![]() ![]() There are definitely still some fetch and kill quests, but there’s almost always a twist that makes them feel unique – and when there’s not, Borderlands 3’s self-deprecating humor makes light of that situation. The optional tasks divvied out by the denizens of Pandora and its neighboring planets are creative, enjoyable, and rarely the kind of formulaic, repeatable filler usually associated with optional tasks. See the companion-using FL4K in action in the gameplay below:įor starters, if your ECHO 3 mission log didn’t clearly label them as such, I would’ve had a hard time distinguishing Borderlands 3’s side missions from its main story missions – and I absolutely mean that as a compliment. I kept waiting for the energetic pace at which new enemies, weapon archetypes, and mission structures were introduced to slow to a grind… but it never did. Perhaps Borderlands 3's greatest triumph is that it never felt monotonous over more than 30 hours. (Also, Borderlands 3 includes matchmaking for various activities but I wasn’t able to test it out before launch.) Weapons Free It’s also notable that your team can choose to play in Cooperation mode, which turns on instanced loot and forgiving level scaling, or Coopetition mode, which disables scaling and lets the fastest player hoover up all the item drops like in the old days. (Thanks, Apex Legends, for making this a mandatory feature in co-op games going forward.) Having a friend to pick you up from a downed state is always nice but the co-op feature that really stands out in 2019 is the ability to share or trade weapons and other gear after you’ve used them, since they don’t bind to your character after being equipped. Playing with friends is better than ever thanks to a ping system which can be used on enemies, items, or the environment to quickly clarify who you think should be shooting what or going where even if your teammates don’t have mics. For example, visiting the memorial for Roland, who was my very first Vault Hunter back in the day, and finding it littered with heartfelt graffiti certainly struck a sentimental nerve. Lilith (the original playable Siren) shines in her role as the leader of the Crimson Raiders, but the fact that not everyone is doing as well as she is hits home. Similarly, I love that Borderlands continues to put player characters from the previous games into major roles. It’s a wonderful marriage of storytelling and gameplay that gives extra depth to the weaponry you collect. Interacting with Rhys Strongfork (of Tales from the Borderlands fame), Katagawa Jr, and Wainwright Jakobs (the figureheads of the Atlas, Maliwan, and Jakobs megacorporations, respectively) provided interesting insight into the ideological differences between my favorite gun manufacturers. The cast of supporting characters found in these cosmic backwaters candidly edge out the generic but somewhat amusingly villainous Calypso Twins when it comes to delivering a compelling story. Watch the trailer below for a glimpse at some of Borderlands 3's characters: For my money, though, the most alluring skill point options are the one-and-done passives like Rushin’ Offensive, which allows you to sprint and shoot at the same time, or Dakka Bear, which adds a manable turret to Moze’s mech for co-op play. There are a lot of neat details to sort through when it comes to your class’ progression, like skill augments that evolve FL4K’s pet or give Zane’s drone an airstrike. That’s helped along by class mods and Anointed item effects that add powerful class-specific bonuses to loot, like an extra charge for FL4K’s Rakk Attack action skill that calls down a fiery pair of flying beasts to dive-bomb enemies. My current Moze skill build is focused on being able to summon my mech for the maximum amount of time on a short cooldown and boosting damage output. They’re fairly standard fare for a Borderlands game at this point, but unlike the previous games’ casts, every class has their versatility boosted by a choice between three different action skills selectable at the top of each notably beefed-up skill tree – except for Moze who gets to customize her mech’s loadout. They’re a personable bunch: FL4K’s backhanded compliments are always good for a laugh and Moze’s mid-combat pop-culture references are pulled from refreshingly eclectic sources like Ariana Grande and John Wick. This time around you and your team of up to four will take control of Moze the Gunner, Zane the Operative, Amara the Siren, or FL4K the Beastmaster. ![]()
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