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Every Borderlands Game Ranked From Worst to Best

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Ignacio Weil

Gaming - September 12th 2025, 18:00 GMT+2

10. New Tales from the Borderlands (2022)

For a game that promised to capture the witty storytelling magic of Telltale’s original, *New Tales from the Borderlands* ended up feeling more like a knockoff brand of your favorite cereal – recognizable packaging, but not quite the same taste. The humor tries, sometimes lands, but often leans into awkward territory that doesn’t have the charm we expect from Pandora’s chaos. Some fans loved the narrative beats and new characters, but others walked away wishing the original cast had just been given another season instead. It’s not an outright disaster, but when compared to the legacy of Borderlands, this one feels like the weird cousin you don’t always invite to family gatherings. | © Gearbox Software / 2K

Cropped Borderlands Legends — 9. Borderlands Legends (2012)

Remember when every franchise decided it needed a mobile game, whether it made sense or not? That’s pretty much the story of *Borderlands Legends*. Released only for iOS, it tried to shrink Pandora’s loot-and-shoot mayhem into a tactical RPG-lite format, but the result was clunky, repetitive, and stripped of everything that made the main series fun. The idea of controlling your favorite Vault Hunters from above sounded intriguing on paper, but in execution, it was more of a grind than a thrill. It’s not just the weakest Borderlands title – it’s the one even hardcore fans pretend never existed. | © 2K China / 2K Games

Tiny Tinas Assault on Dragon Keep A Wonderlands One shot Adventure — 8. Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep: A Wonderlands One-shot Adventure (2021)

What started as a DLC for *Borderlands 2* became so beloved that it earned its own standalone release. The *Wonderlands One-shot Adventure* reintroduces players to Tina’s over-the-top Dungeons & Dragons parody, where dice rolls decide your fate and the loot is just as ridiculous as ever. The writing here is some of the best in the entire franchise – funny, heartfelt, and surprisingly emotional at times. While the standalone version doesn’t add anything new for longtime fans, it still serves as a great appetizer for *Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands* and a reminder of why this DLC became legendary. | © Gearbox Software / 2K Games

7. Borderlands (2009)

When the original *Borderlands* first launched, it wasn’t the cultural juggernaut we know today. At first, many weren’t sure what to make of this strange blend of cel-shaded art, first-person shooting, and endless looting. But slowly, word of mouth spread, and the game grew into a phenomenon. The characters, like Claptrap and the Vault Hunters, became fan favorites, while the addictive hunt for better guns turned into a gaming staple. Looking back, the first game feels a bit rough around the edges, but without it, there would be no Borderlands universe at all – and for that, it remains iconic. | © Gearbox Software / 2K Games

Borderlands The Pre Sequel — 6. Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (2014)

Here’s a weird one. Sandwiched between *Borderlands 2* and *Borderlands 3*, the *Pre-Sequel* decided to answer questions nobody really asked, like “What was Handsome Jack up to before he became the worst boss ever?” Set on Pandora’s moon, it added some fun new mechanics – hello, low gravity jetpack jumps and butt slams – but the overall story and pacing felt a bit thin. It’s not a bad game, just one that always seemed unnecessary when stacked against the numbered entries. Still, if you’re into lore and want to see Jack’s slow descent into villainy, this one fills in the blanks. | © 2K Australia / 2K Games

5. Borderlands 3 (2019)

*Borderlands 3* bursts onto the scene with all the bombast, color, and weapon variety you’d expect – sometimes too much of it. It’s fun to hop into five different planets, blow stuff up, and find guns that make you wonder if balance ever got an invitation to the party. The core gameplay loop is solid: loot, shoot, rinse, repeat – but grind creep and questionable mission design hold it back from being truly outstanding. Also, some fans felt that the humor leaned a bit too into memes and spectacle, sacrificing character depth. Still, the graphics improvements over its predecessors and the co-op madness make it a joy to play with friends (if your internet behaves). All told, *Borderlands 3* earns respect for its ambition even if it doesn’t hit every bullseye. | © Gearbox Software / 2K Games

Tiny Tinas Wonderlands — 4. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands (2022)

This fantasy spin-off feels like Borderlands with a wizard’s hat and maybe one too many dice rolls, in the best possible way. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands trades some of the gritty sci-fi dystopia for dragons, spells, and dungeon crawling, and it mostly works – guns + magic turned out to be a surprisingly fun combo. Character creation and multiclass builds give you more freedom than many recent looter-shooters, though the wild swings in gear balance and a somewhat shallow endgame DLC situation leave something to be desired. Also: when the narrative leans into Tiny Tina’s absurdity, it shines; when it's trying to be serious, it’s occasionally awkward. Fans praise it for style, tone, and fun moments, even if they wish the longevity matched the quality. Overall, one of the more creative entries in the franchise. | © Gearbox Software / 2K Games

3. Borderlands 4 (2025)

Stepping into *Borderlands 4* feels like visiting a familiar wasteland but with upgraded glitz: better visuals, smoother movement, more brutal loot drops, and definitely more mechanics to juggle. The developers seem to have taken seriously the lessons from 3 and *Wonderlands*, pushing for verticality, dynamic world elements, and more ambitious skill trees. That said, critics have pointed out that despite all the polish, the story and villain might not land as memorably as in *Borderlands 2*, and some new features feel like polish over core depth – fun, yes; masterful, maybe not always. Also, performance on older hardware is going to test your patience. But, if you're here for looter-shooter chaos with more options and fewer loading screens, *Borderlands 4* might be exactly what you’ve been waiting for. | © Gearbox Software / 2K Games

2. Tales from the Borderlands (2014)

If you ever needed proof that the Borderlands world can do more than bullets and explosions, *Tales from the Borderlands* delivers. This episodic, narrative-driven adventure swaps gunfights (mostly) for character moments, tough choices, and humor that’s sharp rather than slapstick. The contrasting personalities of Rhys and Fiona provide a lot of the charm, and it’s amazing how this game manages to make you care about weird side characters amid all the chaos. It’s not perfect – sometimes the pacing drags, and choices feel less impactful than promised – but it stands out as one of the few spin-offs that feels like it’s doing something different in the universe rather than retreading old ground. For anyone tired of grinding loot & XP, it’s a welcome detour. | © Telltale Games / 2K Games

1. Borderlands 2 (2012)

Here’s the one most fans point to when asked “which Borderlands should everyone play?” *Borderlands 2* hits the sweet spot: great story, iconic villain (Handsome Jack), memorable cast, loot mechanics that feel deeply satisfying, and content that keeps pulling you back. It builds substantially on the first game in virtually every way – from more dynamic missions to better comedic timing to environments that feel more alive. Sure, aging visuals and a few design quirks show their age, and some side-quests are forgettable, but those are minor compared to everything *Borderlands 2* gets right. It’s the gold standard in the series, often hard to beat unless the next game reinvents not just the graphics, but the soul of why people love Vault Hunters in the first place. | © Gearbox Software / 2K Games

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The Borderlands series has built its legacy on madcap humor, wild loot, and unforgettable characters. Since the first title dropped in 2009, the franchise has consistently pushed the boundaries of what a looter-shooter can be – from underdog gems to full-blown blockbusters. Now that Borderlands 4 is here, we’re looking back at the entire franchise and ranking every Borderlands game from worst to best, considering gameplay, story, replayability, and fan reception. Whether you’re a newcomer curious about where to start or a Vault Hunter veteran eager to revisit the past, this list will show how each entry stacks up.

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The Borderlands series has built its legacy on madcap humor, wild loot, and unforgettable characters. Since the first title dropped in 2009, the franchise has consistently pushed the boundaries of what a looter-shooter can be – from underdog gems to full-blown blockbusters. Now that Borderlands 4 is here, we’re looking back at the entire franchise and ranking every Borderlands game from worst to best, considering gameplay, story, replayability, and fan reception. Whether you’re a newcomer curious about where to start or a Vault Hunter veteran eager to revisit the past, this list will show how each entry stacks up.