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Subscribe from just £3 Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love Try a single issue or save on a subscription Issues delivered straight to your door or device From£9.99View Prime Day Deals Donkey Kong Bananza Switch 2 stock Recommended reading Borderlands The best Borderlands games, ranked After 4 hours with Borderlands 4 I'm not yet sold on its biggest changes, but Gearbox says "it would be strange" if Borderlands wasn't "constantly growing and adapting" Borderlands Borderlands 4: Everything we know so far Borderlands Everything announced at the Borderlands 4 State of Play Borderlands 16 years in, Borderlands 4 just threw a wrench in the loadout I've always used in Gearbox looter-shooters, but the new guns look so cool I'm not even complaining Action Games The 10 best Arkane games of all time Borderlands Borderlands 4 is "turning out to be better" than Borderlands 3 "by every measurement we have, including subjective ones," Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford teases Borderlands 4 Borderlands 4 is releasing in just under 2 months, so I'm revisiting the 5 best Gearbox games while I count down the days Emma-Jane Betts 16 July 2025 From Risk of Rain to Brothers in Arms, here are the best Gearbox games to play while we wait for Borderlands 4 When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Gearbox) Borderlands 4 is set to release on September 12 this year, so what better way to kick my impatience than by playing the best Gearbox games in the meantime. Sure, Gearbox Software has had some misses in its history (cough, Duke Nukem Forever, cough), but it has made some gems, which have me all the more excited for one of the biggest new games of 2025 with Borderlands 4. Gearbox's catalogue isn't just limited to looter-shooters or Pandora-based outings, either. Dive into its offerings and you'll find some of the best stories in games, from alien-inspired masterpieces to some top-tier action games. With that in mind, I figured I'd share my top five recommendations with everyone who is anxiously waiting for the next Vault Hunter adventure. However, I've made sure to keep this list diverse, so don't expect it to be filled with purely Borderlands, folks. With that out of the way, let's launch into some of the best shooters around. Below are the five best Gearbox games to play today while we wait for September to roll around. You may like The best Borderlands games, ranked After 4 hours with Borderlands 4 I'm not yet sold on its biggest changes, but Gearbox says "it would be strange" if Borderlands wasn't "constantly growing and adapting" Borderlands 4: Everything we know so far 5. Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 (Image credit: Gearbox Software) Release: 2005 Platforms: PC, Xbox, PS2, Nintendo Wii While Borderlands may be Gearbox's most well-known and popular franchise, The Brothers in Arms games are also generally fantastic. In fact, I could have put multiple games from this series on this list, but Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 holds a special place in my heart. The World War 2 shooter follows the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment. As you make your way through enemy territory, you get to learn about the characters as you command troops in tactical plays. This game does a great job of making you feel like you're part of a unit instead of a one-man army. You care about your teammates and feel the weight of their deaths. War games are aplenty, but few manage to grip you with their storytelling like this one. There's a reason we almost gave it full marks in our Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 review, after all. 4. Borderlands 2 (Image credit: Gearbox Software) Release: 2012 Platforms: PC, PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Switch Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Of course, a Borderlands game has to make an appearance on this list, and of course, the title that I'd pick in the series just so happens to be the top choice in our best Borderlands games list. In terms of goofy personality, with a surprising level of depth and gunplay improvements, Borderlands 2 is a sure fire winner, building on everything beloved about the original looter shooter to deliver a chaotic good time. Although its side quests can feel a bit uneven and the story sometimes overstays its welcome, Borderlands 2 is still a joy to play. Customization has been taken up a notch; it's a blast to play with friends, and there is plenty to keep you busy. In our Borderlands 2 review, we said that the game was a "fulfilling experience", and that remains true even today. 3. Homeworld Remastered Collection (Image credit: Gearbox Software) Release: 2015 Platforms: PC One of the best sci-fi games to ever be released, the Homeworld Remastered Collection is really a must-play for any fans of space and real-time strategy titles. This collection includes modern makeovers for Homeworld and Homeworld 2, which, at the time, looked fantastic at launch. But the game's intergalactic visuals aren't the reason I've added this to my list. No, the story is what makes this such a good title, even by today's standards. After your planet is destroyed by the Taiidan Empire, you play as Kushan exiles who embark on a quest to reclaim their ancient homeworld. Every level will have you building up your fleet in order to destroy enemy ships and get closer to your goal. You really do feel like you're part of a space epic here, and I can't recommend this game enough. 2. Risk of Rain 2 (Image credit: Gearbox Software) Release: 2020 Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch Risk of Rain 2 is one of my favorite go-to games to play with friends, and it truly never gets old. The roguelike third-person shooter has a satisfying sense of progression, as you collect loot, unlock weapons, and blast alien enemies with a flurry of flashing laser beams. Allowing for up to four-player co-op, it's very easy to lose time as you engage in multiple runs with Risk of Rain 2. Nothing beats the feeling of accomplishment as you pass a milestone that had previously been kicking your butt; making your way through more difficult enemy encounters over time. The thrill of unlocking new playable survivors, items, and more also scratches my goblin collector brain, and while some of its DLC is questionable, Risk of Rain 2 is an easy game to recommend to any kind of player. 1. Half-Life: Opposing Force (Image credit: Gearbox Software) Release: 1999 Platforms: PC Half-Life: Opposing Force is an expansion to one of the greatest games ever made, Half-Life. Instead of playing as Gordon Freeman, though, you're experiencing the events of Half-Life from the perspective of Adrian Shephard (a U.S. Marine) who was originally sent to neutralize the Black Mesa Research Facility after an alien invasion. But things go south for the soldiers, and Adrian is soon forced to focus on staying alive above all else. Playing Half-Life again from this perspective is an absolute joy. The soldiers were posed as enemies in the original game, so being put in their shoes gives you a deeper appreciation for the plot as a whole. On top of that, there are new enemy types and weapons to play with. So yeah, if you are a Half-Life fan, this is a must-play. For more recommendations, check out our list of the best games like Borderlands. Or look ahead with our pages on all the upcoming PS5 games and upcoming Xbox Series X games on the near horizon. See more Games Features Gearbox Software PlayStation Xbox Series X Nintendo Switch PlayStation Emma-Jane Betts Social Links Navigation Managing Editor, Evergreens After reviewing films throughout University and being a cosy game expert for years, I realised that entertainment journalism was my true calling in 2019. Since then, I've started multiple new farms on Stardew Valley and have written for several publications such as The Upcoming, PCGamesN, and Wargamer. I was the resident Guides Editor and horror lover for The Digital Fix before joining the GamesRadar+ team in 2024. As the Managing Editor for Evergreens, I'll be making sure that all the best lists you read on GamesRadar+ are the most helpful and fun pages on the internet! 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The best Borderlands games, ranked After 4 hours with Borderlands 4 I'm not yet sold on its biggest changes, but Gearbox says "it would be strange" if Borderlands wasn't "constantly growing and adapting" Borderlands 4: Everything we know so far Everything announced at the Borderlands 4 State of Play 16 years in, Borderlands 4 just threw a wrench in the loadout I've always used in Gearbox looter-shooters, but the new guns look so cool I'm not even complaining The 10 best Arkane games of all time Latest in Games Somewhere in Nintendo's recycling bin is the god of all Goombas, gifted the giant hands of a Super Mario Odyssey boss during experiments for the Switch 2's Donkey Kong Bananza "It must have been an absolute nightmare for the programmers": Nintendo explains Donkey Kong Bananza's voxel tech and why it doesn't look like "stacked cubes" like Minecraft or Hytale Dune: Awakening patch fixes the item duplication glitch hoarders discovered a day after devs removed the last one, and I think we all know what happens next The Legend of Zelda and Red Dead Redemption 2 have whetted my appetite, so I've found the 7 best cooking games to tuck into NetEase surrenders to Marvel Rivals players, dresses up The Thing in a thong, calls him "The Thong" in front of all his friends, and puts other heroes in skimpy swimsuits starting this week Square Enix announces a complete $60 Life is Strange Collection for PS5, but the monkey's paw curls: only 2 of the 5 games are actually on the disc Latest in Features The Legend of Zelda and Red Dead Redemption 2 have whetted my appetite, so I've found the 7 best cooking games to tuck into I’m tired of MCU post-credits scenes that go nowhere, which is why Superman’s organic world-building is such a breath of fresh air I've played board games like Frosthaven for decades, but the digital version convinced me that it's a better introduction to the epic RPG It took me 326 hours to clock a less-obvious reason why Cyberpunk 2077 is the best open world RPG I've ever played: it's a secret comedy game From Fallout to Baldur's Gate 3, these are the gaming Lego sets I want to see next I've been searching for the best Superman games after watching the new James Gunn movie – here are my 7 favorites GAME REVIEWS MOVIE REVIEWS Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 review: "A nostalgic, must-play hit for fans" College Football 26 review: “Thanks to rivalries and dynasty, this is the greatest show on turf” Mecha Break review: "This mech battler makes up for lacking customization with a varied roster that lets me live out my Evangelion fantasy" Death Stranding 2: On the Beach review: "This tarpunk delivery epic is more Metal Gear Solid than ever, for better and worse" Rematch review: "As with Rocket League, the just-one-more-game pull is magnetic" Superman review: "A triumphant reinvention and a promising start for the DCU" Jurassic World Rebirth Review: "An unscary sequel that needed a little more time in amber" M3GAN 2.0 review: "A bold sequel with a slightly underwhelming conclusion" 28 Years Later Review: "Enough terror, splatter and suspense to satisfy” Predator: Killer of Killers review: "Great characters, thrilling action, and gorgeous Arcane-esque animation" Squid Game season 3 review: "A staggeringly excellent final season wraps up one of the greatest Netflix shows ever" Ironheart review: "A relic of Marvel's content-at-all-costs era" Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 review: "The show's most assured run of episodes to date" Doctor Who season 2, episode 8 spoiler review: 'The Reality War' is "a mix of the good, the bad, and the truly baffling" Doctor Who season 2, episode 7 spoiler review: 'Wish World' is "an exciting and ambitious" start to the season finale, with hints of WandaVision GamesRadar+ is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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