Borderlands 3

The opinions of the critics regarding the story of Borderlands 3 are quite diverse. Several critics, such as CGMagazine, Game Over Online, and Xbox Achievements, highlight the positive aspects of the story. They mention that the game continues the familiar setup of previous Borderlands games, with a slightly grander scope. The story takes place on diverse planets, each with its own personality, offering the opportunity to explore new environments. Game Informer also praises the storytelling, stating that it feels more epic this time as the heroes jet between planets, and the game satirizes internet and corporate culture with the series' trademark sophomoric wit. Gameplanet goes even further, describing the main story as surprisingly emotional with returning characters and gut-wrenching plot developments, while still maintaining the humor that the series is known for. On the other hand, there are critics who express negative opinions about the story of Borderlands 3. Softpedia, ZTGD, Game Revolution, and We Got This Covered criticize the story for being generic, bland, and uninteresting. They mention that the characters are annoying, the dialogue is corny, and the humor is obnoxious. Gamers Heroes specifically mentions that the story is difficult to invest in and lacks depth, with comedic elements that feel forced. They also note that the protagonist disappears at certain points, making it hard to care about the events unfolding. Critical Hit goes as far as describing the story and dialogue as "total butts," with an uninteresting cast and a dumb plot. Screen Rant adds that characters from past games serve more as one-liner fodder and jolly cameos, which can be both laugh-out-loud hilarious and eye-rolling and cringe-inducing. Overall, the critics' opinions on the story of Borderlands 3 are mixed. While some critics appreciate the familiar setup and the emotional core of the main story, others find it generic and lacking in depth. The storytelling is praised by some for its epic scope and satirical elements, but criticized by others for being repetitive and puerile in tone. The humor, which is a trademark of the series, receives both positive and negative comments, with some critics finding it enjoyable and others finding it obnoxious. It seems that fans of the series may appreciate the continuation of the Borderlands narrative and the inclusion of familiar characters, while those looking for a fresh and innovative story may be disappointed.

The majority of the critics praised the gameplay of Borderlands 3, with many highlighting its positive aspects. GameSpew commends the fun of shooting enemies and the variety of character classes and weapons. CGMagazine describes the gunplay as fast, frenetic, and a lot of fun, making it one of the best looter shooters with a constantly expanding catalogue of weapons. Carole Quintaine describes the gameplay as explosive, fast-paced, and enjoyable, with a wide variety of weapons and abilities. Game Informer mentions the range of build options for each character, engaging gimmicks that set their playstyles apart, and the game being at its best when played cooperatively with up to four players online. Guardian praises the deep RPG-style progression and enjoyable play styles for the four distinct types of Vault Hunters, as well as the addition of an unlockable, super-hard Mayhem Mode that encourages multiple play-throughs. RPG Site also highlights the improvements in customization options for characters and the wide variety of guns with alternate firing modes. However, there were a few criticisms regarding the gameplay. GameSpace mentions the lack of importance of elements and corrosives on weapons, which may have limited the overall strategy and depth of the combat. Gamers Heroes expresses frustration with the random generator algorithm for creating weapons, although they eventually embraced the chaos and found the gameplay thrilling and challenging. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the gameplay of Borderlands 3 is very good. The positive aspects mentioned by the majority of the critics include the fun shooting mechanics, variety of character classes and weapons, engaging gimmicks, deep RPG-style progression, and enjoyable play styles. The negative aspects, although mentioned by only a few critics, include the lack of importance of certain elements on weapons and frustration with the random weapon generator algorithm. However, these criticisms do not overshadow the overall positive sentiment towards the gameplay of Borderlands 3.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Graphics and Visual Design of Borderlands 3 are generally positive. Many critics praise the game for its unique and charming visual style, with beautiful and well-crafted environments. Carole Quintaine, from Game Informer, and Guardian both specifically mention the game's distinctive comic book-style graphics, with Guardian noting that they are crisper than ever. The diverse and visually appealing planets, with different vegetation and structures, are also highlighted by CGMagazine and Game Over Online. The colorful, cell-shaded art style is consistently praised for its gorgeous vistas and unique detailing on chests by God is a Geek. The game's visual improvements on the next-gen version are also acknowledged by Gaming Nexus and PlayStation Universe, who mention improvements in graphics, resolution, and frame rate. However, there are some negative aspects mentioned by the critics. Screen Rant points out that the performance on PlayStation 4 Pro is subpar, especially in split-screen mode. Telegraph mentions graphical glitches, texture pop-in, and asthmatic performance levels. Critical Hit criticizes the game's quirky art style, stating that it is not done justice by bugs and glitches that hamper the experience. Xbox Achievements notes occasional frame rate issues and technical hiccups. New York Daily News mentions that while the visuals have stepped up with increased levels of detail and large backgrounds, the enemies on each world often look and function similarly. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Borderlands 3 has a visually appealing and unique art style that sets it apart from other games. The game's diverse and well-crafted environments, along with the colorful and cell-shaded graphics, are consistently praised. The visual improvements on the next-gen version are also acknowledged. However, there are some technical issues and performance problems mentioned by a few critics, which detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the positive aspects of the Graphics and Visual Design of Borderlands 3 seem to outweigh the negatives, resulting in a generally positive reception among the critics.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Sound Design and Music of Borderlands 3 are varied. Some critics, such as Softpedia, praise the voice acting and describe it as over-the-top, contributing to the game's humorous tone. Xbox Achievements also mentions atmospheric dialogue and music, which adds to the overall experience. Game Revolution highlights the script and the new orchestral soundtrack as significant additions to the game. These positive opinions indicate that Borderlands 3 has successfully created a lively and entertaining audio experience. However, there are also negative opinions regarding the Sound Design and Music of Borderlands 3. GameSpace criticizes the inconsistent audio and issues with NPC voices, indicating that there may be technical flaws in the sound design. Press Start Australia mentions that the voice work in the game hasn't changed much and features overexaggerated accents and a lot of shouting. These negative opinions suggest that there might be room for improvement in terms of sound design and voice acting. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Borderlands 3 has some strengths in its Sound Design and Music. The atmospheric dialogue, music, and voice acting contribute to the game's immersive and humorous world. The script and the new orchestral soundtrack are also praised for enhancing the overall experience. However, there are also criticisms regarding inconsistent audio, issues with NPC voices, and overexaggerated accents. While these negative aspects may detract from the overall enjoyment for some players, the positive elements outweigh the negatives, making Borderlands 3 a solid audio experience overall.

The opinions of the critics regarding the voice acting in Borderlands 3 are varied. RPG Site and Video Chums both praise the voice acting, with RPG Site specifically mentioning that the playable characters have distinct personalities and interact with the story and side missions. This suggests that the voice actors successfully bring their characters to life and add depth to the game. Xbox Achievements also commends the voice performances, describing them as excellent. However, they do mention that some players may find them irritating due to the humor. This indicates that while the voice acting is well done, the comedic elements may not resonate with everyone. On the negative side, Softpedia describes the voice acting as over-the-top. This suggests that some critics may find the performances to be exaggerated or lacking subtlety. God is a Geek criticizes the dialogue for being crass and moronic, suggesting that it can be mostly ignored. This indicates that the writing may not be to everyone's taste and may detract from the overall enjoyment of the voice acting. Game Revolution also mentions that the voice actors are not particularly good, but notes that players have the option to use the Japanese voice track. This suggests that the quality of the voice acting may be subjective and that players have the choice to switch to a different language if they prefer. Overall, the consensus among the critics is mixed. While some critics, such as RPG Site and Video Chums, praise the voice acting and the cast of characters, others, like Softpedia and God is a Geek, have reservations about the over-the-top nature of the performances and the crass dialogue. The availability of the Japanese voice track, as mentioned by Game Revolution, provides an alternative for players who may not be satisfied with the English voice acting. It is clear that the voice acting in Borderlands 3 is a divisive aspect of the game, with both positive and negative opinions expressed by the critics.

In terms of the technical performance of Borderlands 3, the reviewers had mixed opinions across different gaming platforms. On the positive side, the game received praise for its technical performance on the PS5. GameSpew commends the smooth framerate and lack of framerate drops, while Gaming Nexus mentions that the next-gen upgrade improves technical issues and reduces loading times. PlayStation Universe also highlights significant improvements in loading times on the PS5 compared to the PS4. These positive reviews indicate that the game runs smoothly and efficiently on the PS5, providing an enhanced gaming experience. However, the PC platform had a more varied response. CGMagazine states that the game on PC was smooth and without major technical issues, except for a couple of crashes during co-op play. Game Over Online also mentions that the PC version is very polished and smooth with no bugs encountered. On the other hand, Gameplanet reports bugs, glitches, and performance issues, particularly with the texture streaming solution. RPG Site goes even further, describing the game on PC as the buggiest the reviewer has ever encountered, with numerous technical issues including crashes, music cutting out, falling through level geometry, and stuttering. These mixed opinions on the PC platform suggest that while some players had a smooth experience, others encountered significant technical issues that impacted their enjoyment of the game. The Xbox One platform also received mixed reviews regarding the technical performance of Borderlands 3. Impulsegamer mentions a minor graphics issue that was fixed with a patch, indicating that the game had some initial technical hiccups. Xbox Achievements acknowledges technical issues such as game crashes, choppy frame rate, and falling through the floor, but suggests that these could potentially be fixed with patches. On the other hand, ZTGD reports performance issues on the Xbox One, including soft locks, freezes, and lagging in and out of combat. These mixed reviews on the Xbox One platform indicate that while some technical issues were addressed with patches, others persisted and affected the overall gameplay experience. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Borderlands 3 had a positive technical performance on the PS5, with smooth framerates, reduced loading times, and significant improvements compared to previous console generations. However, the PC platform had a more varied experience, with some reviewers praising the smoothness and lack of bugs, while others encountered numerous technical issues. The Xbox One platform also had mixed reviews, with some technical issues being patched, but others still impacting gameplay. It is important to note that while some critics, such as Game Over Online and Gaming Nexus, had positive experiences on their respective platforms, others, like RPG Site and We Got This Covered, encountered significant technical issues. Overall, it seems that the technical performance of Borderlands 3 varied across different gaming platforms, with the PS5 generally providing the most positive experience.

The overall sentiment regarding the replay value of Borderlands 3 is largely positive, with many critics highlighting the game's abundance of content and various gameplay modes as factors contributing to its replayability. Critics such as GameSpew, Gaming Nexus, and CGMagazine all mention the large amount of content in the base game, including DLC campaigns, as a positive aspect of the game's replay value. Gameplanet also mentions the diverse builds and different ways to play each Vault Hunter as contributing to the game's replayability. The deep RPG systems, variety of builds, and endless supply of weaponry are also praised by God is a Geek as factors that enhance the replay value of the game. On the other hand, there are a few criticisms regarding the replay value of Borderlands 3. Game Informer mentions that while the game offers a range of challenge options and post-game experiences, the core loop of combat may wear out its welcome. New York Daily News points out that the Badass Token upgrades from Borderlands 2 are missing, which may affect the replayability for some players. We Got This Covered also highlights the lack of polish and performance issues as detracting from the overall replay value of the game. Overall, the consensus among critics is that Borderlands 3 offers good replay value. The game's large amount of content, including DLC campaigns, Survival mode, and boss mode, are praised by multiple critics. The diverse builds, deep RPG systems, and variety of gameplay options are also mentioned as positive aspects that contribute to the game's replayability. While there are a few criticisms mentioned, such as the potential for combat fatigue and the lack of certain features, the overall sentiment is that Borderlands 3 provides ample opportunities for players to engage in multiple playthroughs and enjoy the game beyond the main story.