How Long is Borderlands on PS4? A Comprehensive Guide
The Borderlands series, with its unique blend of first-person shooter action, RPG elements, and loot-driven gameplay, has captivated gamers for years. If you’re wondering how much time you’ll be spending in the chaotic world of Pandora and beyond on your PlayStation 4, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s a breakdown of how long each Borderlands game will take to complete on PS4, alongside additional insights into their gameplay and features.
The duration of a Borderlands game on PS4 is highly dependent on your playstyle. For a main story-focused playthrough, you can expect to invest somewhere between 20 to 30 hours per game. However, if you’re a completionist aiming for 100% completion, including all side quests, challenges, and DLC content, you’re looking at significantly longer playtime, potentially reaching 60+ hours per title.
It’s crucial to note that the PlayStation 4 Borderlands library isn’t a single game but rather a collection of several, each with unique campaign and side content:
- Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition (Remaster of the first game)
- Main Story: Around 22.5 hours
- 100% Completion: Approximately 62.5 hours
- Borderlands 2 (Also available within The Handsome Collection)
- Main Story: Roughly 30 hours
- 100% Completion: Could reach well over 60 hours, especially with all DLCs.
- Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel! (Also available within The Handsome Collection)
- Main Story: The shortest, around 17.5 hours
- 100% Completion: Still a respectable playtime, but less than the other main games
- Borderlands 3
- Main Story: Around 30-35 hours
- 100% Completion: Easily over 80 hours, with a vast amount of side quests, proving to be the longest in the series.
- Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
- Main Story: About 20 hours
- 100% Completion: 60 hours or more with all its DLCs.
Remember, these are just estimates. Your own playtime may vary depending on your pace, whether you play solo or with friends, and how much you delve into the optional content. Let’s dive a little deeper into each game and their particular features that contribute to these time differences.
Borderlands Games Breakdown
Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition
As the series’ starting point, the original Borderlands is a unique beast. Its world is simpler, the mechanics less refined but there is a certain charm in its simplicity. Its focus on the core loot-shooter experience is undeniable. The playtime is somewhat shorter than most of the other mainline Borderlands games, but it still offers a substantial amount of content for those who seek it out.
Borderlands 2
Widely regarded as one of the best games in the series, Borderlands 2 is known for its engaging story, improved mechanics, and memorable characters like Handsome Jack. Its playtime is more extensive than the first game, and a lot of its longevity comes from the numerous DLC campaigns which can add dozens of hours if you choose to play through all of them. The improved systems and increased depth of the loot-driven experience can really draw a player in, making them invest substantial time even after finishing the main story. The replayability is very high.
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel!
The Pre-Sequel takes place between the first two games, and presents a different perspective on the Borderlands universe. It offers unique mechanics, but it’s notably the shortest among the main titles, making it a great option for someone who wants the Borderlands experience without the huge time commitment. Still, completionists will find ample side missions and challenges to extend their playtime.
Borderlands 3
The latest entry in the mainline series, Borderlands 3, is the longest in the series with a much bigger game world with more side quests, and a greater quantity of weapons. It’s a bigger game than Borderlands 2 in terms of pure playtime, and more complex. The gunplay is more polished, making its action feel satisfying, and the diverse planets give a great sense of scope to the game. Expect a large investment of time if you aim to complete everything.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is a spin-off, that puts the focus on melee combat in a fantasy setting, but retains the typical Borderlands loot-shooter elements. It’s a bit shorter than Borderlands 3, but still offers a great deal of replayability and a substantial single-player experience. The main story can be finished relatively quickly, but those who want to explore every nook and cranny of this chaotic world will find plenty of reasons to keep playing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is Borderlands 3 the longest game in the series?
Yes, Borderlands 3 is the longest game in the series in terms of both main story and 100% completion times, with an enormous amount of content that can easily push completionist playthroughs above the 80 hour mark.
2. Which Borderlands game is the shortest?
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel! is the shortest of the main games, clocking in at roughly 17.5 hours for a main story run.
3. Does playing co-op affect the playtime of Borderlands on PS4?
Playing in co-op can sometimes reduce the overall playtime as you’re sharing the workload, but it can also make you want to play through the game multiple times with different characters or friends. It’s a blast, and can easily add hours due to this.
4. Do the DLCs add significant playtime to Borderlands games on PS4?
Absolutely. DLCs, particularly for Borderlands 2 and Borderlands 3, can add a substantial amount of extra hours. These DLCs usually include new stories, quests, and environments that enrich the game.
5. How does 100% completion affect gameplay length?
100% completion requires you to finish all main and side quests, collect all collectibles, complete challenges, and sometimes, finish at max level. This can easily double or triple the time you spend on the game.
6. Should I play the Borderlands games in order?
Playing in release order provides the best experience as you’ll get all the story and references in the order they were intended. However, each game has a distinct, self-contained story, allowing you to start with Borderlands 2 or 3 if you prefer. Playing in the order of release is: Borderlands, Borderlands 2, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel!, Borderlands 3. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is a spin-off.
7. Is the remastered Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition longer than the original?
The remastered version doesn’t add significant playtime in terms of core content, but it does improve visual and performance, making it a better overall experience.
8. Is Borderlands 2 better than Borderlands 3?
It’s subjective. Borderlands 2 is often praised for its story and characters, while Borderlands 3 is lauded for its gunplay, graphics, and variety. The “better” one depends on what you look for in a game.
9. How long does it take to reach max level in Borderlands on PS4?
Reaching max level will vary per game and playstyle. It usually happens around the completion of all story and side quests, but that can be extended if you play more of the end-game modes, or if you’re trying out different builds and characters.
10. Are Borderlands games open-world?
The games are semi-open world. You can explore large maps with many optional areas, but you need to unlock them through progression in the main story.
11. Does the character I choose affect the length of gameplay?
No, your character choice won’t drastically affect your overall playtime for any of the games, but some characters might have better builds and skill sets that can make specific missions slightly easier or faster to complete.
12. What character should I pick to start with in Borderlands 3?
For beginners, Moze the Gunner is a great choice. She is very easy to pick up and play and can offer a more offensive-focused playstyle.
13. Do I need to play Borderlands 1 and 2 before playing 3?
While not necessary, playing the earlier titles provides a better understanding of the characters and lore. If you are not a fan of older games, you can catch up by watching lore videos on YouTube.
14. Which is the best Borderlands game to play first?
It is recommended that you start with Borderlands 2 due to the improved mechanics and great story. Starting from the original game will show the series’ progression, though.
15. Is a Borderlands 4 going to be released?
There’s no official confirmation yet, but given the popularity of the series, Borderlands 4 is likely to be released eventually, possibly for newer consoles.
In conclusion, the Borderlands series on PS4 offers hundreds of hours of content, whether you’re focusing on the main story or aiming for 100% completion. Each game provides a unique experience that is more than deserving of the time investment. Your time on Pandora is only limited by your willingness to explore all it has to offer. Now that you’ve been equipped with this knowledge, go vault hunter, and happy looting!