Borderlands 3 is the loudest, most chaotic, and most generous entry in Gearbox’s looter-shooter series. It is also the most uneven. Seven years after Borderlands 2, the game returns with more guns, more planets, and more of everything — but it doesn’t always know what to do with that abundance.
The core loop remains magnetic. You shoot, you loot, you level up, and you do it again. Borderlands 3 refines that rhythm with tighter gunplay and improved slide and mantle movement. The result is a game that feels better in your hands than any of its predecessors, even when its story stumbles.
Trailer, via GameSpot.
The Calypso Twins and a Weak Villain
The plot sends you across the galaxy to stop the Calypso Twins, Troy and Tyreen, who lead a cult called the Children of the Vault. They want to open the Great Vault and drain the power of the Sirens, the series’ magic-wielding warriors. The twins are broadcasters, streaming their conquests to a devoted audience.
It is a modern idea, but the execution falls flat. The twins talk too much and do too little. They taunt you over the radio constantly, and their insults quickly wear thin. Compared to Handsome Jack, the villain of Borderlands 2 who was charming, cruel, and funny, the Calypso Twins are just annoying. They lack menace and wit.
The supporting cast fares better. Lilith, Maya, and the rest of the old crew return, and their banter carries the quieter moments. The new Vault Hunters — Amara, Moze, Zane, and FL4K — are each distinct in personality and playstyle. But the story never gives them much to do beyond shooting and quipping. The emotional beats, especially one late-game death, land with a thud because the game has not earned them.
Guns, Skills, and the Joy of Loot
The shooting is the star. Borderlands 3 has over a billion guns, and they feel different in your hands. Shotguns punch, sniper rifles crack, and the new manufacturers — like the Hyperion guns that become more accurate as you fire — offer real variety. The game’s signature gimmick, guns that grow legs and walk, remains a delight.
Each Vault Hunter has three skill trees, and the builds are deep. Moze can summon a mech, Zane can deploy a drone and a shield, and FL4K commands a pet. Amara is a Siren with elemental powers. The combinations are many, and respeccing is cheap, so experimentation is encouraged.
The loot drops are generous, and the legendary items feel special. The endgame, called Mayhem Mode, adds modifiers that change enemy behavior and your damage output. It keeps the grind fresh, though the difficulty spikes can be unfair. The game’s best moments come when the chaos peaks: four players, a hundred enemies, and explosions filling the screen.
Planets, Side Quests, and the World Map
Borderlands 3 abandons the single planet of Pandora for a galaxy of worlds. You visit a swamp planet, a corporate city, a desert, and more. Each area has its own look, and the art direction is bright and grotesque in equal measure. The levels are larger than before, but they can feel empty between combat arenas.
The side quests are where the writing shines. Gearbox leans into its absurdist humor, and many missions are genuinely funny. One sends you to investigate a haunted mansion. Another involves a talking gun with a personality disorder. These quests reward you with cash, experience, and often a memorable punchline.
The main story, by contrast, is a slog of fetch quests and repeated boss fights. The pacing drags in the middle, especially on the planet Promethea, where you spend too long backtracking through the same corridors. The game tries to vary its objectives, but the structure feels dated compared to other shooters of 2019.
| Planet | Main Quest Focus | Notable Side Quest |
|---|---|---|
| Pandora | Intro and tutorial | The Legend of McSmoggy |
| Promethea | Corporate war | The Murder Mystery |
| Athenas | Monastery raid | The Demon in the Dark |
| Eden-6 | Swamp rebellion | The Haunted Mansion |
| Nekrotafeyo | Final confrontation | The Great Vault Hunt |
Co-Op, Performance, and Technical Issues
Borderlands 3 was built for co-op, and it shows. You can drop in and out of a friend’s game at any time, and the loot is instanced, meaning each player sees their own drops. That is a welcome change from earlier games, where players fought over gear. The difficulty scales to the party size, and the game runs smoothly in four-player chaos on PC.
On console, the picture is less rosy. The PS4 and Xbox One versions suffer from frame rate drops and long loading times. The game is playable, but it does not hit a stable 60 frames per second in heavy fights. Gearbox has patched some issues, but the technical rough edges remain. The PC version, with a decent rig, is the best way to play.
The audio design is strong. Guns sound weighty, and the soundtrack, a mix of electronic and rock, fits the tone. The voice acting is committed, especially from the returning cast. But the constant radio chatter from the Calypso Twins can drive you to mute the dialogue.
A Great Shooter in a Messy Package
Borderlands 3 is at its best when it stops talking and lets you shoot. The gunplay is excellent, the loot is plentiful, and the co-op is seamless. It is a game you can lose dozens of hours to without noticing.
But the story is a letdown, the villains are weak, and the technical problems on console are hard to ignore. The game does not reach the heights of Borderlands 2, which remains the series’ high point. It is, however, a worthy entry that delivers on its core promise: more guns, more chaos, and more fun.
If you can look past the narrative and the performance issues, Borderlands 3 is a rewarding grind. It is not the best game of 2019, but it is one of the most generous. The developers at Gearbox have built a machine that knows what you want — and gives it to you in bulk.
- Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
- Developer: Gearbox Software
- Publisher: 2K Games
- Release Date: September 13, 2019
- Price: $59.99 at launch
- Critical Score: 8.1/10
The game is a feast that occasionally chokes you. Play it with friends, skip the cutscenes, and enjoy the loot. That is the best way to experience Borderlands 3.
