Borderlands 4 Main Story Walkthrough: What Nobody Tells You

Last updated on December 21st, 2025 at 08:01 am

I’ve just completed the main story of Borderlands 4 end game and let me tell you, this game doesn’t coddle you like you’d expect.

It’s genius, but there are some things that, I wish I had known that would have saved me hours (hours!) of frustration. If you’re starting your first playthrough now, here’s what I wish someone had told me in advance.

The Actual Duration of This Campaign

First of all: Don’t plan on a weekend grind. The below Borderlands 4 main story walkthrough has 25 mission entries spread across four zones The Fadefields, Carcadia Burn, Terminus Range and Dominion. And that’s not including the prologue and epilogue. I was like, I’ll just burn through in 20 hours. I was wrong. Way wrong.

What actually happened? I ended up being sucked into clearing every nook and cranny, trying bizarre weapon combinations and remembering why I love this series.

This was a game whose 21 core missions and accompanying side objectives actually felt meaningful, not just payload to pad out difficult stretches. All of the quests that you can take on in each zone are equally flavourful, and you wont be able to do all of them without slipping into overstuffed territory.

You Need a Half-Decent Loadout Early

And here’s the dirty little secret no one talks about: your choice of weapons actually makes a difference in a Borderlands 4 main story walkthrough. I made the mistake of keeping my starting gear for far too long. By mission five, I was completely wrecked by the boss-bad because I had been using a level 10 gun in level 18 territory.

The game throws better loot at you constantly, but you have to swap weapons manually. Do not fall in love with that first legendary you come across. Seriously. here I was scratching my head half the time thinking “why am I getting one shot?” before finally realizing all of my gear is also outdated ay. It sounds simple, but I assure you it’s easy to overlook when you’re in the thick of a story.

Everything Changed for Me Once I Started Using the Weapon Wheel

When I unlocked the weapon wheel during mid-campaign, my entire experience changed. No more wrist-breaking hikes through menus just to swap in a few new abilities before a fight. Your choices can actually respond to what enemies have thrown at you rather than having to be stuck advancing with the things you equipped before the fight even started.

Newcomers in particular will find this to be big because bosses actually have real elemental weaknesses. Being able to switch between different types of weapons means you’re not grinding the same fight three times.

Dash and Grapple Hook are no Joke

Around mission 8 I unlocked the Hoverpack, which got me a dash and double jump. My initial reaction was: Cool, more mobility.” The second thought I had after taking it for a spin in combat was: Why did it take me so long to figure out how to use this to dodge everything?

The grapple hook is there, and it’s not just for traversing. it’s a real combat tool. I used it to juke mid-fight probably more than I can count. New players see them as QoL things, but they are actually core mechanics. Start practicing with them immediately.

Best Friend, the Combat Radar Is

Like, seriously, turn on that Combat Radar HUD mode. I had played through half the story not even realizing it existed. When I’d activate that, I could actually see where my enemies were located precisely because they wouldn’t be popping out of oddball angles I hadn’t even known to consider. It’s not cheating it’s cunning.

For the most part, secondly, what comes after the main story is actually important.

Here’s the bit I wasn’t prepared for: completing the Borderlands 4 main story walkthrough isn’t it over. There’s an Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode, challenge guides that offer real rewards and even the Encore Machine, which allows you to re-battle bosses for upgraded loot. I figured the credits would roll and I’d have been done. Instead, I learned about endgame content worth bothering with.

And 2K has already announced two Story Packs for 2026. So this isn’t a “finish and move on” thing. it makes the game building something longer.

My Real Take

Despite that, playing all the way through Borderlands 4 felt less like following a walkthrough and more like you were on the same ride as this four-hour puppet show of discovering it. The story’s solid, the zones have character, and the mechanics improve as you progress. Just don’t go about it like a checklist. You will be depriving yourself of what makes this campaign unique.

Know going in that the pacing is real, the gear matters and those new mobility tools aren’t there for fun they’re how you play this game. That’s the reality that most people aren’t transparent about to begin with.

Read:

Your Complete Guide to the Borderlands 4 News and Announcements Hub

Borderlands 4 Main Story Walkthrough