Borderlands 3 (PS5)

Borderlands 3 is a co-op first-person shooter game developed by Gearbox Software and published by 2K Games. It is the sequel of Borderlands 2 and the fourth installment in the Borderlands series.

The game focuses on exploring open world environments of the titular Borderlands and killing enemies with an array of weapons. The game puts great emphasis on looting fallen adversaries and boxes scattered around the map for new tools of destruction, as well as gaining experience points and leveling up one of four playable characters with unique skill sets.

Gameplay

Borderlands 3  follows the innovative gameplay style introduced in previous installments of the series. The primary focus of the game is finding increasingly powerful weapons, completing missions and side-quests as well as killing enemies for experience points and traversing vast open areas of the game world. The series is well known for the incorporation of co-op mode, where up to four players could work together to progress through the game. Co-op mode returns in Borderlands 3, but players who’d rather fly solo can still do that no problem.

Vault Hunters assemble
At the beginning of the game, the players choose one of four Vault Hunters, each of whom possesses different sets of upgradeable skills. These include action skills, which have various uses, from dealing with damage to protecting from it. Action skills can be augmented to become even more efficient. Unlike its prequels, Borderlands 3 includes three skill trees, different for each character, which develop various sets of abilities, including damage dealt, the strength of the defense, etc.

A mass of weapons of mass destruction
Borderlands 3 and the series itself takes the first spot in having the largest number of weapons available. These fall into usual types of pistols, revolvers, assault rifles, shotguns, sniper rifles, various launchers, etc., which are further divided by rarity. But the sheer amount of different combinations and variants of ammunition, plus the elemental effects allotted to a weapon, makes fighting in Borderlands 3 a totally unique experience. Suffice to say that the number of available tools of destruction goes into tens of millions. Wrap your head around that number, why don’cha?

Hey, was that here before?
Borderlands 3 introduces several new mechanics to already bursting gameplay system. First of these new changes is sliding. It adds to the characters’ movement capabilities by giving them a chance to quickly duck behind cover when under heavy fire or easily sneak up on unsuspecting enemies. Another new mechanic is climbing. Players can now jump onto ledges and pull themselves up gaining the higher ground to rain fire on their opponents.

Several of the mechanics make their return in Borderlands 3. The “buttslam” move introduced in the Pre-Sequel, now under the name “Groundpound”, allows the player to slam into the ground and deal some serious damage to nearby opponents. Combined with climbing, it provides new ways of using the environment against adversaries.

Story Summary
The story of Borderlands 3 picks up soon after the events presented in the series’ spin-off, “The Tales of the Borderlands”. The game features a new pair of antagonists, Troy and Tyreen Calypso. The devilish duo found out that the Vaults, mysterious strongholds guarding unbelievable treasures, exist beyond the planet Pandora. Leading their faction of the Children of the Vault, Troy and Tyreen set off to find them. Lilith, one of the Siren and former protagonist of Borderlands, recruits new Vault Hunters to stop the Calypsos from gaining the wealth of extra-Pandoran Vaults.

Reception
The critics were full of praise for this new installment of the Borderlands series. Many praises were given to the series for sticking to its guns for so long and introducing only cosmetic changes while maintaining the same core gameplay mechanics. The changes praised by critics included refined mechanics and graphics engine, new playable characters with unique skills, as well as improved movement system, with emphasis put on vertical exploration. All in all, the critics were full of anticipation for the newest member of the Borderlands family.