Borderlands 4 is just around the corner, with barely a month to go before the highly anticipated fourth numbered entry in Gearbox's popular looter-shooter series lands on September 12. Borderlands 4 is making some notable shifts and distancing itself from some of the inclusions that didn't quite hit home in Borderlands 3, looking to move its tone and writing in a more mature direction while also innovating on core gameplay mechanics and open-world design.
As a long-time fan of the franchise going back to the 2009 original, I've played all the Borderlands games, including each title's major DLCs and the various other spin-offs that Gearbox has released over the years. And in all that time, I've never actually gone with a Vault Hunter class that largely defines the series and its lore. But that is about to change for me when I get my hands on Borderlands 4.
Borderlands 4 Has Me Itching to Finally Play As a Siren
I've Played Every Borderlands Game So Far Without Being a Siren
When the first Borderlands dropped, it was a bold breath of fresh air and a true joy to play. Gearbox laid down the looter-shooter formula and built the wacky and unpredictable world, and I was instantly hooked on both. There was nothing really like it at the time, and it's easy to see why Borderlands has gone on to become one of the poster series for the genre.
Of course, a big draw for the series is its co-op play, letting fans team up to blast our way through bandits and aliens. For the most part, though, I went through every Borderlands game alone. When Borderlands 2 released , at that time, I had one friend whose schedule and game tastes broadly aligned with mine, letting us sneak in a bit of co-op here and there when we could. My playstyle and preferences in general also lean towards characters and classes with any kind of pet, as it can almost feel like having someone else along for the ride, in addition to being just an overall solid choice for soloists like myself. My history of Vault Hunters so far has been:
- Borderlands: Mordecai (Hunter)
- Borderlands 2: Zero (Assassin)
- Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel: "Handsome Jack" aka Timothy Lawrence (Doppleganger)
- Borderlands 3: Flak (Beastmaster)
Mordecai and Flak were natural choices for me in BL1 and 3, with The Pre-Sequel's Timothy close to them since he could summon additional digiclones of himself. Zero is the outlier, but who among us can easily resist playing as a mysterious robot ninja who speaks in haiku? Regardless, each one was satisfying in their own way, and I had a great time playing all of them, even if it was a lonelier experience compared to others.
In Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, I ran a Spore Warden, as they also had a companion summon skill.
Borderlands 4's Vex Has Me Incredibly Excited to Play as a Siren for the First Time
As Gearbox continued to reveal more about Borderlands 4's crop of Vault Hunters' backstories and abilities in the lead-up to its release, I kept a close eye on each, checking out the breakdowns and videos highlighting the latest batch. Rafa was the one who initially intrigued me the most, as his history as a Tediore soldier and apparently quite versatile range of skills seemed like they would be a good fit for me, given the above.
But at the same time, I was thinking that perhaps it may actually be time to indeed rock a Siren in the latest game. I began to take a keener interest in the newest Siren, and it was the character showcase for Vex that sealed the deal on my plan to pick her as my main in Borderlands 4. Along with her past, Vex appears perfectly tailored to me. On top of new and unique skills, she will have Trouble, her giant spectral cat, accompanying her. Thus, it seems like she can pull double duty by being a pet-based class while simultaneously allowing me to finally play a Siren in the latest installment.
Borderlands 4
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 82 /100 Critics Rec: 88%
- Released
- September 12, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Gearbox Software
- Publisher(s)
- 2K
WHERE TO PLAY
Borderlands 4 brings intense action, badass Vault Hunters, and billions of wild and deadly weapons to an all-new planet ruled by a ruthless tyrant.
Crash into Kairos as one of four new Vault Hunters seeking wealth and glory. Wield powerful Action Skills, customize your build with deep skill trees, and dominate enemies with dynamic movement abilities.
Break free from the oppressive Timekeeper, a ruthless dictator who dominates the masses from on high. Now a world-altering catastrophe threatens his perfect Order, unleashing Mayhem across the planet.
