When we first got our hands on the original Borderlands back in 2009, we couldn’t have imagined just how influential the franchise would end up being, as the developers at Gearbox simultaneously invented and popularized the RPG looter shooter subgenre. Franchises like Destiny and The Division probably would never have existed had Borderlands not paved the way. But there’s nothing quite like the series that started it all, which is back for more in 2025 with Borderlands 4.
GameSpot has been along for the ride with Borderlands since the beginning, and the launch of the franchise’s fourth numbered title makes for a pretty solid occasion for looking back on how we evaluated each of the full games in the series when each of them was first released. This is not a best-to-worst ranking or anything like that. We’re just going in release order here. Just keep in mind these reviews were written in the moment without the benefit of hindsight that we have now on these games.
Borderlands (2009)
“Borderlands has tens of hours of quests to fulfill, and you’ll likely find yourself enticed back to explore new skills, find new guns, and kill more enemies. Though the core action doesn’t change drastically over the course of the game, it is woven together in such a way that once it ensnares you, you’ll want nothing more than to plunge into Pandora at any chance you get. Combat is satisfying, and upgrading your skills and equipment is engaging. The constant stream of loot and experience is rewarding, and sharing it with some friends makes the experience that much richer and more exciting. Despite its hostile (albeit stylish) environment, Pandora is a great planet to visit if you want to shoot some stuff. Just be sure to bring some friends along for the ride.” –Chris Watters
Borderlands 2 (2012)
“Borderlands 2 doesn’t reach far beyond its predecessor’s scope, but it does do almost everything better. Additions, refinements, and fixes all combine to create an appreciably improved experience, one that fully delivers on the promise of the first game. While Borderlands felt empty at times, this sequel is bursting with content and brimming with life, making it an absolutely delightful way to spend hours and hours and hours of your free time.” –Chris Watters
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (2014)
“Repetition and a lackluster story are its biggest shortcomings, but Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is different enough to separate itself from the shadows of its older siblings. Elpis provides some gorgeous scenery, and the low-gravity environments bring an exciting new dynamic exploration and combat. No, it never reaches the furthest edges of space, but Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel still offers some the best of what the series has to offer: good loot, good laughs, and good times for many hours.” –Cameron Woolsey
Tales From the Borderlands (2015)
“Tales from the Borderlands’ is a triumphant piece of narrative, a thrilling romp through an already rich game world piled high with both reverential and tongue-in-cheek nods to its source material. It asks you what it means to be a hero, but on a deeper level explores themes of greed, family, friendship, and forgiveness. It has its cataclysmic, epic moments, plot twists that were impossible to see coming, gut-wringing sad bits, and an embarrassing wealth of humor. The choices you’ve made throughout the series matter and ripple outward to the finale, and with a cast as irritatingly loveable as this one, it’s impossible not to care about where they’re going next.” –Alexa Ray Corriea
Read the reviews:
Borderlands 3 (2019)
“Borderlands 3 has a few stumbling blocks when it comes to bosses, but these fights are overshadowed by the game’s rewarding gunplay and over-the-top humor. The game’s character-driven narrative acts as a satisfying finale for the loot-shooter franchise, and the new mechanics and features–especially the reworked skill trees and weapon manufacturer effects–give you plenty of agency in how you want to play through it. If you’ve never been a fan of the franchise, it’s unlikely Borderlands 3 does enough things differently to change your mind, as the game best excels at continuing what the series has always done: deliver a humorous tall tale of misfits looting and shooting their way to heroism.” –Jordan Ramee
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
“As a spin-off, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands doesn’t reinvent the Borderlands wheel with its shift towards fantasy that bears a chaotic-neutral alignment. Instead, it explores familiar territory that repeats the best and worst of the Borderlands formula and it doesn’t venture out of its comfort zone. That makes for a game that is packed with solid first-person shooter action and a competent multiclass system for creating an interesting Fatemaker. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands retreads the same mechanical and narrative ground as Borderlands 3, ultimately creating a chapter in the franchise that’s fun but forgettable.” –Darryn Bonthuys
New Tales From the Borderlands
“New Tales from the Borderlands manages to accomplish many of the narrative highs of its predecessor by providing a glimpse into how normal, everyday people handle the outrageous going-ons of the Borderlands series. The story is helped along by the narrative arcs of its three main characters, each of which feeds into and builds on one another. The narrative momentum stalls mid-way through the story, but New Tales from the Borderlands manages to finish strong, delivering a charmingly fun space western adventure.” –Jordan Ramee
Borderlands 4
“If uncovering loot, crafting builds, and unleashing chaotic mayhem is what you’re looking for, Borderlands 4 has you covered. It’s the most mechanically sound Borderlands game to date, and the various Vault Hunters each present an entertaining opportunity to tackle the game in a different way. Just maybe find a good podcast or video essay to fill the moments between the shooting and looting. The game’s story and characters aren’t strong enough to hold your attention on their own, and the game’s combat begins to drag once you’ve seen all the enemy types there are to see.” –Jordan Ramee