It’s no secret that Borderlands 4 is a lot like Destiny 2, with similar gunplay and movement mechanics, loot at the core of its gameplay loop, and even a vehicle that can be summoned and driven like a sparrow. In fact, there are even Vanguard Drill Sites in Borderlands 4, which effortlessly bring to mind Destiny 2‘s Vanguard activities, and a robot companion named Echo-4 who acts as a guide akin to Destiny 2‘s Ghost. There are simply far too many likenesses to ignore, and it’s to the point where formerly-devoted Destiny 2 players have been flocking to Borderlands 4 since its launch.
Of course, it would take more than Borderlands 4 sharing similarities with Destiny 2 for it to be a valid reason to leave the latter for the former. After all, there are plenty of first-person shooters and loot-driven games that have followed in Destiny‘s footsteps, all while Destiny 2 has continued to find success. However, it’s the fact that Borderlands 4 not only manages to scratch that Destiny itch but also that it does several major things better than Bungie’s MMO has done, especially in recent years, that has given Destiny 2 players plenty of reasons to switch obsessions.
Borderlands 4 Is Giving Destiny 2 Players Plenty of Reasons to Leave
Borderlands 4 Perfects the Destiny 2 Hunter Power Fantasy
Perhaps the biggest change Borderlands 4 made to the series’ formula is its new movement mechanics. Now, players can double-jump and glide, which, for all intents and purposes, makes every Vault Hunter in the game something of a Destiny 2 Guardian hybrid. Specifically, though, gameplay in Borderlands 4 feels like a Hunter from Destiny 2 was adopted by Gearbox, given a glide ability, and told to shoot and loot stuff. Just as the OP of a Reddit post comparing Borderlands 4 to Destiny 2 said “How did a non destiny game perfect the hunter power fantasy lol” in reference to Borderlands 4‘s satisfying movement mechanics, simply moving throughout the world is enough to scratch that Destiny 2 itch.
Borderlands 4 Is More Rewarding Than Destiny 2
There’s also the fact that Borderlands 4 just feels more rewarding than Destiny 2, although it could be argued that achieving that isn’t too difficult a feat. Destiny 2 has struggled with its reward loop for quite some time, making players feel like they aren’t getting out of the game what they put into it, and has instead relied on FOMO to keep players coming back time and time again. Borderlands 4, on the other hand, makes every minute that players spend in the game worth it.
Of course, since Borderlands 4 isn’t a live-service game, it can more readily hand out those rewards without fear of players never returning. However, it still sheds light on Destiny 2‘s limitations as far as its reward loop goes, simply due to the similarities the two games share. Players aren’t drawn back to Borderlands 4 repeatedly due to FOMO, but simply because they know that no matter how much time they spend in the game, they’ll walk away with something to show for it.
Borderlands 4's Solo Experience Is Superior to Destiny 2's
Then there’s Borderlands 4‘s solo experience to consider, which is far superior to Destiny 2‘s. Borderlands 4 was designed with co-op gameplay in mind, but it is still not only possible to get through the entire game alone, it is also an entirely viable way to play the game. Destiny 2, as a live-service MMO, obviously wasn’t created to accommodate solo players alone, but Borderlands 4 nonetheless manages to offer gameplay that is fulfilling in both solo and group play. In order for players to experience some of Destiny 2‘s pinnacle activities, they need large groups, and since not everyone has friends who play Destiny 2, that can be a big roadblock for them.
The MMO has done its best to make every aspect of the game more accessible to all players, including solo players, but its pinnacle content is also its most challenging, often requiring coordinated teams who can communicate with one another — something that group-finding systems have long struggled to achieve in MMOs. This has naturally driven Destiny 2‘s solo community away, looking for something similar that they can sink their teeth into. With friends, Borderlands 4 can be a lot of fun, but it can still be (and often is) just as entertaining to play alone.
Borderlands 4's Non-Live-Service Status Lowers Expectations for Longevity
Finally, it is, in fact, Borderlands 4‘s non-live-service status that helps it in the long run. Live-service games have had a rough go of it for quite some time now, as many titles in the field have launched with shallow content and an experience often devoid of heart and substance. This hasn’t necessarily been the story of Destiny 2, but its live-service status means there are certain expectations that come with it for longevity. Borderlands 4 doesn’t have such expectations, even though Gearbox has promised more content is on the way for it, which can automatically make players more receptive to it.
Needless to say, Borderlands 4 seems to be beating Destiny 2 in a contest the two games probably never should have been in to begin with. However, because Borderlands 4 has taken so many cues from Bungie’s MMO, the light shines bright on it, exposing its flaws even more than its recent shortcomings have for itself.