Borderlands 4

Game images by RAWG

Borderlands 4

Gearbox Software

Windows; PS5; Xbox Series X|S; Nintendo Switch 2premium looter shooter with campaign DLC, cosmetic packs and optional season pass

Health Score

MIXED

Official Website Watch Gameplay

About This Game

Super Review

Borderlands 4 is a fast-paced co-op shooter brimming with adult humor, intense cartoon violence, and a compelling loot grind. While its comic book art style is eye-catching, parents need to be aware of the Mature rating, strong language, and potential for extended play sessions driven by gear progression and social interaction in online play.

Super Review

Parent verdict

With a 'Mixed' health score of 37, Borderlands 4 is a qualified fit, best reserved for older teens whose families are comfortable with R-rated comedy sensibilities, including frequent strong language, sexual themes, and stylized gore. The game shines in its cooperative play and rewarding character builds, but the significant content intensity, potential for addictive play loops, and exposure to unmoderated online social spaces require clear boundaries and parental discussion.

What players actually do

Players team up in groups of up to four to complete story missions and side quests, practicing teamwork and coordinating character abilities to overcome enemy encounters.
Players constantly evaluate and compare acquired gear, making strategic decisions about weapon loadouts, skill tree progression, and character customization to optimize their vault hunter build.
Players engage in fast-paced first-person combat, utilizing a wide variety of elemental weapons and character skills to defeat hordes of cartoonishly violent enemies and challenging bosses.

Where it shines

The robust co-op system allows players to join friends, fostering communication and strategic coordination as they tackle missions together, which can be a rewarding social experience.
Deep skill trees and an endless stream of randomized loot encourage players to experiment with different character builds and weapon combinations, providing a satisfying sense of progression and customization.

Parent watch-outs

The game features consistent intense cartoon violence with blood and gore, strong language, and frequent sexual innuendo and crude jokes, aligning with an M (Mature 17+) rating.
The 'loot grind' progression loop can encourage very long play sessions as players are constantly chasing better gear, potentially leading to repetitive play and difficulty disengaging.

Family rules worth setting

Limit daily play sessions to a set duration, such as 90 minutes, to manage the game's inherent grind and encourage breaks.
Require play only in private co-op sessions with known friends, avoiding public matchmaking and muting voice chat to prevent exposure to unmoderated online conversations.

Talk about this

Discuss the difference between cartoon violence and real-world violence, and how the game uses humor to approach mature themes, ensuring players understand media literacy.
Talk about the psychological design of loot-based games, how they encourage continued play, and the importance of recognizing when a game is no longer fun versus feeling obligated to continue.

Play style

Borderlands 4 sessions are typically mission-based but can easily extend as players chase new loot drops, encouraging a "just one more run" mentality. Difficulty is adjustable, and while solo play is possible, the game is designed for cooperative groups, where coordination is key. Players, especially younger ones, may need help managing inventory, understanding complex skill trees, and navigating the nuances of online social interactions.

Score Breakdown

Positive Aspects

Educational Value

1/5

Creativity

2/5

Pro-Social

3/5

Risk Factors

Addictive Monetization

3/5

Time Pressure / FOMO

3/5

Social Risk

3/5

Content Intensity

4/5

Why this rating

Educational Value

1/5

Borderlands 4 is an entertainment-focused shooter with no discernible educational elements. Its core gameplay loop emphasizes combat and progression rather than cognitive or academic skill development, resulting in a very low educational value score.

Addictive Monetization

3/5

The game's business model includes a premium price point, campaign DLC, cosmetic packs, and an optional season pass, contributing to a moderate risk for monetization. The endless loot grind, a core mechanic, also drives players to extended sessions, pushing the 'addictive monetization' score to a 3 due to the combination of in-game purchases and time-pressure mechanics.

Content Intensity

4/5

Rated M by ESRB and PEGI 18, Borderlands 4 features frequent and intense cartoon violence with blood and gore, strong language, and pervasive sexual themes and crude humor. This combination of mature elements makes for a very high content intensity, scoring a 4 due to its consistent adult tone and imagery.

Social Risk

3/5

The online co-op experience, while positive for teamwork, includes public matchmaking and voice chat that can expose players to unmoderated, crude, or hateful language from strangers. This potential for negative social interactions, combined with the 'Users Interact' descriptor, places the social risk at a 3.

Negatives

•Frequent shooting, blood and edgy jokes are aimed squarely at adults
•Loot grind can nudge some players toward long repetitive sessions
•Public matchmaking and voice chat can expose teens to crude or hateful language

Positives

•Strong co-op focus encourages teamwork with friends
•Build crafting and skill trees reward experimentation
•Comic book art style keeps the world visually playful even when themes are dark