Unveiling the Ultimate Formula: Why Borderlands 4 Must Embrace the Concept Amplified by Destiny 2 Season of the Deep

Destiny 2’s Season of the Deep introduces a host of fresh content, including fishing, a new dungeon, and a previously vaulted planet. Additionally, underwater encounters have been introduced, a feature rarely seen in fantasy shooters. This innovative addition sets a precedent for other franchises, such as Borderlands, to explore underwater locations and potentially elevate the experience further. The Borderlands series can draw inspiration from Destiny 2's Season of the Deep and incorporate underwater exploration into future games, showcasing their knack for experimenting with unique environmental elements, even if combat is not involved.

Destiny 2’s Underwater Exploration Has Plenty of Room to Grow

The new Ghosts of the Deep Dungeon and the current seasonal activities in Destiny 2 introduce underwater encounters where players can explore methane instead of water. Throughout these encounters, players must locate fixed air bubbles to manage their air pressure levels and avoid suffocation. While these underwater sections present stunning new environments, they primarily serve as transitions between true encounters in the activity. The Ghosts of the Deep Dungeon offers dedicated underwater exploration encounters, but there is potential for further development in the mechanics of underwater exploration.

Destiny 2's underwater encounters provide a refreshing change of scenery, yet there is room for improvement. The class skills, which encompass movement abilities that contribute to the power fantasy of Destiny, are restricted during these underwater sections, limiting players to a single jump. Exploring the possibilities of how Destiny 2's diverse range of weapons could perform underwater could also be worth considering. By not allowing the use of skills and abilities, there is a missed opportunity for enhanced gameplay. While it is unlikely that Destiny 2 will completely revamp the underwater mechanics to incorporate combat and abilities, Borderlands, with its legacy of unique environments, could potentially rise to this challenge.

The Borderlands Franchise Already Has the Makings for Great Underwater Environments

Borderlands games, specifically Borderlands The Pre-Sequel, lay a solid groundwork for environmental dynamics that affect player mobility. Some planets and locations feature reduced gravity, providing additional options for player movement such as a double jump. Although these environmental mechanics did not carry over into subsequent Borderlands games, they serve as a stepping stone for the potential introduction of underwater exploration in the future of the franchise.

Underwater exploration could also bring back the use of Oz Kits in the Borderlands franchise. These kits enable players to manage their oxygen levels in oxygen-deprived environments and were initially designed for desolate planets. However, they could seamlessly integrate into any underwater setting. Additionally, Oz Kits add an extra layer of combat as players have the ability to remove an enemy's Oz Kit, leading to suffocation damage over time through critical hits. The success of underwater exploration in a Borderlands game would heavily rely on the gunplay and skills of the game's Vault Hunters. Therefore, combat is a vital element that must be incorporated after the implementation of environmental mechanics seen in Borderlands The Pre-Sequel.

While Destiny 2 offers a decent starting point for underwater exploration, the Borderlands franchise has ample opportunity to expand upon this feature.

Destiny 2 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.