Diving into Borderlands 3

Borderlands 3 is the first video game title I played in the Borderlands series. With no expectations, I really went in with an open mind to see how this compares to other popular first-person shooters (Apex Legends, Fortnite, PlayerUnknown's Battle Grounds, Call of Duty, etc.). Needless to say, it is able to differentiate itself to the competition and is one of the best first-person shooter games to come out of 2019.

Borderlands 3 is the first video game title I played in the Borderlands series. With no expectations, I really went in with an open mind to see how this compares to other popular first-person shooters (Apex Legends, Fortnite, PlayerUnknown's Battle Grounds, Call of Duty, etc.). Needless to say, it is able to differentiate itself to the competition and is one of the best first-person shooter games to come out of 2019. 

Gameplay

When you first enter the game, you can already tell this it will be packed with gun fights, visually satisfying worlds, and great replayability. 

I only played this game solo, but you have an option to play with your friends and share/not share the loot equally. I personally like to play games like these solo, but I believe playing with friends would have made it a totally different experience. There were certain times in gun fights that I felt overwhelmed and having a partner would have helped to change the tide of battle. It may be something I need to do in the future. 

Weapons feel satisfying thanks to the variety the game gives. Sound design to each weapon is also superb because each gun sounds like how it is supposed to make that sound. Hitting enemies from Skags to Bosses feel like a reward because once you are able to find their weak points, the game gives you a dose of dopamine from the sound of the hits and seeing the words “CRITICAL”.

The UI can be confusing at first, but it soon becomes seamless thanks to the tutorials when first open them up. Finding the main and side mission locations on the map were very easy. Main missions push you along the story, but I found the side missions were also very entertaining. It does not feel like the formulaic side missions you would get and each one you take gives you a better understanding of your side characters surprisingly. Comparing loot stats was also very easy thanks to the box of colorful information you get every time you hover over items. You can be fed with too much information, but Borderlands 3 helps to ease you into it.

Guns 

The variety of guns in this game is massive. You will literally find them everywhere in old and new locations, which gives us an incentive to look for better weapons. Each gun was designed meticulously, and you can find small, tiny details if you look closely enough on each gun. It can range from the sound of a machine gun firing, the charging up of a pulse gun, or the bright, parallel shots of a sniper. The game allows you to buy and upgrade guns, ammo, armor, grenades, and skins in certain shops, but you can find just as much better weapons looting and going through the main story of the game.

Location and Art 

Borderlands 3 adapts its old art style but mixes it with the modern graphics of today. I thought I would only be on the world of Pandora, but I soon found that there were multiple worlds to explore. I was a bit thankful because I soon found Pandora to be a bit dull with its colors. Promethea was a fresh breath of air seeing how different it was. Instead of desert hills, rocky mountains, and dirt roads, I was greeted with highways, high, tall skyscrapers, and neon city-like districts.

Borderlands 3 is a fresh take on the first-person shooter genre thanks to the seamless UI, range of weapons to choose from, consciously unique art style, and multiple worlds. As you keep playing throughout the game, you discover more of the lore and powerful weapons. With combinations like this, Borderlands 3 has endless experiences for the individual. 

-Liam Cassiel (twitch.tv/lo3sky)