There’s a lot that the new Borderlands: Game of the Year remaster gets right. Yes, there are clear and obvious upgrades over the original release, not least the provision for higher quality textures that ensure that the game holds up well on a modern 4K display. Then there are the enhanced options and quality of life improvements and the fact that PC owners of the original decade-old release get the new version for free – but just how good are the various console ports?
Without head-to-head comparisons, the initial impression when loading up the GOTY edition is that this is classic Borderlands just as you remember it – and it’s fair to say that the game’s cel-shaded style still manages to hold up today. The key visual upgrade is indeed to texture quality, with much more detail – and this may account for a 19GB download size on PC up against the original’s 12GB. Lighting and colour grading also seems significantly punchier too up against the older version.
While the objective is to deliver a presentation fit for 4K displays, the same upgrades are present and correct across all versions of the game, with both base and enhanced machines delivering the same core art. Interestingly though, while HDR is supported, it is restricted to consoles only – the PC version is left behind in this area.
