Персонажі Borderlands 4 / Трейлер
The Borderlands 4 trailer at The Game Awards 2024 sparked a wild reaction from fans. Many didn’t vibe with the new visual style and characters.
A hallmark of the Borderlands series has been its comic book-style graphics, with black outlines and distinct stylization of shapes and colors. And now, this “comic book” feel has been dialed down to amp up the detail. As Tyler Wilde from PC Gamer aptly described, it seems like the characters are just cosplaying Borderlands by slapping on some black lines on foam bodies, and in some scenes, the traditional stylization is almost entirely missing.
But the loss of stylization isn’t the only issue troubling Borderlands fans. Their attention is glued to the new heroes, who haven’t quite impressed. The characters are called “soft,” or as we might say, “meh.” There are also other comments that criticize opponents for being overly negative, or say that maybe everyone just hasn’t seen enough yet.
Reactions vary, from simple expressions of dislike to specific grievances. Vault Hunters are criticized for being monotonous: they’re all humans, no aliens or robots, with identical facial expressions and clothing that might seem too bizarre, even for Borderlands. On the other hand, one comment might be on point: “If you love the game, don’t visit its subreddit.”
The author of this news isn’t a fan of the traditional Borderlands style and prefers realism in graphics, but even so, there’s a desire to return to the previous games. The series has been successful for many years and has a ton of fans— who knows if people will vote for Borderlands 4 with their wallets in 2025. The new style doesn’t seem like an improvement; frankly, it feels like some other game. As for the new seekers, they somehow remind people of characters from the year’s biggest flop, Concord, and aren’t winning any hearts.