Highlights
- Aesthetics are important in gaming, and Borderlands 2's visually stunning landscape made it a memorable and successful installment.
- Fans hope that Borderlands 4 will follow the visual style of Borderlands 2, rather than returning to the plain desert style of Borderlands 1 and 3.
- The varied and unique scenery in Borderlands 2 contributed to its success, while Borderlands 3's lack of variation made it appear dreary in comparison.
Apart from captivating gameplay and a compelling storyline, aesthetics also play a significant role in game appeal, etching a long-lasting memory in gamers' hearts. Borderlands has had many memorable installments, but Borderlands 2 was a visual beauty in particular, as Vault Hunters embarked on a characteristically thrilling but fun-filled journey across Pandora. This landscape became an iconic backdrop for adventure in the player's quest to stop the nefarious Handsome Jack, from its snow-capped glaciers to the tundras and fiery volcanic mountains. Fans expected the colorful scenery to continue in Borderlands 3, but Gearbox Software backtracked, returning to the barren desert wastelands reminiscent of Borderlands 1. With Bethesda's new release, Starfield, leaving gamers in awe with its depiction of The Settled Systems, Gearbox is under pressure to deliver a visual stunner in Borderlands 4.
Amidst swirling rumors of its development, fans hope Borderlands 4's Pandora will emulate BL2 instead of towing BL3's path. The Borderlands franchise has always placed an emphasis on reviews from its player base, and during the build-up to Borderlands 2, a survey was conducted to get players' feedback on their desired features for the sequel. Additionally, Borderlands 1 DLCs weren't merely add-ons to the main story, but were experimental platforms to gauge players' preferences, which in turn influenced the development of new game content. As a result, the visual detail in Borderlands 2 was born, and there was tangible disappointment at the decision to return to the plain desert style from BL1.
A Change of Scenery Could Shake Up Borderlands 4's Visuals
Borderlands 2 expanded upon the concept art style design from the previous installment, refining it with vibrant colors, landmarks, and unique biomes that added to the title's replay value after players helped the Pandorans recover their planet from the clutches of Jack and the Hyperion forces. The scenery wasn't so adored because of its visuals alone -- it came with unique challenges that kept Vault Hunters on their toes even while traversing the map. In particular, the Caustic Caverns made players contend with the hazard of acid pools and caves infested with creepers, adding an extra element of danger Borderlands prides itself upon.
Similarly, the Blight region features some interesting locations. The Arid Nexus-Badlands in Borderlands 2 (a refined version of BL1's Arid Badlands) featured Eridium pipelines and the mini-boss battle with Saturn, while Eridium Blight has lava pools and widespread volcanic ash fall. The Highlands is also an exciting sight with its Shining Horizons lake and Overlook hilltop town -- all markedly unique encounters that make for memorable gameplay. Borderlands 2's reviews speak for themselves, and the vastly varied scenery was a major contributor to the title's success. The unique regions, each with distinct missions and lore, were a big draw that made Borderlands 3 appear dreary in comparison.
In contrast, Borderlands 3's Pandora was mostly composed of similar desert areas. The only exceptions were the Splinterlands and Carnivora, which had some vehicular combat elements. However, these regions were still primarily sandy and rocky, with minimal variation. Although Gearbox kept its promise and added several new planets for gamers to explore in Borderlands 3 and its DLCs, Pandora felt rather uninspiring compared to Borderlands 2's. Borderlands 2's Pandora had more lore to uncover as it expanded on the history and culture, unveiling more vaults of the ancient alien race, the Eridians.
With the desert making appearances in two Borderlands mainline installments, it makes sense to give the varied landscapes another spin in the franchise. There have been reports of players growing fatigued with the rocky view, and Borderlands 4 should bring back the iconic locations from BL2. While the series is venturing into new directions and introducing additional planets for exploration, it's crucial for Gearbox to not forget the original planet players fell in love with.
Borderlands 4 is rumored to be in development.