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Borderlands 3

Borderlands 3 is the latest game in the Cult Classic Borderlands Series.
Borderlands 3 Game Cover
81%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
optimization, grinding
85% User Score Based on 102,022 reviews
Critic Score 78%Based on 57 reviews

Platforms

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Borderlands 3 Game Cover

About

Borderlands 3 is a single player and multiplayer open world role playing shooter game with fantasy, drama, mystery, comedy and others themes. It was developed by Gearbox Software and was released on September 12, 2019. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

The original shooter-looter returns, packing bazillions of guns and a mayhem-fueled adventure! Blast through new worlds and enemies as one of four new Vault Hunters. Play solo or with friends to take on insane enemies, score loads of loot and save your home from the most ruthless cult leaders in the galaxy.

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85%
Audience ScoreBased on 102,022 reviews
story9.2k positive mentions
optimization866 negative mentions
  • story
    42,630 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of Borderlands 3 has received significant criticism, with many players describing it as lackluster, cringeworthy, and poorly written compared to its predecessors, particularly Borderlands 2. While some appreciate the humor and character interactions, the main antagonists, the Calypso twins, are often seen as annoying and unmemorable, detracting from the overall experience. Despite the story's shortcomings, the gameplay is widely praised for its mechanics, variety of weapons, and engaging combat, making it a fun experience for those who prioritize action over narrative.

    • “Interesting story with lots of humor, tons of loot, many different ways to play.”
    • “Great story to continue the Borderlands saga, fun gameplay as well.”
    • “The story is engaging, filled with the series’ signature humor, and the voice acting is top-notch, bringing the eccentric cast of characters to life in a way that’s both hilarious and memorable.”
    • “The story is so bad that I had to abandon playing the game midway.”
    • “The story is absolutely cringe and garbage.”
    • “The main story is the worst I have ever had in any video game or anything in my life.”
  • gameplay
    18,242 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay in Borderlands 3 is widely praised as the best in the series, featuring refined mechanics, diverse weaponry, and engaging combat that enhances the looter-shooter experience. Players appreciate the introduction of new movement options like sliding and climbing, which add fluidity to gameplay, while the extensive variety of guns and character builds keeps the experience fresh and exciting. However, many reviews note that the story and character writing fall short compared to previous entries, often detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.

    • “The gameplay is incredibly fun, and the humor is top-notch.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, Borderlands 3 is a top draw; it takes ideas from the best shooters and MOBA games of our time and implements them very well.”
    • “The gameplay is great and fun, with a variety of mechanics that keep the experience fresh.”
    • “The gameplay loop of grinding weapons and climbing up higher ng+ playthroughs isn't for everyone; I got bored halfway through going for the top mayhem level.”
    • “The story is absolutely dog poop, but the gameplay, mechanics, and weapon variety are the best of the series.”
    • “The gameplay is solid, the characters range from boring to very unlikable, the story made me understand why the Borderlands movie flopped so bad.”
  • humor
    6,582 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in "Borderlands 3" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it often feels forced or cringeworthy compared to its predecessors. While some found moments of genuine hilarity and appreciated the game's trademark irreverent style, others criticized the dialogue as juvenile and repetitive, lacking the sharp wit that characterized earlier entries in the series. Overall, the humor can be hit-or-miss, appealing to fans of lowbrow comedy but disappointing those seeking the cleverness of "Borderlands 2."

    • “The game is packed with hilarious characters and NPCs that had me laughing out loud.”
    • “The gameplay is incredibly fun, and the humor is top-notch.”
    • “Very funny and decently long storyline.”
    • “The awfully unfunny dialogue made me instantly not give a shit about any of the characters or the narrative, so I uninstalled it after a few hours.”
    • “The dialogue was so unfunny that I had to mute it after about an hour of play.”
    • “The entire game is full of unfunny jokes and absolute cringy dialogue that makes me wonder if a 12-year-old wrote it.”
  • graphics
    5,270 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics in *Borderlands 3* have received widespread praise for their vibrant cel-shaded art style, which retains the franchise's signature look while showcasing significant improvements in detail, lighting, and environmental design. Many players appreciate the game's colorful and dynamic visuals, although some have noted performance issues and optimization challenges, particularly on lower-end systems. Overall, the graphics are considered a highlight of the game, enhancing the chaotic and humorous atmosphere that *Borderlands* is known for.

    • “The graphics and visuals are fantastic as well.”
    • “The art style is gorgeous.”
    • “The graphics are incredible.”
    • “I can't set the game to any higher than medium (even though my PC should be able to run it at ultra) because the game crashes if I change any graphical option.”
    • “The graphics are technically better, but lost something charming about the old style.”
    • “The change in art style is bizarre; they have completely left the realm of realism and fully embraced cartoon caricature.”
  • optimization
    2,072 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game has been widely criticized, with many players reporting severe stuttering, frame drops, and crashes, even on high-end systems. While some performance issues have been addressed through patches, a significant number of users still experience inconsistent performance and bugs, leading to frustration. Overall, the game is considered poorly optimized, making it difficult for many players to enjoy the experience fully.

    • “Gameplay is amazing, guns feel so good, runs smoothly and movement is very nice.”
    • “The gameplay is incredibly addicting and fun, environments and art style is gorgeous, character progression and skills trees super rewarding, zero performance issues.”
    • “Surprisingly well optimized and very fun, I have a bad PC and this game didn't get any major lag spikes at all.”
    • “Save your money for something better optimized.”
    • “Can't even play the game due to stuttering.”
    • “The game is poorly optimized as everyone already has said.”
  • grinding
    1,790 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of Borderlands 3 has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it both tedious and rewarding. While some appreciate the increased accessibility of legendary items and the fun of farming for gear, others criticize the repetitive nature of quests and the overwhelming number of legendaries that diminish the thrill of the hunt. Overall, players who enjoy grinding for loot and character builds may find satisfaction, but those seeking a more streamlined experience might feel overwhelmed by the game's demands.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “A bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “One long, tedious grind.”
    • “The gameplay loop of grinding weapons and climbing up higher NG+ playthroughs isn't for everyone; I got bored halfway through going for the top mayhem level.”
    • “Tracking multiple quests is beyond tedious, as you can only check the location of an objective one at a time and then have to back out of the map to select a new one to plan a route; it's such a huge ballache.”
    • “Compared to the other games in the series, you hit the level cap very quickly and then the core gameplay loop becomes farming for legendary weapons with the best random modifiers, so if you don't like grinding it quickly becomes very tedious.”
  • music
    1,752 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in *Borderlands 3* has received mixed reviews, with many players praising the soundtrack as a highlight of the game, describing it as energetic and well-suited to the chaotic gameplay. However, some players found the music forgettable or poorly implemented, often opting to mute the game and play their own music instead. Overall, while the soundtrack is generally appreciated, it is overshadowed by criticisms of the game's story and dialogue.

    • “The soundtrack features an eclectic mix of tracks that perfectly capture the game’s frenetic energy and diverse settings.”
    • “The music is just fantastic.”
    • “The soundtrack does a great job of setting the mood for intense firefights and quieter exploration moments.”
    • “Otoh, the music is downright garbage.”
    • “The only way to enjoy this game is to turn off your brain and the in game sound, ignore the dialog and story and put some music or watch a stream at the same time and just shoot and loot.”
    • “The music is dull and inappropriate.”
  • stability
    1,396 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous players reporting frequent crashes, glitches, and performance issues across various platforms. Many users have experienced frustrating bugs that hinder gameplay, such as character freezes, quest-breaking glitches, and connectivity problems in multiplayer modes. While some players find the game enjoyable despite these issues, the overall consensus is that it remains a buggy experience, often requiring extensive troubleshooting to resolve technical problems.

    • “The gameplay is good, no hiccups, no glitches, just pure fun.”
    • “It's a nice pace to play a game that's stable and not bug-ridden.”
    • “Fantastic game, looks and runs great, in-depth intense storyline and massive open world maps.”
    • “The game glitches a lot at 134 hours and has deleted my saved game as well.”
    • “Expect constant crashes, frame drops, and nonsensical glitches.”
    • “The game is a glitchy and buggy mess, and I cannot believe that it has been out on PC for months now.”
  • replayability
    1,036 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The replayability of Borderlands 3 is a mixed bag among players. Many praise its high replay value due to diverse character builds, extensive loot options, and engaging gameplay mechanics, with some even describing it as "infinitely replayable." However, criticisms arise regarding the main story's pacing and dialogue, which detract from the overall replay experience, leading some to feel that it lacks the replayability charm of earlier titles in the series, particularly Borderlands 2.

    • “Creating multiple characters with multiple play styles increases the replayability.”
    • “The vast array of weapons and character skills allow for diverse playstyles, encouraging experimentation and replayability.”
    • “Overall borderlands 3 is a great game with plenty of replayability and fun to be had with friends or just chilling alone; not even mentioning the expansions.”
    • “The game has pretty much 0 replayability and after playing the story through 4 times I doubt I will touch it again solo.”
    • “The game turns into a boring chore you wish you could skip through due to terrible writing, poor quest design & the idea of going through this mess of a story all over again, which is a fatal mistake for a looter shooter, where replayability means everything.”
    • “Second playthrough was very boring and all the bad parts just start to stand out even more, replayability is 3/10.”
  • character development
    458 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing it as weak or non-existent compared to previous installments. While some appreciate the emotional depth and growth of certain characters, particularly in side quests and DLCs, others feel that key characters, especially newcomers like Ava, lack meaningful development and are often portrayed as one-dimensional. Overall, the writing and character arcs are seen as a significant downgrade, leading to a less engaging narrative experience.

    • “The narrative is not only driven by thrilling set pieces and intense confrontations but also enriched by moments of genuine emotion and character development.”
    • “Interactions with NPCs are engaging, and the character development throughout the game adds emotional depth to the adventure.”
    • “The writing and humor is still top-notch, and the character development and story just continues to amaze.”
    • “The story and writing is absolutely awful and ruins a lot of the past character developments the past games have built up.”
    • “There is no character development here.”
    • “The writing and character development is just lazy.”
  • emotional
    456 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing disappointment in the storytelling and character development. While some moments were noted as genuinely touching, particularly for long-time fans, the overall narrative was often described as boring and lacking emotional depth, failing to create meaningful connections with characters. Attempts at emotional moments were frequently criticized as contrived or unearned, leading to a general sentiment that the game does not deliver a compelling emotional experience.

    • “The voice acting is exceptional, with performances that bring the characters to life and enhance the game’s humor and emotional depth.”
    • “I cried when I finished the base game.”
    • “The story is touching and is especially nostalgic to people who've played the previous games (i.e. BL2 or pre-sequel).”
    • “Edit: It was pretty disappointing compared to Borderlands 2. Boring story, boring guns, boring characters. I felt a wave of depression playing this awful game.”
    • “The gameplay is a 10/10, but the boring story and unlikable characters make the gameplay feel guilty by association.”
    • “Worst and most boring story of any RPG that is a burden to complete, let alone complete it twice for every character you want to play.”
  • monetization
    418 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players labeling it as a blatant cash grab due to the presence of in-game advertisements for DLCs, multiple season passes, and additional content locked behind paywalls. Players express frustration over the intrusive nature of these ads, which detract from the overall experience, and feel that the game prioritizes profit over player enjoyment, leading to a perception of greed from the developers. Despite some positive gameplay elements, the overwhelming sentiment is that the monetization tactics undermine the game's value and integrity.

    • “The gameplay is really great, the story is fine (honestly it gets too much hate), and there is so much stuff being added to the game often enough to make it a live service game that doesn't make you want to puke from all the microtransactions (as there are none).”
    • “Very decent game, thankfully it wasn't screwed up by microtransactions, and I'm happy I waited for this game to come on Steam.”
    • “Good, stupid, looter-shooter fun without the lootboxes and microtransactions jammed down your throat.”
    • “I bought the game, it shouldn't contain ads.”
    • “Dirty tactics when companies charge you money and then you are forced to see ads which you can't fully dismiss.”
    • “The dlc is also a blatant cash grab, I purchased the season pass because it promised access to all upcoming dlc only to be blocked behind another 60 dollar paywall (on top of an already $100+ investment) for even worse dlc.”
  • atmosphere
    236 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in Borderlands 3 is a mixed bag, with some players praising its vibrant, chaotic environments and engaging sound design that captures the series' signature humor and style. However, many feel it lacks the energy and depth of its predecessors, with criticisms aimed at the story and character interactions detracting from the overall experience. While the game offers diverse settings and visually appealing graphics, some fans believe it fails to fully recapture the unique atmosphere that made earlier titles memorable.

    • “The vibrant and exaggerated graphics bring the chaotic world of Pandora to life, immersing you in its quirky and colorful atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere is still that neon-crazy, Mad Max-inspired universe where sarcasm reigns supreme, and the gunfire never stops.”
    • “The new locations are varied and atmospheric, and the music/soundtrack is well chosen for the different zones and during quests.”
    • “Oh my god, Borderlands wasn't the best at a story but it had atmosphere, this game lacks that, and any of the original true energy or aesthetic, it is a void, and has created a void in my heart.”
    • “Not only that but the atmosphere is all wrong, this doesn't feel like Borderlands anymore.”
    • “The antagonists almost killed the atmosphere for me.”
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78%Critics’ scoreBased on 59 critic reviews
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40h Median play time
963h Average play time
23h Main story
75h Completionist
10-101h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 528 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Borderlands 3 is a open world role playing shooter game with fantasy, drama, mystery, comedy and others themes.

Borderlands 3 is available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox Series X|S and others.

The main story can be completed in around 23 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 75 hours to finish. On average players spend around 963 hours playing Borderlands 3.

Borderlands 3 was released on September 12, 2019.

Borderlands 3 was developed by Gearbox Software.

Borderlands 3 has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its optimization.

Borderlands 3 is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, Borderlands Game of the Year, Borderlands 2, Dead Island 2 and others.