So Borderlands 3 is finally happening. Thoughts, impressions

[Silent Protagonist]

Based on the trailer the game doesn't look great. As mentioned above the trailer was completely lacking the charm and character the previous games(and their marketing) had. Everything looked very plain and generic, with the repeating character models that I assume are going to be the new classes not really standing out from each other or even the from the background. The walking gun thing was fun but they're going to need a lot more than that. This is the series where you can find shotguns that shoot rockets made of acid in the pattern of a smiley face. It's fun and silly to an obnoxious degree and that's why we love it. The trailer doesn't reflect this

Unlike a lot of the people here I think the leveled loot is actually great. Unlike fantasy loot where two different swords will basically play exactly the same just with different levels of damage output based on the stats, the varying stats in the Borderlands guns actually make them feel and play completely different, and frequently interact in ways that aren't always intuitive. One example was I had a pistol that had pretty low damage, but high accuracy and rate of fire and low recoil, and it would completely wreck other guns that supposedly had a higher damage output due to it's ability to get a rapid series of critical hits with headshots. While it does suck to have to eventually give up on that gun that just feels absolutely great to use, it forces you to try out new combinations of stats and bonuses that can give the gunplay so much variety instead of just sticking with what you have because it's what you know. Though for the endgame they do need a way to scale up the earlier levels because certain ultra-rare drops can only be found in certain areas and if that's in one of the lower level areas then that piece of equipment is pretty much unusable.

 

[Yoshi178]

Why is Marcus Fenix playing the saxophone?

 

[EvilRoy]

What exactly where you expecting?

If they took a drastic new direction then people would have shit the bed. This is more of the same and that's what fans want. People change and you might not want it anymore, and that's fine. I'm looking forward to going back into that world again personally. But I'm a huge man child so whatever.

Well, that's the thing: I don't necessarily think there even is much the series can do at this point. They've pretty much done every possible environment, every possible enemy type, every possible gun and escalated the gameplay to its absolute breaking point (Overpowered levels, the appeal of which I just can't understand. UVHM was already terrible and basically necessitated that retarded farming). The Pre-Sequel just added jetpacks, which admittedly freshed the combat up quite a bit. Basically the only improvement I can see for the series would be to have way better character and facial animation and a more involved narrative, but the former doesn't affect gameplay at all, and the latter isn't really what people even play these kinds of games for.

I think that's more a problem with shooters in general. As much as I love Overwatch, a sober look at the map offerings shows basically the same environments as every other shooter. A look at DOOM (the unnumbered sequel) shows inventively designed enemies that fight and die basically the same as other shooters.

I think BL3 can break into popularity despite the series age by providing a standby experience (lootshooter), and looking good while doing it. Story can help, and I honestly feel hatred for Handsome Jack really helped the experience on the basis that its rare I actually deeply want to kill an enemy in the game, rather than just doing so as a mode of progression, so I don't think you're wrong in asking for a deeper narrative. DOOM may not have had it and done well regardless, but Dead Space did and also saw success.

Personally, I just want a more streamlined experience. If I have mostly purples on my body I want digging through loot to be faster, with automatic options to grind stuff up for money or parts on the spot. I want the skill tree to be deeper, with better attention paid to different weapon types. I want to be able to shitlist weapon types such that even if they drop unless its an ultrarare it just gets ground to birdseed immediately, because with twenty weapon styles you're gonna hate a few. I've never played Destiny, but I hear it was a lootshooter, so maybe look at that and nick some of the QOL stuff they had in the latest one. Basically I want the last BL except streamlined and modernized.

 

[Mcgeezaks]

I don't get why everyone's so negative in here? It's just a trailer and Borderlands 2 had trailers very similar to this one and people loved it, like this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKVf5feSMEg

This trailer was obviously just to confirm the game and showcase what it looks like. Lighten up for once, people.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

My thoughts are "hey, are we forgetting how Pitchford is under LOADS of scrutiny, including from a legal standpoint?"

My thoughts on your thoughts is "why the fuck should anyone care"?

 

[Hawki]

Lighten up for once, people.

Never!

 

[Kyrian007]

I really don't know if I'm going to get dragged into BL 3 or not. My friends and I got Borderlands because at the time it came out every other console shooter had ditched couch co-op and it was super fun to play while drunk with friends. BL 2 and the pre sequel did much better story-wise, but drove us away with less satisfying mechanics and weaponry. Interestingly though when I picked up BL 1 and 2 on Steam to play with a friend... I found myself actually playing BL 2 more solo than I ever had BL 1. Now for the first time none of my friends are planning on getting BL 3, but I'm thinking about it. It won't be at launch, nobody but indie devs have managed to avoid my launch day boycott. But BL 3 might wind up getting an opportunistic buy, early sale or unexpected windfall type purchase. Of course bad reviews and/or launch problems or predatory practices and I'm out entirely.

 

[BrawlMan]

I don't get why everyone's so negative in here? It's just a trailer and Borderlands 2 had trailers very similar to this one and people loved it, like this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKVf5feSMEg

This trailer was obviously just to confirm the game and showcase what it looks like. Lighten up for once, people.

From what I seen of the borderlands 3 trailer, most of the comments are positive on the YouTube page. The negativity really seems to be coming from the press. Honestly, I would not worry about it too much unless there is predatory practices involved.

My thoughts are "hey, are we forgetting how Pitchford is under LOADS of scrutiny, including from a legal standpoint?"

My thoughts on your thoughts is "why the fuck should anyone care"?

Because he's a corporate sleazebag. Guilty of a lot of things. Though, I don't think borderlands 3 should be punished for it, unless they screw it up badly with loads of micros and bad DLC. don't forget about all the crap gearbox went throughout the decade. Not to mention Pitchford is a lying, smug twat.

As far as impressions go, the game looks fine so far. I never really got into borderlands at all. When it came to shooters during the seventh generation, I just wasn't interested in most of them. with that said, I would still play borderlands 1 and 2 over any of the cod clones that came out during that generation. I most likely will not get three, but if it looks fun enough I'll buy it later.

 

[Worgen]

Well, I was looking forward too it, but its epic store exclusive, so fuck it and fuck gearbox.

https://www.pcgamer.com/borderlands-3-pc-is-releasing-exclusively-on-the-epic-store-in-september/

Maybe I'll get it on steam but they will have to include some good extras before I think about getting it unless its on big sale.

 

[McElroy]

Indeed an epic decision.

Also, the character designs: a Destiny reject, Soldier 7766, muscle chick, and... uh, I guess the 4th one looks alright. The main villain duo looks ridiculous too, but ridiculous villains are a constant in the series anyway.

 

[Sonmi]

Resonant "Meh".

Glad Epic got another exclusive though, anything to create competition for Steam.

 

[Mikejames]

I'm still sad we'll never get another season of Tales From the Borderlands, but seeing some of the characters again is nice.

 

[Drathnoxis]

I played 1 and 2 and don't feel like I need any more Borderlands in my life. I can't actually remember if I finished 2. I really *think* I did, but I can't remember the events of the ending at all.

 

[Saelune]

I wont be able to play until next year apparently. Shame.

Fuck Epic.

 

[Leg End]

I was mildly excited, because a bajillion guns from every orifice makes a fun game. Then the Epic Games Store bit happened.

Fuck Epic.

Borrowing this, but with some enhancement.
Fffffffffffuuuuck you, Epic. Spend less money on buying exclusives and more on making a store people actually want to fucking use.

 

[Saelune]

Resonant "Meh".

Glad Epic got another exclusive though, anything to create competition for Steam.

https://np.reddit.com/r/Borderlands2/comments/b8u7df/borderlands_3_youtube_ad_confirms_the_release/ek0zqce/?context=3

Dont be so hasty to say 'anything'. Epic is setting a terrible precedent that is going to make gaming worse, not better.

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

Looks like more Borderlands. Which is fine, I guess.

Not the hottest take, but I honestly can't muster more enthusiasm.

 

[Kyrian007]

Exclusive to Epic... this presents a problem. I'd buy it on day 1 just to throw my pocketbook "fuck you" to everyone complaining about the exclusivity. But I already boycott day one purchases from AAA publishers on principle protesting predatory lootboxes, microtransactions... things that are actually anti-consumer practices rather than just a company choosing to sell on the platform that gives them the best deal.

So I guess a day 2 purchase will have to be enough of a "fuck you." After all, I was going to wait for reviews and a price drop until I heard all the hubbub over the exclusivity. Now I can make that day 2 full-priced purchase secure in the knowledge that somewhere a butthurt Valve fanboy weeps. Haw Haw.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

This got me nostalgic for every Borderlands I've played, which I guess was the point.
I like the series but I wish they'd stop coming up with 4 new protags with every game. They've been pushing the narrative angle on the series since the second game yet it doesn't feel focused on anything or anyone in particular.

Shamus Young wrote a blog about the new protagonists in 2. The issue is that if you chain your game to the same protagonists, you make them as or more important than the story or world. Not only that, but you're also then committing to another game with fundamentally the same playstyles (ignoring the obvious Roland/Axton comparison).

It also means there's less room for drama involving the characters, such as how they treated the original Vault Hunters in 2. In particular, Roland's fate couldn't happen and we wouldn't have had all those feels at the end of Tiny Tina.

I think it's necessary for gameplay first and foremost. BL and BL2 still exist for replaying those old characters but gameplay should evolve at least somewhat to keep the experience enjoyable. I've already put my hours into Maya, Krieg and Gaige and pretty much all my hours in BL were Lillith. While there's a legit reason to bring back playable protagonists, and I assure you I was plenty upset that I couldn't play Lillith in 2, I think they made the right decision. It means they can make a new adventure with new characters, tell different stories, dramatise the previous characters (consider f.ex seeing Miranda, Jack or Thane in ME3, friends/lovers but no longer crew members), evolve the gameplay and keep the focus on a wider story rather than the particular character. If they hadn't changed it, then it might've forced the series to stick with the same four characters/archetypes forevermore.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

Exclusive to Epic... this presents a problem. I'd buy it on day 1 just to throw my pocketbook "fuck you" to everyone complaining about the exclusivity. But I already boycott day one purchases from AAA publishers on principle protesting predatory lootboxes, microtransactions... things that are actually anti-consumer practices rather than just a company choosing to sell on the platform that gives them the best deal.

Has there been any word on financial skullduggery in BL3? Or is your stance publisher/industry wide in general, not about any specific title(s) malpractices?