Borderlands 3: A Wild Ride through Mediocrity

Review: 

Borderlands 3, the long-awaited sequel in the looter shooter franchise, falls short of its predecessors in various aspects. While it offers the familiar mayhem and addictive gameplay, its story and character development leave much to be desired. Gameplay-wise, Borderlands 3 nails it. The all-new movement mechanics, such as sliding and climbing, add a refreshing dynamic to the series. The character skills feel significant and impactful, ensuring that players never feel like they're doing nothing.

Whether you're playing solo or with friends, the gameplay is undeniably fun, especially in those moments when you can just turn off your brain and shoot stuff. However, the enemy diversity is a major disappointment. You'll encounter the same old enemies over and over again, with little variation. Psychos, psychos with guns, wildlife creatures, and Maliwan guys are the overwhelming majority. This lack of variety feels like a wasted opportunity to bring in new and exciting challenges. The story, unfortunately, falls flat.

Borderlands 3 suffers from severe writing issues that seethe with poor management and lack of communication within the writing room. The narrative is indecisive, teasing potentially interesting outcomes before quickly backtracking and delivering a disappointing story and even worse ending. It's as if two factions within the writing team had conflicting ideas, resulting in an unsatisfying tug of war. The character writing is also a letdown. The Calypso Twins, the main villains of the game, come across as a poor parody of streamer culture and ultimately feel like wasted potential.

Troy calypso quickly becomes irrelevant, while Tyreen lacks the depth or improvisation we saw in the iconic Handsome Jack. Returning characters, such as Lilith, Vaughn, and Rhys, are turned into uninspired versions of their former selves, lacking personality and feeling like mere shells of their previous iterations. Borderlands 3 suffers from what I like to call "Pokemon syndrome." You play as a character in the world, rather than being a central protagonist. The story revolves around characters like Ava, Lilith, and Tannis, putting you in the backseat as you do all the heavy lifting without gaining much personal investment. Cutscenes often focus on NPCs, leaving the player feeling disconnected from the narrative. Despite its shortcomings, Borderlands 3 remains an enjoyable experience, particularly when played with friends. The abundance of guns and loot ensure that every fight is an opportunity to acquire new and exciting gear. The game's online co-op functionality allows for seamless gameplay with friends, regardless of level or mission progress. For those looking to scratch their Borderlands itch, I would still recommend going back to Borderlands 2, where the story and character development truly shine. On the bright side, the DLCs for Borderlands 3, like "Krieg's Fustercluck" and "The Handsome Jackpot," manage to recapture some of the series' former glory with improved writing and engaging storytelling. In conclusion, Borderlands 3 is a mixed bag.

While it excels in gameplay and co-op action, its lackluster story, underdeveloped characters, and recycled enemy types cast a shadow over the experience. If you're a fan of the franchise, it's worth a playthrough, but don't expect it to surpass the greatness of its predecessors. This guide will help you master Borderlands 3, a popular RPG, Action, Looter Shooter game..