Borderlands 4 Doesn't Look As Innovative As It Should, And That Could Be A Big Problem

screenrant.com:

has been a long time coming, with the last mainline entry released all the way back in 2019. It's been nearly six years since the last game — a gap that's actually smaller than the seven-year gap between and — and fans are curious as to what's next for the beloved FPS series. Fortunately, Gearbox Software has finally shown off some gameplay at The Game Awards.

Considering that the games are some of the best co-op shooters, there are a lot of expectations riding on. However, that initial trailer failed to inspire confidence and made the latest game in the series feel a little underwhelming. There's a fundamental flaw with the current state of that needs to be fixed with better marketing in the future.

got off to a fairly good start with its somewhat reassuring Game Awards trailer that showcased a mixture of cinematic footage and in-game gameplay. It set the scene, established the major players in the main story, and featured short snippets of action-packed gunplay. However, while there is a lot to like about the trailer, especially for those who have enjoyed all the previous games,it's hard not to feel like it's just going through the motions.

The trailer, which features four buff Vault Hunters, lots of multicolored weapons falling from the sky, cheesy pop music cut to the action, indistinguishable gunplay, and biomes that look like they could have been from any game, almost looks like it could be advertising any of the other games in the series. Were it not for the different character designs, , at this stage, looks more like a DLC pack for the third game.

Visually, isn't doing anything new, retaining the character design philosophy that can be seen throughout the entire franchise as well as familiar-looking locations despite being set on another planet. The same can be said of the gameplay, as while there is a smattering of new enemies showcased in the trailer, it more or less looks like players will be doing what they've been doing since 2009.

Of course, this