According to statements made byBorderlands 4director Sam Winkler, the upcoming game will be pivoting away from the series' long-established comedic stylings. This shift is reflected intheBorderlands 4reveal trailer, which communicates a more serious, less irreverent tone than previous entries in the franchise. And while everyone likes a good laugh every once in a while, reeling in the humor a bit seems like the right choice for this next chapter in theBorderlandssaga.
Borderlandsis a storied franchise with fervent supporters, but even its biggest fans can find its tone hard to stomach, especially in the wake of the cringe-inducingBorderlands 3. Comedy is subjective, of course, butBorderlands' approach to humor has received plenty of well-deserved criticism for being overly juvenile, scatological, and, quite frankly, obnoxious. After so many games with the same emphasis on gross-out humor and immature, meme-like jokes, it has gotten a little old—something that Winkler himself has been quite vocal about, stating that he would “cry real tears” ifBorderlands 4winds up with the same flavor of comedy as its predecessors. But while this change in direction is smart, it should also be measured, so as to not adulterate the series' identity too much.
Borderlands 4 Is Right to Step Away From Toilet Humor, But It Should Stay Close By
The Pros of Gearbox Reevaluating Borderlands' Writing Style
Even before thewidely-pannedBorderlandsfilm adaptation, the long-running looter-shooter franchise had something of a complicated reputation. On the one hand, audiences and critics alike have heaped praise on the series for its wide assortment of unique weapons and strong combat mechanics, and its lore, while not revolutionary, definitely has enough meat for players to chew on. But the comedy, ever since the first game, has a tendency to be more grating than funny.
Aside from a questionable reliance on grossness and randomness rather than cleverness for jokes (see: “Butt Stallion”), the franchise leans into a frustratingly meta, self-aware, and referential style. In other words,Borderlandscan channel the qualities of the worst memes, where the “joke” is just a reference to something that the audience members are already aware of. For instance, characters may laugh when the number 69 appears, and that’s supposed to be the joke: there’s no punchline or clever spin on it—the game is just pointing out that 69 is a supposedly funny number.
Borderlands 4 Doesn’t Need To Get Overly Sober
While giving themiddle-school comedy a rest will undoubtedly be a good thing forBorderlands 4, it would also be a shame for it to grow more sophisticated and mature than it needs to be. While some video games, likeAmerican McGee’s Alice, have succeeded in taking lighthearted source material and making it dark and gritty, many others have tried and failed at such departures. It wouldn’t be too hard to imagineBorderlands 4falling into this latter category, going too far in the opposite direction of its predecessors, replacing the toilet humor with abject shock value, dark and dour plot beats, or otherwise depressing themes. Such an extreme shift perhaps wouldn’t be as annoying asBorderlands 3’s cringey dialog and immature jokes, but it would arguably be far more boring.
To put a fine point on it, it’s safe to say that cringe is a lesser evil than dull. TheBorderlandsseries deserves better than highly niche humor that most players will find insufferable, but it also shouldn’t morph into just another run-of-the-mill, too-safe FPS—the industry has more than enough of those already. Luckily, this seems unlikely, asWinkler has suggested that some ofBorderlands' signature comedywill return inBorderlands 4. Hopefully, the game will just feature a more refined version of it.
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.Ignite a resistance and blast your way through mechanical monstrosities, bloodthirsty bandits, and vicious beasts. Amass an arsenal of death-dealing firepower to wreak havoc as you tear your way across Kairos.Fight solo or in co-op with up to three other players in this immense sci-fi adventure, packed with free-form combat and exploration, pulse-pounding boss fights, infinitely varied loot drops, and an eclectic cast of unforgettable characters new and old.
