos, and endless looting - but don’t expect a revolution, just that good old-fashioned Gearbox madness.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Long story short, Borderlands 4 is definitely a helluva upgrade and step up from the past base looter shooters, breaking free from some of its prequel's shackles. Yet somehow the series takes a few steps back with some of its questionable design choices to "preserve tradition".”
read full review ↗
The Jimquisition
ZdobywcyGier.eu
Eternal Games
INDIANTVCZ
3DNews
Gaming Professors
Gadgets 360
GRYOnline.pl
Seasoned Gaming
ani-game.com
EmuGlx.org
Kakuchopurei…and 167 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Version 1.9 - July 30, 2026Jul 30, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Version 1.8 - June 25, 2026Jun 25, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Weekly Update Notes - June 4, 2026Jun 4, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Version 1.7 - May 28, 2026May 28, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Weekly Update Notes - May 14, 2026May 14, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Weekly Update Notes - May 7, 2026May 7, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Version 1.6 - April 30, 2026Apr 30, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Raid Boss 2: Subjugator and Thol the Invincible, coming May 28Apr 28, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- THIS WEEK ON KAIROSApr 17, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- New endgame content coming soon to Borderlands 4Apr 16, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Minor Update Notes - April 9, 2026Apr 9, 2026
- Minor Update Notes - April 2, 2026Apr 2, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Minor Update Notes - March 30, 2026Mar 30, 2026
- Major Update Notes - Story Pack 1 - March 26, 2026Mar 26, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Borderlands 4 PC Performance Status UpdateMar 23, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Minor Update Notes - March 19, 2026Mar 19, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Minor Update Notes - March 12, 2026Mar 12, 2026
- Minor Update Notes - March 5, 2026Mar 5, 2026significant · resets scoring window