My youth mostly consisted of split-screen multiplayer, clanning up on arena shooters and LAN parties. As time moved on I mellowed into single player RPG type experiences. The type of games that Borderlands titles aspired to be.
What happened? Maturation probably played it’s part in my eventual gravitation to all things Nintendo, oh and Pokemon. Pokemon took over my free-will just before the millenium.
I first played Borderlands on its original 360 outing via split screen with a good friend of mine, which was fun, but felt like a glorified ‘Dale’s Supermarket Sweep’ to me. These experiences are best served with friends, I’ll admit. But what about when players just want some down time and want to ignore humans for a while? Borderlands 3 tries to provide an answer to that question.
A Pinnacle of Sorts
Borderlands 3 is a culmination of 2K’s formula for gun-fuelled ecstasy that does everything it says on the tin. Featuring franchise firsts (such as venturing out of Pandora) and blending perfectly with the self deprecating humour the franchise is known for, this is my dream childhood game on paper. Button mapping, gun recoil and the aiming system are refined to perfection. General movement and action is tight and responsive.
The choice of playable characters offers enough variety to warrant a second playthrough of the 30+ hour campaign. I gravitated towards the beastmaster himself due to his affinity for animals/monsters and the weight his name would hold in my old Unreal Tournament 2004 clan.
So now I have the childhood game of my dreams, a badass monster wielder that my Pokémon body is ready for, infinite sarcasm to water the roots of my English negativity and beautiful sandboxes to play in.
Upskilling and Upgunning
The three skill trees on display for vault hunters in Borderlands 3 provide such a wealth of upgrades and buffs that can be switched around and improved upon that players could spend hours creating their perfect build. YouTube is a bustling hive of perfect builds dependent on a person’s playstyle. Loot has always been the main focus of the Borderlands franchise and its third instalment is no different, dungeon crawling and RPG elements get a big fat tick on my list of gaming turn ons.
Guns. Oh my, the guns. I come from a time when the pinnacle of ranged weapons were insane for having a secondary fire. Borderlands three provides the illusion of infinite weapons to players by providing near limitless build combinations, with legendary weapons being the top tier. There’s a gun that shoots lightning and rockets at the same time, who thought of that? That’s insane and brilliant in equal measure.
For example, one boss fight literally turns the floor into a live electrical grid for the duration of the battle. The feeling of achievement is second-to-none in the same regard.
Midnight Runners
Vehicles are plentiful in Pandora and beyond, with mechanics in place to steal some and break them down for parts to create your own Goliath. These vehicles are divided into three categories: The Outrunner, The Technical or the Cyclone. Each has their own sets of benefits and weaknesses. Mechanical mounts also stretch the realms of the imagination beyond wheels at times with mechs being present in parts.
Moving back to the multiplayer component of Borderlands 3, it’s seamless. Hopping between multiplayer and single player couldn’t be easier. Vault hunters can also make sure they get their share of the loot this time now by opting to make loot available to all players in-place of the usual snatch and grab fest. Has one of your chums run out of ammo? No problem, just trade items. Brilliant.
Break for the Border?
Everything considered, yes, I have changed my gaming tastes slightly and might be chasing my own nostalgia. But I still love arena shooters. DooM Eternal was an amazing experience for me. My conclusion? Choice and variety is always necessary,
Whilst it’s great to choose one’s own path and build characters and weapons the way one wants, it’s also quite overwhelming for newcomers to the franchise. It’s frustrating for a gamer such as myself who likes every single idea in Borderlands 3, this is a combination of DooM, GTA, Elder Scrolls, Fallout and Pokemon for me in terms of mechanics. Not execution. As such I can see the appeal, I can justify the communities and mass following this franchise has amassed. It just isn’t for me.
Now if you’ll all excuse me, I need to go and tell my cat why I think she needs to dull her claws. Then make her scratch my skin open to once again come to the same conclusion.
