Borderlands 3

 Xbox One
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 520 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 275 out of 520
  2. Mixed: 50 out of 520
  3. Negative: 195 out of 520
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  1. Thankedbloom
    Sep 16, 2019
    4
    Summary: All appearance no substance, cringey, vapid dialogue and story, way too easy, and laggy on release. As a huge borderlands fan who replayed borderlands 2, borderlands, and the pre sequel, this game has been a bit of a disappointment. I think Gearbox confused better graphics and flashy lights as being the barometer for a better game. The story is by far the worst and is very cringeySummary: All appearance no substance, cringey, vapid dialogue and story, way too easy, and laggy on release. As a huge borderlands fan who replayed borderlands 2, borderlands, and the pre sequel, this game has been a bit of a disappointment. I think Gearbox confused better graphics and flashy lights as being the barometer for a better game. The story is by far the worst and is very cringey and most of the jokes sound like something written by a 12 year old. The game play for some reason feels worse than the previous games. It feels like even more of a repetitive grind, with guns that look different but essentially all function the same and do about the same amount of damage. All you have to do with any of the guns is point and shoot. Enemies miss most of their shots if you simply move around a little and you and the enemy are both bullet sponges. I played as Zane and I found his abilities pretty lackluster, putting down an impenetrable shield you can basically stand in one place and shoot. In any case, the enemies hardly ever lowered my shield and I only ever went down and died because of accidents. This game is way too easy, they really need to add a hard mode for more veteran players right off the bat, whats the point of collecting all these cool guns if the game isn't even challenging? it hardly even matters what guns I use. Whoever wrote the story line seriously need to be fired. I tried playing local co op and it was almost unbearable when the game would almost come to a halt when one of us tried switching out weapons. Also the new claptrap sounds like the old one lost his robotic soul.… Expand
  2. MootinDew
    Sep 16, 2019
    9
    It may not be the best right now but other then the glitches and the one character that has no depth it was a very good game. The feature that were added makes it a tough and rewarding experience.
  3. Drayden
    Sep 16, 2019
    6
    I'll start with the good. The gun variety is excellent and feel great in action. Gun play is vastly improved over Borderlands 2. Everything else is pretty much meh. The story is pretty boring, and I just don't really care about any of the characters. The maps feel overly large. Vehicles are encouraged, but driving them isn't much fun. Performance is lacking as well, running the gameI'll start with the good. The gun variety is excellent and feel great in action. Gun play is vastly improved over Borderlands 2. Everything else is pretty much meh. The story is pretty boring, and I just don't really care about any of the characters. The maps feel overly large. Vehicles are encouraged, but driving them isn't much fun. Performance is lacking as well, running the game on an Xbox One X still sees dips in framerates on performance mode, and 4k mode goes below the 30 fps mark. I also experienced multiple game freezes, some clearing up after 30+ seconds and others requiring force quitting the game. I have experienced crashes to the dashboard as well.

    If farming for crazy weapons to shoot things to get more crazy weapons is you're thing, this is a serviceable game. Just don't expect a smooth experience.    … Expand
  4. Dex1911
    Sep 16, 2019
    2
    This is borderlands 2.5 for some They are OK with that I thought this game would be more substantial. The story was absolutely terrible it was way to woke they went way overboard on the bad ass female npc. This game Kinda sucked compared to borderlands 2.
  5. C0LEPro
    Sep 16, 2019
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Optimization aside, I believe that Borderlands 3 has brought its A-game, improving in almost every area possible. Story-wise, this is obviously all up to preference, but I found the villains to be entertaining and a threat to our vault haunters, but they definitely don't live up to Handsome Jack. That's not to say that the voice acting isn't incredible, I especially enjoyed Tyreen's voice work. In terms of the shooting mechanics, it's a million times better than Borderlands 2's, and I say this as someone who's spent *HOURS* into that game (Maya mains where you at?). Anyways I played the game on the Xbox One X on performance mode, the best way to play it, and have very few qualms with the performance of the game. The frame-rate was noticeably chugging on Sanctuary, but other than that, a pretty flawless experience for me.… Expand
  6. Jspotter89
    Sep 16, 2019
    4
    Disclaimer up front. This is an early review, and I have only sunk about 7 hours into the game.

    That aside, this game is, at the time of writing, a technical DISASTER. If you are on the fence about this game, or if you are someone who would like to play in local co-op via split screen, DO NOT buy this game until they have fixed the atrocious condition of it at present. Specifically,    Disclaimer up front. This is an early review, and I have only sunk about 7 hours into the game.

    That aside, this game is, at the time of writing, a technical DISASTER. If you are on the fence about this game, or if you are someone who would like to play in local co-op via split screen, DO NOT buy this game until they have fixed the atrocious condition of it at present.

    Specifically, co-op split screen play is, for some godforsaken reason, limited to horizontal alignment. What this means, on most modern widescreen televisions, is that the game is nigh unplayable. Enemies are extremely hard to see unless you are right on top of them. Forget about reading any of the game text or subtitles. They knew about this.

    On top of the alignment troubles, the game is just plain laggy in co-op. Whenever a player opens their ECHO device, the other player's screen will stutter and lag, in some cases for more than a second or two. That might seem manageable, but in a firefight it makes the game extremely frustrating. They knew about this issue and released anyways.

    There are also a number of significant bugs on top of the co-op ones. The worst one I've encountered is that, when trying to sell items in a vending machine, the display will show the wrong item and stats than what you have selected. On several occasions I have sold items I intended to keep as a result. Thankfully they kept the "Buy Back" tab, but this is still annoying as all get out, considering how often you sell items in this game.

    As for story, gameplay, and voice acting, everything is thoroughly "meh." There's a lot of sameness to all of it, from enemy types, mission design, etc. It seems hard to believe this took 6 years to develop, and then arrive in the condition it is. It would also help if one of the first characters you interact with to start the campaign wasn't voiced by Chris ****ing Hardwick. Maybe don't lead in with him, huh?

    The latter stuff is manageable. Like most, I like the Borderlands formula and wasn't looking for them to reinvent the wheel. But the technical condition of this game is atrocious. Vertical splitscreen is an absolute must. Gearbox will not get another dollar from me until they add it.    … Expand
  7. AceAscendus
    Sep 16, 2019
    0
    I can't believe that they ruined the borderlands franchise like this :( Terrible writing, terrible graphics, terrible gameplay... it doesn't feel like they tried at all, it fells like a halfassed version of BL2 instead of a proper sequel :(
  8. Hpeters998
    Sep 15, 2019
    9
    Great game, great graphics and classic borderlands gameplay. Yes, it has some issues like framerate dropping, menu lag and brightness, bit nothing game breaking. Nothing that cant be fixed in an update i think.
  9. Suioo
    Sep 15, 2019
    10
    Played with a group of people for 3 days straight, everyone loved it. Just people complaining to complain in my opinion.....
  10. HungryShoggoth
    Sep 15, 2019
    3
    I was really looking forward to this game, unfortunately in it's current state it's nearly unplayable, and in split-screen it's completely unplayable. Maybe after a few patches it will be worth another look, but as of right now the copious glitches and abysmal framerates just make for a frustrating experience rather than a fun one
  11. odintao
    Sep 15, 2019
    1
    I'm beginning to wonder if games that take too long to produce from earlier versions end up being worse in the long run. I'll admit, first of all, that I never played Borderlands 2, so this is fresh start in the series for me, but I have seen the other versions streamed quite a bit, so I knew what I was getting into, or so I thought.

    I generally enjoy shooter-looter games, so this fits    I'm beginning to wonder if games that take too long to produce from earlier versions end up being worse in the long run. I'll admit, first of all, that I never played Borderlands 2, so this is fresh start in the series for me, but I have seen the other versions streamed quite a bit, so I knew what I was getting into, or so I thought.

    I generally enjoy shooter-looter games, so this fits into my typical gameplay. I've been playing Destiny for some time, for better or worse, COD, The Division 1 & 2, etc. There are a few things I would define as essential to good gameplay in this genre: 1. Solid gun dynamics 2. Fairly intuitive map navigation 3. Good UI design.

    Borderlands fails miserably at all three. Not just one, but all three. The guns are random but aside from small symbols on them that indicate what type of fire they provide, there is no good way to understand what type of gun you're getting or how it will perform. Worse, when you do get a gun you like, even with aim-assist, shooting is imprecise at best. It feels loose and without a good sense of impact.

    The map. Atrocious. I'm not sure what savant can navigate this easily but there are not good road markers or lines to follow across complicated maps when driving to your destination. Just a floating diamond that isn't always visible and related to the landscape makes your choice of approach a crap shoot. Mostly you run/drive around like an idiot in the dark, so to speak, until you sort it out, which makes a basic part of gameplay diminish the game itself.

    The UI is equally bad. Multiple types of super panels to choose from with endless descriptions with no real guidance on how to make choices. Getting points to level these up takes forever. 1 point per level or so, and there appear to be at least 25 points per panel, and five panels per super to choose from. That doesn't count the clunky way you select and retain guns or bombs.

    On top of the basics the storyline is **** You're driven in a fairly linear fashion toward these evil twins without anything but a basic understanding of why they are bad. It's peppered with cut scenes that you cannot skip! It's a game people, not a movie. I'm tired of game designers acting like frustrated movie directors. The interactions are the standard kill an array of bad things until you get to a boss. Kill the boss, stir and repeat. Unbelievably boring.

    Overall, for all their faults (and there are many) Destiny and Division 2 lay waste to this game. I didn't even mention the left-stick driving for cars which is super counter-intuitive, the lockin in a character choice (you get to pick one of four and then your'e stuck with that for good without ever being able to try them out), and the plethora of third-grade humor and cardboard characters.

    Earlier this year I made the mistake of buying Rage 2. I returned it. Borderlands 3 feels very, very similar to Rage 2 except worse, which would have been hard for me to imagine prior to a few days ago. After 12 hours of gameplay I couldn't take it anymore and deleted the game from my Xbox.    … Expand
  12. PridefulBadger
    Sep 15, 2019
    9
    Review bombing doesnt work. Get a life ffs. Its a sequel to a beloved franchise that gives you more than you asked for with new gameplay options, customizations, and stunning visuals but some of y'all wouldnt know bc you never picked it up. A **** youtuber told you the game was bad and you just agreed. Lmao what tf has gaming become
  13. Bluemoonninite
    Sep 15, 2019
    9
    This game is by far superior to previous entries in the series and I have only found one flaw in my many hours of playing the game since launch. And that's with the single enemy type known as the NOG's, they're just cheap and not fun enemies to fight, I usually skip them.
  14. petrovich_zfx
    Sep 15, 2019
    3
    This game has very cool looking characters. Everything else is outdated to say the least. Mediocre graphic, same gameplay that was 7 years ago, very bad jokes. But it is a question of taste. What makes me mad is the technical condition this game was released. It is just unaceptible. 5000 signs is not enought to describe all of the gliches and technical flaws this game has
  15. tymis
    Sep 15, 2019
    0
    Bought two copies of this game so my wife and I could play together on different TVs, just like every other game in the series. Turns out local LAN is NOT POSSIBLE, only split screen, which is unplayable. The only way to play together is to get two copies of XBox Live, and then the lag and disconnects are unbearable. Disappointment after disappointment.
  16. bigdaddyswoll
    Sep 15, 2019
    10
    It is absolutely blowing my mind that so many people are knocking the game because "it's so similar to previous borderlands games!" Lol well no joke! That is exactly what the majority of us wanted. The same formula with brand new locations and characters to explore with. Yeah it's a real shame they disnt take the wolfenstein approach and completely change everything up. We see how goodIt is absolutely blowing my mind that so many people are knocking the game because "it's so similar to previous borderlands games!" Lol well no joke! That is exactly what the majority of us wanted. The same formula with brand new locations and characters to explore with. Yeah it's a real shame they disnt take the wolfenstein approach and completely change everything up. We see how good that made the newest game. A few technical hiccups, but so far I have loved every bit of my 20+ hours!… Expand
  17. CubanCriminal
    Sep 15, 2019
    6
    More of the same stuff here with literally 0 quality of life improvements. It's nice that you can cycle between missions on the main screen but a diamond at the edge of my minimap doesn't say a whole lot. If you want to see which mission is closed to you, you have to flip between to tabs in the pause menu which gets excruciatingly painful. Add on top of that the the harder difficulty isMore of the same stuff here with literally 0 quality of life improvements. It's nice that you can cycle between missions on the main screen but a diamond at the edge of my minimap doesn't say a whole lot. If you want to see which mission is closed to you, you have to flip between to tabs in the pause menu which gets excruciatingly painful. Add on top of that the the harder difficulty is locked behind one playthrough and it was enough to get me to stop playing. Last of all, the endless amounts of weapon variations isn't attractive when you all you receive the first 8 hours are shotguns and assault rifles with 9 round magazines. Every looter shooter wants to be an fps Diablo, but none offer the same amount of fun grinding for gear as Diablo. Skip purchasing and wait to get it at a deep discount. With Ghost recon out in less than 2 weeks, COD and so many other great games coming soon, definitely worth skipping this reskin of what feels like a game from 5 years ago.… Expand
  18. NeverLessRaven
    Sep 15, 2019
    8
    Only issue I am receiving is some consistancy and performance issues. And is only a minor setback.
  19. MasterRyo90
    Sep 15, 2019
    1
    Good game but terrific performance on Xbox One X, please fix it, this is a madness...
  20. ItzEcstaticz
    Sep 14, 2019
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Absolute brill game!! Loved every minute of playing it and i have been non stop. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to anyone who has played the previous games and want to enjoy a HUGE step up in overall quality, style and overall gameplay.… Expand
  21. vampirex87
    Sep 14, 2019
    10
    i just like to add to everyone that wrote 0 score reviews that there are ""NO Microtransactions""in the game. i only had problems once or twice because the game crashed my xbox one x
  22. DarrMunny
    Sep 14, 2019
    8
    Yeah we know it's Borderlands, but there is a few additions to keep it interesting like the pet companions. Graphics look sweet on a 65" 4K,
    it's standard affair, you know exactly how the game play will be and that's not a bad thing by the way. No issues that would cause noticeable points deduction.
  23. grady2k12
    Sep 14, 2019
    10
    Don’t pay attention to these zero scores, they’re so stupid. This game is amazing and a lot of fun with friends.
  24. LowExpectations
    Sep 14, 2019
    1
    Not good on every level.
    This game has so many problems. The corporation has so many problems. The publisher is even worse. Don't buy this game.
  25. Drakeula
    Sep 14, 2019
    10
    I was very skeptical of this game and how it would be but they have done a great job! I live flak and the skill trees for the characters. If you liked BL2 you will love this one.
  26. CaptainHowdy73
    Sep 14, 2019
    10
    While maintaining that classic Borderlands charm, BL3 adds enough new content and fun to warrant this a top score from me. This game is being reviewed bombed. Take the game at face value and throw out the controversies, this game is worth your time!
  27. Kristgamer
    Sep 14, 2019
    10
    Amazing, just that i have to say, have some bugs and all but, still amazing a perfect add to the franchise
  28. DevanGlover
    Sep 14, 2019
    9
    The game is fantastic. Its another great borderlands game which we all love. I won't get too in depth with the details which are obvious from this series. It seems at launch its suffering, apparently from technical issues. I've had no issues even running on resolution mode on the xbox one x. It met and exceeded my expectations . This one in my opinion is a must have for borderlands fans.
  29. dick7181
    Sep 14, 2019
    10
    The game is actually a 9. But I had to give it a 10 because people are ACTUALLY rating it a 0-5 because, and I quote "No vertical splitscreen". Wow. Bunch of disingenuous babies. ANYWAY, I get it's not for everyone. If you played from 1->2 you know what kind of upgrades to expect, and what to expect in general. It's very fun. And exactly what you want. 9/10.
  30. Qz1XBL
    Sep 14, 2019
    1
    Okay for a AAA title it’s infested with micro transactions, feels like a boaderlands 2.5 at most. A shame really because we have waited 6 years for this game? I’m playing this on a Xbox One X, the frames are choppy dropping as low as 40/50. Input delay! Input delay is almost unbearable, to the point I’ve just stopped playing. I’m done with these half finnished untested games thrown out forOkay for a AAA title it’s infested with micro transactions, feels like a boaderlands 2.5 at most. A shame really because we have waited 6 years for this game? I’m playing this on a Xbox One X, the frames are choppy dropping as low as 40/50. Input delay! Input delay is almost unbearable, to the point I’ve just stopped playing. I’m done with these half finnished untested games thrown out for full price while we all test the game and point out bugs and issues. I tried playing this on a standard Xbox one for the banter, and well it’s like trying to play a 2019 realease on a old Xbox 360, stutters, glitches, low frames, worse input lag, unplayable! DONT DONT BUY THIS GAME. Wait for it to become on sale, and updates to fix stability.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

28
#28 Best Xbox One Game of 2019
9
#9 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2019
33
#33 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    Oct 13, 2019
    80
    Borderlands 3 may not be clever, but it is very big – and above all else, the source of a vast well of over-the-top shooting fun and mayhem. Be thankful that Gearbox refused to reinvent the franchise just for the sake of it. [Issue#183, p.73]
  2. Easy Allies
    Oct 10, 2019
    85
    Rather than trying to latch on to current trends, Borderlands 3 stands confident in the fact that there’s still no other game that does exactly what this series does so well. The sheer creativity and inventiveness presented in its arsenal is hard to match, and while the humor may not be for everyone, it keeps the gameplay in perspective as we’re all just here to have a good time. It isn’t as big of a leap forward as Borderlands 2, but it’s well-refined and there’s a lot to experiment with to keep you coming back for more.
    Read full review
  3. TheXboxHub
    Oct 9, 2019
    90
    It delivers on its promise and then some, and if you’re someone who enjoys playing video games alone or with friends, and likes having fun whilst doing so, in that respect, Borderlands 3 is perfect.
    Read full review
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