I’ve really been enjoying Borderlands 4 since launch, perhaps almost just as much as this year’s other hits, like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I’ve been waiting to return to the world of Borderlands for quite some time, and even though Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands was a nice little detour, it wasn’t the kind of Borderlands game I was craving. Interestingly enough, even though it’s Borderlands at its core, Borderlands 4 is actually quite different in a lot of ways. In fact, it’s actually a lot like one of my other all-time favorite looter shooters, Destiny 2.
The similarities between Borderlands 4 and Destiny 2 are hard to ignore. To be fair, it makes sense why Gearbox would want to replicate certain elements of Destiny 2, as it is one of the best looter shooters on the market. However, if there’s anything playing Borderlands 4 has shown me, it’s how limited Destiny 2 actually is, despite being a live-service game meant to carry on indefinitely. As an avid Destiny 2 fan who has logged somewhere around 5,000 hours into the MMO across platforms, it makes me sad to admit that Borderlands 4 actually does a lot of stuff right that Destiny 2 has fallen short in for a long time now.
Borderlands 4 Is Making Me Realize How Limited Destiny 2 Really Is
Exploring Without Barriers
Destiny 2 is a massive game with several different planets to explore, but somehow, Borderlands 4‘s Kairos still feels larger. I’m sure that’s due to the fact that Kairos is one seamless planet with very few loading screens, but despite not actually being larger than Destiny 2‘s total square mileage across planets, it nonetheless feels like it gives me more ground to cover. The thing about Destiny 2‘s exploration is that, even though there’s plenty of space, you’re pretty much guided along a linear route. In Borderlands 4, on the other hand, it feels like you’re given more freedom. I still love Destiny 2‘s art design, but the lack of verticality and free-flowing exploration feels even more obvious after the time I’ve spent in Borderlands 4.
Rediscovering True Build Freedom
Then there’s the incredible build variety of Borderlands 4‘s Vault Hunters, which is both unprecedented for the series and also somehow manages to get a leg up on Destiny 2. In recent years, Destiny 2 has tried to expand its build variety with additions like its Prismatic subclass, but even then, there aren’t near as many different possible skill combinations as there are in Borderlands 4. It’s refreshing to have so much freedom, and it makes me wish Destiny 2‘s buildcrafting felt this open-ended.
Starting Fresh Without Confusion
Another thing that’s hit me is how approachable Borderlands 4 is, even though it’s the fourth game in the series. I’ve been a big Borderlands fan from its humble beginnings, so I don’t necessarily need Borderlands 4 to be approachable. However, I can tell how it would lower the point of entry for newcomers, as it doesn’t rely on the series’ past to establish its present and set up its future. By contrast, I’ve seen new Destiny 2 players get lost almost immediately, overwhelmed by lore and content.
Every time I play Borderlands 4, I thoroughly enjoy it, but almost too much, to the point that I just notice how many flaws Destiny 2 has — and the flaws I already named are only a few. It’s not that Destiny 2 has necessarily suddenly become worse, but more so that Borderlands 4 has just reminded me of what I truly want from a game like it. Ultimately, it leaves me wondering if Destiny 2 will ever open itself up in the same way.
- Released
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September 12, 2025
- ESRB
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Rating Pending
