Borderlands has never struggled to find another gun to throw at you. Giving you a compelling reason to fire it, beyond the possibility of finding a slightly better gun, is sometimes the trickier part.
Borderlands 4: FL4K and the Last Resort finds that reason in a robot and their kidnapped skag. Honestly, fair enough. Touch the dog, and consequences should follow.
The second Story Pack takes the action to Providence Island, where Tediore’s expeditionary forces have captured FL4K’s loyal companion, Mr Chew. What begins as a rescue mission becomes a bigger problem when FL4K also needs saving. The premise is straightforward, but that simplicity gives the expansion room to develop its characters and make their predicament matter.
For all the strengths of Borderlands 4’s base game, its story could feel disconnected from the wider series. FL4K’s return provides a welcome link to familiar territory, without making the entire adventure depend on remembering who said what several games ago.
The game earns an immediate emotional investment. You know who needs help, you understand why, and you are perfectly happy to turn an unreasonable quantity of ammunition into a solution.
The result recalls the stronger Borderlands 3 expansions, which understood how much a distinctive setting and a focused story could add to the familiar shooting and looting. FL4K and the Last Resort has that same confidence.
Its small central cast gives the dialogue space to establish personalities, rather than constantly passing the microphone to another character.
Lieutenant Harmony is the standout. A Vault Hunter superfan who has climbed the corporate ladder, she initially sounds like a setup for one joke stretched across an entire campaign. Thankfully, her radio chatter and ECHO logs reveal a much more entertaining character.
Her fascination with Vault Hunters gives her a personal stake in the action, while her delivery makes listening to the villain part of the fun.
She has the theatrical confidence that has served Borderlands antagonists well over the years. The humour works because it belongs to her personality, and her presence keeps the story moving even when you are distracted by the possibility of a new legendary weapon. Which, admittedly, happens often.
Providence Island makes that distraction particularly tempting. Its jungle scenery, vivid purples and aqua tones give the expansion a striking visual identity, while the looming volcano adds an uneasy backdrop to the tropical surroundings.
Smoke plumes and bursts of enemy activity help keep the island feeling volatile. This is a holiday destination with some fairly significant insurance exclusions.
The environment also makes good use of Borderlands 4’s movement. Ziplines and changes in elevation give exploration a satisfying rhythm, encouraging you to look above and below the obvious route.
Easter eggs and smaller side objectives reward wandering, so detours feel worthwhile even when they do not advance the main mission.
That matters in an open environment. Space alone does not make a map interesting, and Providence benefits from having things worth finding between its larger encounters.
Exploring the island becomes part of the appeal, rather than a commute between opportunities to shoot something.
The combat retains the base game’s satisfying foundations, with Tediore forces providing fresh opposition and new legendary and pearlescent weapons supplying the inevitable farming incentive. The expansion’s biggest combat achievement, however, is Harmony herself.
Her boss fight asks you to engage with the movement tools Borderlands 4 has given you. Fast attacks make dodging and positioning essential, while grappling becomes a useful part of staying alive. There is a moveset to learn and pressure to manage, giving the encounter a welcome sense of progression as you get better at reading what she is about to do.
The spectacle matches the challenge. A gorgeous arena and striking effects give the fight the presentation it deserves, while later surprises raise the stakes. It is an encounter that earns its place at the end of the adventure and makes a strong case for more bosses designed around the player’s full range of movement.
Just as satisfying is the story’s ability to follow that intensity with a quieter emotional payoff. Without spoiling the details, FL4K and Mr Chew give the expansion a warmth that fits naturally alongside its corporate absurdity and explosive violence.
Borderlands can be surprisingly sweet when it gives its characters a little breathing room.
FL4K and the Last Resort is an easy recommendation for players who enjoyed Borderlands 4’s core gameplay but wanted a more engaging reason to return. The focused story, rewarding island exploration and excellent final boss work together beautifully.
Come for the loot, stay for the robot, and remember that rescuing a skag is a perfectly respectable use of an entire arsenal.