Follow my Curator page, Fruit N Doggie Reviews, so you can be updated whenever I post a new review.

I had no intention of getting Borderlands 3 (BL3) so early, but I was fortunate enough to win a copy from a giveaway. I've enjoyed other games in the series, though I wondered if this sequel would live up to the anticipation surrounding it. As I started playing, I was surprised how much it appealed to me, since at its core it shares so much in common with its predecessors. Those were certainly fine games, but there's something about BL3 that makes it more fun to play.


For me, even though the gameplay is seemingly so similar to the previous games, this is where BL3 shines. The pacing for the game is better, as you won't traverse as many dead areas, trudging along because you have to run across the map just to find the start of a quest. With the ability to fast travel to specific markers, like your vehicle, getting around is faster and easier. It's hard to describe, but fighting enemies is also more enjoyable, as the action feels more rapid-fire and engaging. You'll be punished if you are too reckless or get surrounded by enemies, but if you can single-out targets and pick them off reliably, you should do just fine.

https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2175437439
The control scheme is nearly identical to the other games, and I had no issues playing it with a controller. It's a twin-stick shooter, so it'll handle mostly as you'd expect for titles like this. You have to change this in the settings, but as you open gun slots, you can use the 'D-pad' to change to specific guns. By default, this will only effect your emotes, which seemed silly to me.


Whereas the gameplay was a highlight of BL3, its story is where it fails the hardest. The antagonists come off as obnoxious brats, who are so dysfunctional they barely get along. It seems like an insult to the younger generation, with them lampooning Twitch streamers and being so childish. Though they have amazing powers, which should make them more of a threat or menace than Handsome Jack, they're a shadow of the presence he had, and I just wanted them to shut up. As far as the general fan base is concerned, they despise Ava even more than the antagonists, and I can somewhat understand why.

While progressing through the story, protagonists you're familiar with wind up being ineffectual and incompetent, especially when key characters die without putting up much of a fight. However, the player is similarly limited, because even as you're present in these pivotal moments, you merely sit there and watch, instead of interceding, or even being stopped. It makes it feel like you have no impact on the story, since you're so disregarded in what happens. This also applies to how you don't get anything for all the work you do in the plot. Considering how you're a voiced character instead of a silent protagonist, and how Ava gets everything handed to her on a silver platter, it's no wonder why people hate her so much.

https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2175438497
BL3 maintains the aesthetic and art style it's known for in the series, but it's been significantly cleaned up from the older games. There are more details, better visual effects, and things don't look as flat. I'm not one to over-emphasize how games look, but I have to admit that starting a new BL game and having it look so crisp was nice. One downside I've noticed, is that I need to close other programs to make sure it starts and runs smoothly.


This might be because you visit different worlds, but the soundtrack seems more varied, and without as strong a core theme, compared to the previous games. Despite how this might sound like a criticism, I actually enjoyed the different songs and styles incorporated. I would admit, some of the combat tunes felt overly intense, as they'd take place with regular enemies and mobs that went down easily, but that's a minor nitpick. The sound effects sounded appropriate, but it's annoying when nearby NPCs repeatedly shout at you until you talk to them.

https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2175436986
🌟 When playing with others, you no longer have to share loot and decide who gets the rare item. Also, gold items drop fairly often, so you'll be more likely to trade or share them then in other BL games.
🌟 The ability to climb up obstacles and slide around are nice improvements to your mobility. However, there are times when you won't grab onto a ledge when you should, which is annoying.
🌟 There's a loot collecting device in Sanctuary. If you miss gold, purple, or blue items, it'll gather them for you, but it has a limit on how many it can hold.
🌟 The crew challenges help fill out each area with additional things to do. I especially enjoyed Hammerlock's legendary hunts and Zer0 Targets.


❌ While playing, I experienced at least three bugs while trying to complete missions, all of which centered around items or NPCs glitching into the ground. These weren't hard-locked, exiting out to the main menu and reloading fixed it, but there are still issues with the game's coding.
❌ Gearbox doesn't know how to write more than a few personalities, as there's little variety in the characters: hyperviolent sociopaths, rambling lunatics, condescending braggarts, and awesomesauce cool guys.
❌ Increasing ammo capacity is done with money instead of Eridium, so for most of the game, your money is used only for that. Eridium should have more utility for a rare, highly sought-out item.
❌ Unless you follow a character guide, choosing your own level-up abilities will probably lead to an underpowered build.


🔍 I noticed that when I tried sniping, several enemies would dodge out of the way just as I fired, making sniping less effective than it was in BL2. Additionally, I find myself firing from the hip more often, and being more aggressive.
🔍 The value listed beside each weapon is a useful guide, but it's not an end-all, be-all metric. Depending on the effects, and combination with your abilities and playstyle, a lower value item might be better.
🔍 Corrosive damage isn't that useful, as only a few enemies have armor. However, radiation and cyro seem particularly effective.


I find BL3 to be a mixed bag. On the one hand, it's a very fun coop shooter. One that I put several hours of playtime into, especially while playing with my friends. Looking at the negative side though, we've discussed various issues with the game while playing, such as the horrible story, and how unimpressive the loot from vaults are. Infrequently, you'll get a golden weapon as a mission reward, and can even find them in white chests. However, when opening legendary vaults worth killing over, there's no guarantee of getting golden weapons, and it has plenty of white items too, so it seems like a joke by comparison. Despite all of my criticisms, I find BL3 to be a game worth playing. Overall, I wouldn't suggest paying full price for the title, but if you know you'd have friends to play alongside, I'd pick up a copy while it's on sale.

[quote]Follow my Curator page, [url=https://steamproxy.net/steamstore/curator/41363546-Fruit-N-Doggie-Reviews/]Fruit N Doggie Reviews,[/url] so you can be updated whenever I post a new review.[/quote] [h1]Overall Rating - High Quality ★★★★☆[/h1] [h1]First Impressions[/h1] I had no intention of getting Borderlands 3 (BL3) so early, but I was fortunate enough to win a copy from a giveaway. I've enjoyed other games in the series, though I wondered if this sequel would live up to the anticipation surrounding it. As I started playing, I was surprised how much it appealed to me, since at its core it shares so much in common with its predecessors. Those were certainly fine games, but there's something about BL3 that makes it more fun to play. [h1]Gameplay[/h1] For me, even though the gameplay is seemingly so similar to the previous games, this is where BL3 shines. The pacing for the game is better, as you won't traverse as many dead areas, trudging along because you have to run across the map just to find the start of a quest. With the ability to fast travel to specific markers, like your vehicle, getting around is faster and easier. It's hard to describe, but fighting enemies is also more enjoyable, as the action feels more rapid-fire and engaging. You'll be punished if you are too reckless or get surrounded by enemies, but if you can single-out targets and pick them off reliably, you should do just fine. https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2175437439 [h1]Controls[/h1] The control scheme is nearly identical to the other games, and I had no issues playing it with a controller. It's a twin-stick shooter, so it'll handle mostly as you'd expect for titles like this. You have to change this in the settings, but as you open gun slots, you can use the 'D-pad' to change to specific guns. By default, this will only effect your emotes, which seemed silly to me. [h1]Story[/h1] Whereas the gameplay was a highlight of BL3, its story is where it fails the hardest. The antagonists come off as obnoxious brats, who are so dysfunctional they barely get along. It seems like an insult to the younger generation, with them lampooning Twitch streamers and being so childish. Though they have amazing powers, which should make them more of a threat or menace than Handsome Jack, they're a shadow of the presence he had, and I just wanted them to shut up. As far as the general fan base is concerned, they despise Ava even more than the antagonists, and I can somewhat understand why. While progressing through the story, protagonists you're familiar with wind up being ineffectual and incompetent, [spoiler]especially when key characters die without putting up much of a fight.[/spoiler] However, the player is similarly limited, because even as you're present in these pivotal moments, you merely sit there and watch, instead of interceding, or even being stopped. It makes it feel like you have no impact on the story, since you're so disregarded in what happens. This also applies to how you don't get anything for all the work you do in the plot. Considering how you're a voiced character instead of a silent protagonist, and how Ava gets everything handed to her on a silver platter, it's no wonder why people hate her so much. https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2175438497 [h1]Visuals[/h1] BL3 maintains the aesthetic and art style it's known for in the series, but it's been significantly cleaned up from the older games. There are more details, better visual effects, and things don't look as flat. I'm not one to over-emphasize how games look, but I have to admit that starting a new BL game and having it look so crisp was nice. One downside I've noticed, is that I need to close other programs to make sure it starts and runs smoothly. [h1]Sound Design[/h1] This might be because you visit different worlds, but the soundtrack seems more varied, and without as strong a core theme, compared to the previous games. Despite how this might sound like a criticism, I actually enjoyed the different songs and styles incorporated. I would admit, some of the combat tunes felt overly intense, as they'd take place with regular enemies and mobs that went down easily, but that's a minor nitpick. The sound effects sounded appropriate, but it's annoying when nearby NPCs repeatedly shout at you until you talk to them. https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2175436986 [h1] Pros [/h1] 🌟 When playing with others, you no longer have to share loot and decide who gets the rare item. Also, gold items drop fairly often, so you'll be more likely to trade or share them then in other BL games. 🌟 The ability to climb up obstacles and slide around are nice improvements to your mobility. However, there are times when you won't grab onto a ledge when you should, which is annoying. 🌟 There's a loot collecting device in Sanctuary. If you miss gold, purple, or blue items, it'll gather them for you, but it has a limit on how many it can hold. 🌟 The crew challenges help fill out each area with additional things to do. I especially enjoyed Hammerlock's legendary hunts and Zer0 Targets. [h1] Cons [/h1] ❌ While playing, I experienced at least three bugs while trying to complete missions, all of which centered around items or NPCs glitching into the ground. These weren't hard-locked, exiting out to the main menu and reloading fixed it, but there are still issues with the game's coding. ❌ Gearbox doesn't know how to write more than a few personalities, as there's little variety in the characters: hyperviolent sociopaths, rambling lunatics, condescending braggarts, and awesomesauce cool guys. ❌ Increasing ammo capacity is done with money instead of Eridium, so for most of the game, your money is used only for that. Eridium should have more utility for a rare, highly sought-out item. ❌ Unless you follow a character guide, choosing your own level-up abilities will probably lead to an underpowered build. [h1]Tips[/h1] 🔍 I noticed that when I tried sniping, several enemies would dodge out of the way just as I fired, making sniping less effective than it was in BL2. Additionally, I find myself firing from the hip more often, and being more aggressive. 🔍 The value listed beside each weapon is a useful guide, but it's not an end-all, be-all metric. Depending on the effects, and combination with your abilities and playstyle, a lower value item might be better. 🔍 Corrosive damage isn't that useful, as only a few enemies have armor. However, radiation and cyro seem particularly effective. [h1]Final Thoughts[/h1] I find BL3 to be a mixed bag. On the one hand, it's a very fun coop shooter. One that I put several hours of playtime into, especially while playing with my friends. Looking at the negative side though, we've discussed various issues with the game while playing, such as the horrible story, and how unimpressive the loot from vaults are. Infrequently, you'll get a golden weapon as a mission reward, and can even find them in white chests. However, when opening legendary vaults worth killing over, there's no guarantee of getting golden weapons, and it has plenty of white items too, so it seems like a joke by comparison. Despite all of my criticisms, I find BL3 to be a game worth playing. Overall, I wouldn't suggest paying full price for the title, but if you know you'd have friends to play alongside, I'd pick up a copy while it's on sale. [table] [tr] [th]PC Specs[/th] [th]Performance[/th] [/tr] [tr] [td]Ryzen 2700 RTX 2070 16GB RAM ADATA SSD 1920x1080 [/td] [td]There were a few bugs in the missions, but reloading the game fixed them. 🌡️ - BL3 is a bit sickly [/td] [/tr] [/table]