Borderlands 3: Is the Loot Shooter Worth Replaying? A Deep Dive

Absolutely! Borderlands 3 boasts significant replayability, though perhaps in a slightly different flavor than its predecessors. While some criticize its narrative, the core gameplay loop of shooting, looting, and building your character into a powerhouse provides ample reason to jump back into the mayhem. With multiple Vault Hunters, True Vault Hunter Mode, Mayhem Mode, DLC content, and character-specific builds to explore, Borderlands 3 offers a wealth of content to keep you engaged long after the credits roll.

Diving into the Replay Value of Borderlands 3

The original Borderlands games built their reputation on a potent combination of addictive gameplay, quirky humor, and the promise of ever-better loot. Borderlands 3 largely delivers on this formula, albeit with a few caveats. Let’s break down the key factors that contribute to the game’s replayability.

Vault Hunters and Character Builds

One of the most compelling reasons to replay Borderlands 3 lies in its four distinct Vault Hunters: Amara the Siren, FL4K the Beastmaster, Moze the Gunner, and Zane the Operative. Each character possesses unique skill trees, action skills, and playstyles.

• Amara, for example, specializes in elemental damage and melee combat. Her action skills allow her to phase slam enemies, project astral fists, and lock enemies in place. Exploring different Amara builds, such as a phasecast-focused build or a melee-centric approach, provides distinct gameplay experiences.

• FL4K excels at commanding pets and dealing critical hit damage. Their action skills summon different beasts to aid them in battle, teleport them across the battlefield, and cloak them for stealth attacks. Players can create FL4K builds that focus on pet damage, critical hit damage, or a combination of both.

• Moze is all about heavy firepower and Iron Bear, her mech suit. Her skill trees allow her to customize Iron Bear with different weapons and abilities. Players can create Moze builds that focus on maximizing Iron Bear’s damage, utilizing splash damage weapons, or boosting her own survivability. With the addition of the “Bear Mother” skill tree, Moze gains access to Iron Cub.

• Zane, the most versatile Vault Hunter, can equip two action skills simultaneously. This allows for a wide range of build options, from a high-speed, shield-focused build to a drone-assisted, crowd-control build.

Experimenting with different character builds is a major source of replayability. Finding the perfect combination of skills, gear, and playstyle for each Vault Hunter can keep you engaged for dozens, if not hundreds, of hours. The possibilities for character customization are immense. It has become a popular area of discussion and learning, especially when comparing Borderlands with other types of popular games. The Games Learning Society offers additional insight on how games can be used for learning.

True Vault Hunter Mode (TVHM)

True Vault Hunter Mode (TVHM) is Borderlands 3’s version of a New Game Plus mode. Unlocked after completing the main story, TVHM offers a more challenging experience with tougher enemies and better loot.

In TVHM, enemies have increased health, shields, and armor, requiring players to utilize more strategic gameplay and optimized builds. The loot drops are also significantly improved, with a higher chance of finding rare and powerful weapons and gear.

Furthermore, TVHM allows you to reset your quest progress and replay the entire story with your existing character. This is a great way to experience the narrative again with a fully leveled character and optimized build, or if you just want to earn specific quest rewards at max level.

Mayhem Mode

Mayhem Mode is a system that allows you to further customize the difficulty and rewards of Borderlands 3. Accessed after completing the main story, Mayhem Mode offers a series of modifiers that increase enemy health, damage, and loot drop rates.

Mayhem Mode has multiple levels, each with its own set of modifiers. These modifiers can range from simple stat boosts to more complex effects, such as enemies reflecting damage or having increased elemental resistance. Experimenting with different Mayhem Mode levels and modifiers can significantly alter the gameplay experience.

Mayhem Mode can be toggled on or off at any time, allowing you to adjust the difficulty to your liking. It’s a great way to challenge yourself and earn better loot while playing through the game.

Downloadable Content (DLC)

Borderlands 3 features several DLC campaigns that add new story content, characters, and environments to the game. These DLCs offer a significant amount of replayability, as they provide new areas to explore, new enemies to fight, and new loot to collect.

Each DLC campaign tells its own unique story and introduces new characters to the Borderlands universe. They also add new gameplay mechanics and features, such as the ability to drive and customize vehicles in the “Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck” DLC.

The DLCs also add new weapons, gear, and character customizations to the game. These additions can significantly impact your character builds and playstyles, further enhancing the replayability of Borderlands 3.

Endgame Activities

Beyond the main story and DLC campaigns, Borderlands 3 offers a variety of endgame activities that can keep you engaged for hours on end.

• The Circle of Slaughter is a wave-based survival mode where you must fight off hordes of enemies in increasingly difficult arenas. Completing the Circle of Slaughter rewards you with valuable loot and experience.

• The Proving Grounds are a series of challenging trials that test your skills and build. Each Proving Ground has its own unique set of enemies and objectives. Completing the Proving Grounds rewards you with exclusive loot and cosmetics.

• Raids are cooperative missions designed for a team of four players. These raids feature challenging bosses and require coordinated teamwork to complete. Completing raids rewards you with some of the best loot in the game.

Level Cap Increases and Updates

Gearbox has continued to support Borderlands 3 with regular updates and level cap increases. These updates add new content, features, and gameplay tweaks to the game.

Level cap increases allow you to further develop your character and unlock new skills. They also increase the level of loot that can be found, ensuring that you always have something to strive for.

These updates and level cap increases help to keep Borderlands 3 fresh and engaging, ensuring that there’s always something new to discover.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Does Borderlands 3 have a second playthrough?

Yes, Borderlands 3 has True Vault Hunter Mode (TVHM), which is essentially a second playthrough with increased difficulty and better loot.

2. Are Borderlands 3 DLC replayable?

Yes, you can replay the DLC in True Vault Hunter Mode by resetting your progress. This allows you to experience the DLC again with a leveled character and optimized build.

3. What should I do in Borderlands 3 after beating the game?

After beating the game, you can:

• Do side missions
• Start True Vault Hunter Mode
• Take on the Circle of Slaughter
• Activate Mayhem Mode
• Take on the Proving Grounds
• Make the perfect build
• Start a whole new character
• Listen to Audio Logs

4. What is the max level in Borderlands 3?

The max level in Borderlands 3 is 72.

5. Is Borderlands 3 worth it without DLC?

Borderlands 3 is still worth it without DLC if you enjoy shooter RPGs with a vast arsenal of guns. However, the DLC significantly enhances the experience with new story content, characters, and environments.

6. Are any BL3 DLC worth it?

Yes, the campaign DLCs are generally considered well-done and enjoyable, expanding the Borderlands universe with interesting characters and stories.

7. Is Borderlands 3 more fun than Borderlands 2?

The answer depends on your preferences. Borderlands 3 has better graphics and gunplay, while Borderlands 2 has a more engaging story for some players.

8. How many years between BL2 and BL3?

Borderlands 3 takes place seven years after the events of Borderlands 2.

9. What is the point of True Vault Hunter Mode BL3?

True Vault Hunter Mode offers a more challenging experience, improved loot drops, and the ability to replay the story with a leveled character. It also allows you to obtain quest-specific legendaries at level 50.

10. Is Borderlands 3 a masterpiece?

Opinions vary, but Borderlands 3 has received generally positive reviews, with many critics praising its gameplay, loot system, and character customization.

11. How long does it take to 100% BL3?

Obtaining 100% completion in Borderlands 3 typically takes around 75½ hours.

12. How much time to beat BL3?

To complete the main objectives of Borderlands 3, it takes about 23 hours. For all achievements, it is estimated to take between 60-80 hours.

13. Is there a 4th skill tree in Borderlands 3?

Yes, Moze has a 4th skill tree called “Bear Mother”, which focuses on Iron Cub.

14. Can you max out all skill trees in Borderlands 3?

No, there are not enough skill points to max out all skill trees in Borderlands 3. You can barely max out one complete tree and you can’t even reach the end of two trees.

15. Is Borderlands 3 fun without friends?

Yes, Borderlands 3 is still fun solo. The gameplay and story are enjoyable even without co-op, and solo builds can be very effective.

In conclusion, Borderlands 3 offers a robust suite of features designed to keep players engaged long after the initial playthrough. From the variety of Vault Hunters and their unique skill trees to the challenging True Vault Hunter Mode and the customizable Mayhem Mode, there’s always something new to explore and conquer. While the narrative may not be universally praised, the core gameplay loop of shooting, looting, and building your character remains highly addictive. Coupled with regular updates, level cap increases, and compelling DLC content, Borderlands 3 provides a substantial and rewarding replay experience for those who enjoy the loot shooter genre. If you are interested in finding out more about how gaming can be linked to education, be sure to visit GamesLearningSociety.org.