You begin your journey as one of four new vault hunters: Zane the Operative, Moze the Gunner, Amara the Siren and, my personal favourite, FL4K the Beastmaster. After making the tough choice of who to play, you’ll begin your fight against Tyreen and Troy Calypso, evil twins with egos that rival that of Handsome Jack himself.
Together, they have united all of the bandits using the internet (allegory much?) in order to open the Great Vault.
The story is incredible, properly capturing the definitive Borderlands feel. Plot twists, crass humour and, of course, Tiny Tina, guide you along a crazy journey across planets that feel wholly unique. Much like in the past, the characters fall into two camps: rage-inducing, or wonderfully endearing.
"New mechanics like wall climbing and sliding make movement feel notably smoother..."
Now, onto gameplay It feels like the developers must’ve looked at each complaint made against Borderlands 2 and made fixing them for the third entry their top priority. New mechanics like wall climbing and sliding make movement feel notably smoother, while the extra options for action skills (each character has three) and seemingly hundreds of cosmetic options and skins ensure you can mix and match to your heart’s content.
Both vehicles and guns can be modified, the map shows different levels of terrain, and legendary items seem to drop like confetti. All of these changes give the game a more varied overall feel, while also more rewarding and much more fun. To me, it is flawless.
The biggest change that I loved was the boss fights. Each and every boss has their own unique attack pattern, meaning that every single fight is different. The game no longer feels “walk in, shoot a guy a few times, hope for some good loot” - instead you have to prepare for a fight and pay attention to their attacks. It brings a whole new experience to the game, as well as a greater sense of achievement.
"The game is graciously loaded with side-splitting pop-culture references, alluding to a variety of media from Skyrim to Rick and Morty."
Thankfully, the things that make Borderlands great haven’t changed. The game is graciously loaded with side-splitting pop-culture references, alluding to a variety of media from Skyrim to Rick and Morty. While desperately trying to save the galaxy, you are still sent on ridiculous missions like reclaiming a coffee shop for a distressed employee!
All-in-all, BL3 is a fantastic game. If you can afford the fifty quid, this one is certainly worth the splurge.