In interviews for the upcoming Borderlands 4, a consistent message has emerged: lessons have been learned from the divisive Borderlands 3. Developers promise the next installment will avoid the narrative pitfalls of its predecessor, acknowledging the need for authentic character motivations, meaningful stakes, and humor that transcends dated internet memes.
This commitment is a welcome development. The story in Borderlands 3 was so egregious it nearly overshadowed what was otherwise a mechanically robust game. While the moment-to-moment gunplay remained as satisfying as ever, and zipping around arenas as Zane offered pure enjoyment, the plot consistently intervened, making the urge to skip cutscenes overwhelming. It wasn’t merely the cringeworthy jokes; the game equally fumbled its serious moments. Maya’s abrupt death, the awkward insistence on Ava’s importance, Lilith’s perplexing sacrifice into a moon, and nearly every moment featuring the Calypso twins—the game struggled profoundly to deliver a cohesive and impactful narrative conclusion.
However, this observation prompts a critical inquiry: was Borderlands’ storytelling ever truly exemplary? The answer is nuanced. As a long-time follower of this series, it’s challenging to pinpoint a definitive narrative “form” to which the franchise can return. Borderlands’ narrative foundations have frequently been inconsistent, existing as a stylistic mosaic. It simultaneously embraces high-concept science fantasy, a space western, a post-apocalyptic Mad Max-style romp, elements of satirical dystopic cyberpunk, and a TTRPG-inspired character drama. While there’s no inherent flaw in blending genres, a medley of too many disparate ideas often results in a narrative lacking a clear identity.
The Challenge of Unfocused Storytelling and Genre Blending
Borderlands’ narrative successes have consistently stemmed from its commitment to a few core genres, relegating other madcap elements to garnish rather than main ingredients. The most acclaimed entries in the series showcased a clear sense of focus that was conspicuously absent in the third mainline game. Let’s analyze the distinct narrative emphasis of each title:
- The original Borderlands game was primarily a post-apocalyptic Mad Max adventure, with only a subtle introduction of science fantasy toward its conclusion.
- The fan-favorite Borderlands 2 deeply explored cyberpunk dystopic satire and was expertly anchored by compelling character drama.
- Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel amplified its science fantasy elements, dedicating itself to meaningful character development for its anti-heroic protagonists.
- The acclaimed Tales From the Borderlands largely set aside sci-fi heroics, focusing instead on intimate character work and sharp corporate satire.
A primary reason Borderlands 3 faltered narratively was its attempt to be all things at once. Its story was profoundly unfocused. The Calypso twins were simultaneously galactic streamer (cyberpunk satire) bandit kingpins with a cult (Mad Max), super-powered Sirens (science fantasy), and the estranged children of Typhon DeLeon with barely explored daddy issues (character work). The outcome was a pair of villains rendered as undefined narrative mud.
Handsome Jack continues to cast such a long shadow over the series because his writer possessed a precise understanding of the character: a narcissistic corporate megalomaniac whose entire arc charted a descent into villainy. A similar concise “elevator pitch” is impossible for the Calypsos. This same narrative inconsistency plagued the return of Rhys and Vaughn from Tales, who were awkwardly shoehorned into the game and reduced to hollow, Flanderized versions of themselves. The entire narrative approach was simply scattershot and lacking in conviction.
Lessons from Borderlands 3 DLC and Hope for Borderlands 4
Intriguingly, Gearbox began to address this very problem within the DLC for Borderlands 3. Each expansion marked a significant improvement over the base game’s story precisely because they each embraced a distinct theme and committed to it. We saw an Ocean’s 11-style caper in Moxxi’s Heist of the Handsome Jackpot, a gritty wild west adventure in Bounty of Blood, a Lovecraftian parody in Guns, Love, and Tentacles, and a psychedelic journey into the mind of a beloved character in Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck. While none of these DLCs broke entirely new ground, their focused and entertaining narratives made them thoroughly enjoyable for anyone disengaged by the main story.
Therefore, when expressing hope for Borderlands 4’s story, the core desire is for it to be decisively focused. Encouragingly, recent trailers suggest this is indeed the trajectory. By piecing together available information, it appears the next entry will draw heavily from the cyberpunk dystopia and character-driven drama elements of its expansive genre palette. As long as the narrative remains committed to this path and features fewer irreverent memes that compel players to seek out the nearest Catch-A-Ride, the future for Borderlands looks bright. Here’s to hoping the franchise can truly rediscover its narrative groove.
