After seven years of long waiting, mostly used to kill all the time Handsome Jack, Gearbox Software has finally released Borderlands 3. There were so many doubts about the product, also because of the questionable The Pre-Sequel released in 2014, but already after a handful of hours they were all dissolved: we therefore returned with a smile on our lips to Pandora, ready to look for the Crypts scattered around the universe, as discovered in the final of the previous chapter, and to face Troy e Tyreen Calypso, the antagonistic twins. No more chatter: ready to find out if the latest effort Gearbox will he be able to meet expectations?
As already mentioned above, the plot will be about the discovery made during the finale of Borderlands 2 and will see us against the twins Calypso, two Sirens capable of absorbing the power of every living being and with only one purpose: to obtain the powers of the Guardians of the Crypts and thus become two Gods. Although starting slowly, the plot of Borderlands 3 meshes over the hours until it explodes in the closing bars thanks to a fast pace and an incredible variety of settings, fully exploited by the developers to constantly change locations and avoid having to always fight in the same areas.
In parallel to the main story, it is also necessary to deepen the seventy-two secondary missions present, which have always been the workhorse of the series, a pleasure for the most attentive players. Yeah, why the side quests are full of references to past events, easter eggs and a real plot, the right mix to make the secondary missions another source of fun, capable of convincing the protagonist to take up to twenty hours to complete them all.
A common problem with any video game is the level at which it is recommended to do the quests: if left aside at the beginning, the side missions have always been too easy to complete after the end of the story. Gearbox he thought “as a player for players” by introducing the Chaos mode, which matches the level of the Vault Hunter and that of the quests, makes enemies stronger and smarter and improves the drops. All this, however, has 3 levels that can be activated: the last one will make your life on Pandora a hell, but the reward will be really succulent.
The arsenal that everyone would like
The heart of Borderlands 3, which with every beat exudes insults, blood and loot, is without a doubt the gameplay, remained almost unchanged: in addition to shooting with one of the 2 (then 3 and finally 4) equipped weapons, you can throw grenades and the peculiar ability. In defense, however, a rechargeable shield, an artifact and a relic. Where the wonder lies is in the almost infinite amount of combinations that the game offers, with thousands of different weapons and equipment that will fall from the bodies of the defeated enemies and can be used immediately: corrosive, explosive, electric, fiery, icy guns and lots of it. more, all suitable for a type of opponent. And if already a modest number of weapons could satisfy the palates of many, Gearbox it takes its toll by covering the player with showers of dropped guns, causing him to compulsively change the build to improve more and more.
We remember that everything will change according to the choice of the character: the Siren it will be perfect especially in co-op to block hard enemies and riddle them with shots; the Tamer and his trusty beast will be able to face the numerous hordes of enemies even alone; L'Artillery he will claim numerous victims with his mech; L'Agent he will use the gadgets to his advantage. However, there are three skill branches that can be developed for each character, so the tactics (especially in coop) are really numerous.
The attention to filing the details is one of the most appreciated things of Borderlands 3, In fact Gearbox it has optimized almost all those processes that had slowed down the experience in the past. You can therefore move between a Quick Move point directly from the map, and the Hunter will collect weapons and heals from the ground without pressing any buttons. Driving is (unfortunately) always uncomfortable, especially on consoles, but the team has still improved the experience, allowing the player to steal vehicles from the rebels and unlock new components for their own, thus giving the opportunity to customize the vehicle of transport. Even the interface has remained almost unchanged, if not for the more refined corners and greater definition ... but this is where, we must say, we would have expected more: menus that seven years ago were in line with competitors, today are uncomfortable and above all slow to scroll.
A look at the technical sector
Graphically speaking, the steps forward in Borderlands 3 are noticeable, starting with convincing cel-shading and a high number of on-screen polygons. Improvements can also be seen in the different planets that can be visited, all with a characteristic and captivating setting. Let's now open the "Pandora's Box" talking about the framerate, the topic of discussion of the last week: yes, there is some problem, but it's nothing serious. Once you arrive in a new macro area, the game will take 3-4 seconds to load the setting and in the meantime it will lag a bit, but then everything will work again, both in Resolution and Performance mode.
What really matters, at least for us, is that there is no drop during the shootings, and luckily there was: bullets, explosions and loot to no end without the slightest problem. To surround the beautiful sci-fi imagery of Gearbox there is the monumental soundtrack, which features the adventure on the planets of Borderlands 3, thanks to which every moment will be unforgettable: think that, before a meeting, we can even choose the music track with which to face a boss! A round of applause also goes to the entire dubbing team, which has always managed to snatch a laugh, a smile or make us suffer for a character, all thanks to a collective interpretation that borders on perfection.
To close, Borderlands 3 fails to overcome an ageless masterpiece like the second chapter, but however entertains for several tens of hours and entertains the player with blood, swear words and loot in profusion. Perhaps with a charismatic and crazy protagonist like Handsome Jack, Gearbox would have delivered an unforgettable product to the fans, while a bitter taste remains for the choice of the twins Calypso, who do their job as villains and nothing more.
