As the self-touted original looter shooter franchise,Borderlandshas a special place in many’s heart. Whether it’s the original,Borderlands 2,The Pre-Sequel, orBorderlands 3, the franchise has seen its fair share of heavy hitters, but when it comes down to it, many will say thatBorderlands 2is the height of the franchise.Handsome Jack, the Crimson Raiders, and the looter shooter mechanics all make it stand out as a giant, but that’s not to say it’s perfect.
In fact, despiteBorderlands 3suffering from UI and performance issues (some of which still persist) and the notable absence of Handsome Jack, there are a few ways that it is better than its predecessor. Hopefully, these could also carry over intoBorderlands 4, should the franchise continue to expand.
RELATED:What to Expect From Borderlands 3 in 2020
Guns, Guns, and Of Course, More Guns
Borderlands 2has a whopping 17.75 million guns, which is nothing to scoff at, butBorderlands 3pushed the envelope with that number hitting and surpassing 1 billion. Quantity isn’t the only detail, though. When it comes to quality,Borderlands 3has a ton of memorable guns, ranging from the Elon Musk flamethrower and the fan-favorite Lyuda (pre-nerf) to the more recentIon Cannon in Mad Moxxi’s Heist of the Handsome Jackpot. Sure,Borderlands 2had its fair share of memorable weapons, butBorderlands 3takes the cake.
Alt-Fire
When it comes to the quality of guns, there’s one major change inBorderlands 3that takes it to the next level: alt-fire. ABorderlands 2gun had one trick up its sleeve to cut down psychos and disable Hyperion loaders, but that cannot be said forBorderlands 3. Most of its guns have a secondary alt-fire, depending upon the manufacturer, and these secondary abilities add a nice touch of flair to its otherwise standard gameplay.
Downloadable Content
Given thatBorderlands 2’s DLC run has been completed andBorderlands 3’s has barely begun, this may not be the fairest of comparisons, butBorderlands 3’s DLC seems to be far more expansive thanBorderlands 2. The second game set the bar for the third’s story DLC, but beyond basic additions and DLC characters, that’s all it has going for it. So far,Borderlands 3has released a story DLC of the same caliber, but also an intense event that was mostly enjoyable and new endgame content in the form of Takedowns. And it’s set to continue this trend, so much so that many are excited to seeBorderlands 3’s 2020 roadmap.
Mayhem Mode
InBorderlands 2, players would need to start True Vault Hunter Mode in order to challenge themselves even more in terms of game content, and while there’s nothing wrong with this system, there are some—those who prefer to play for story—who lamented having to do another playthrough of the game just to hit the level cap and earn more loot. For these players,Mayhem Modeis a blessing, as it essentially adds more challenge to the end of the game, while those who still want to playthrough the game after beating it can add even more challenge. Essentially, it’s a feature that’s win-win for players.
Playable Characters
Borderlands 2has some great core DLC characters: Maya, Zero, Axton, and Salvador. But in comparison toBorderlands 3’s Amara, Moze, FL4K, and Zane, they’re not as interesting. It’s pretty clear that the most popular characters (design-wise) came back, Maya and Zero, but there’s little fanfare for Axton or Salvador to return as NPC Vault Hunters in futureBorderlands 3DLC (even if they were fun to play). They’re simply not as interesting as the other two and pale in comparison toBorderlands 3’s characters. Not to mention, eachBorderlands 3playable characterhas three action skill trees, which is a huge boon for replayability and variability in the looter shooter threequel.
Borderlands 3is out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
