After a 5 year absence, Borderlands is back and somehow manages to be even better. With the same art style as past titles, but with refined movement and animations, the newest Borderlands 3 game takes what it was great at before and expands on it. New guns, better dialogue, detailed missions, new playable characters, and 30+ hours of gameplay is what really sets this title apart.

When the game begins, players start their journey on the planet of Pandora, on the cusp of war and total mayhem. After the death of Borderlands 2 antagonist, Handsome Jack, a power vacuum has opened up and Lilth, along with the Crimson Raiders, are trying to capitalize. That’s when players meet the newest antagonists, pseudo-Gods Tyreen and Troy Calypso, a twin duo bent on opening the vault. But unlike past Borderlands titles, players can move from planet to planet. There’s Pandora, Promethea, in which players are located in a sprawling city ravaged by a corporate war, and Athenas, a beautiful Buddhist temple themed area. Players can use new vehicles to explore these areas; a dune buggy and one wheeled motorcycle. I thought that the vehicles were much smoother than in previous games, and was a great way to explore all the new locations. 

At the beginning of the journey, players can choose between 4 characters; Moze the Gunner, Zane the Operative, Amara the Siren, and FL4K the Beastmaster. This year’s characters are much more customizable than previous games, and the player can choose between 3 different abilities for each skill tree. There’s a character for every style of play, and it’s fun to experiment with different builds to see which one suits the player the best. I chose FL4K, and he was so fun to play with. Players can use different pet followers with him that will help you in battle and act as a companion while exploring.

Not only that, but because it wouldn’t be a Borderlands game without it, this game is chocked full of easter eggs, ranging from Doom, to Game of Thrones, to Rick and Morty, etc. It’s safe to say that this game has no shortage of cool hidden messages, with so many more undiscovered. 

Borderlands 3 has been Gearbox’s most ambitious game to date and it shows. With so much depth and care towards the characters, exploration, guns, etc. The amount of variety put into its 30+ hour campaign is what truly defines Borderlands 3 as a highlight in the series. This was one of the best games I’ve played in a while, and I think it deserves a 9/10.