The gunplay in Borderlands 3 is satisfying, well-crafted, and among the best in its class. However, the constant explosions when opening chests reflect Borderlands 3’s crass, unfunny script. Whether you're playing for the action or looking to buy Xbox games, finding good humor in Borderlands 3 is like panning for gold in a urinal. One side mission has a mother asking you to kill Borman Nates—a not-so-clever play on Norman Bates. An NPC even tells you that games are for "simpletons and impudent children," which feels like a direct insult from the writers to the players. This might be more tolerable if the game weren’t rated 18+. It’s supposedly for adults, yet it often feels like it’s designed for edgy teenagers. Characters often talk over each other, and dialogue sometimes cuts out mid-sentence when you move between areas. Sometimes you’ll have to backtrack because a character finishes talking just after you leave, forcing you to redo tedious navigation. If the game paced itself better, more jokes might land, and the overall experience would be less overwhelming.
Borderlands 3: The Power of Versatile Builds
In Borderlands 3, every piece of equipment and every character stat feels essential in this loot shooter. Whether you're trying to maximize your experience or looking to buy PS5 games, playing as Moze, one of the four available characters, showcased the versatility with at least four distinct playstyles. Initially focusing on ammo regeneration and heavy machine guns, I transitioned to an explosives-focused build midway through. Now, most of my critical hits deal explosive damage, and my mech is equipped with grenade launchers and a mini-nuke. Kills replenishes my mech's fuel, sports a bubble shield, and even operates autonomously for a period after I eject. Despite scaling challenges to your level, Borderlands 3 manages to make you feel overwhelmingly powerful with smart character builds or acquiring new weapons. While you can still meet your demise if caught off guard, by endgame, you'll feel like an unstoppable force. Post-credits, three toggles allow you to add combat modifiers for increased loot drop rates, adding depth to the challenge. While many missions follow the typical 'go there, shoot things' formula, occasional outliers keep gameplay fresh. One standout mission involves a visit to a robotic therapist who tasks you with unusual actions like lying down on a couch (which your character can't do) and painting a wall by stabbing paint and then the wall. Another main story mission pays homage to Telltale's Tales from the Borderlands, albeit slightly undermined by the absence of Troy Baker reprising his role as Rhys. However, the game compensates with eccentric casting choices like Ice-T voicing a teddy bear, which likely consumed a significant portion of the talent budget.
Borderlands 3: A Visual Spectacle with Performance Hiccups
Gearbox has spared no expense in the art department with Borderlands 3. Each planet you visit has its unique vibe, and flying between them from your mobile base, Sanctuary, adds to the sense of epic scale. However, performance issues occasionally mar the experience, with the frame rate struggling to maintain smoothness, even on PS4 Pro's performance mode. Despite occasional stutters, bugs are relatively rare, with instances like NPCs getting stuck in loops or falling through the world being minor inconveniences thanks to the game's infinite respawn system. In Borderlands 3, constant movement is prioritized over taking cover, and dodging projectiles becomes crucial. Dispatching enemies with explosive shotgun rounds and finishing them off mid-air adds to the excitement. Every weak enemy presents an opportunity for a second chance through the Second Wind mechanic, allowing players to recover from a downed state by quickly dispatching an enemy. However, this mechanic falters in boss encounters, especially in solo play, where players may struggle due to high fodder spawn rates.
Borderlands 3: A Bounty of Bonkers Guns
I've had pistols that shoot projectiles that burst like fireworks upon impact, LMGs that fire endlessly before overheating, and revolvers powered by dying stars. Powerful guns are requiring precise distance judgment to connect three curling explosives and even guns that blow you up when opening chests. You're limited in what you can carry, even with capacity upgrades, which means you'll spend a lot of time in menus, discarding guns. If Borderlands 3's inventory management were a meme, it would be the guy struggling to hold too many limes. With so many guns, it's rare for any to feel as iconic as some of Destiny's best. Despite Borderlands 3 seemingly wanting me to hate it, I really, really like it—a lot. As someone who's grown a bit tired of loot shooters, the game’s moronic, sophomoric dialogue conceals one of the most thoughtful, satisfying shooters available right now. You just have to learn to tune out the white noise and remember to swap your weapon before opening a chest.