The Borderlands series is an excellent game franchise combining RPG features, dynamic looter shooters, and action games, with unique comic-style graphics and colorful characters, launched in 2009.
Over the years, it has seen three main installments and countless spin-offs and expansions. However, it’s undeniable that the second and third installments have significantly surpassed the first in terms of popularity and reviews.
Borderlands 3 vs Borderlands 2 – how do they compare? Which one is better, and which should you play if you are just starting your adventure with this series? We invite you to our guide, where we present you with a comparison of these two games!
Story
The story in Borderlands 2 takes place 5 years after the events of the first part. Handsome Jack, a Hyperion employee, credits himself with all the achievements of the Vault Hunters, taking control of the corporation and declaring himself the Dictator of Pandora. The task of an entirely new (compared to B1) team of Vault Hunters is to defeat him and restore peace to Pandora.
In Borderlands 3, we once again take on a new team of Vault Hunters who join a group of ex-soldiers and adventurers – the Crimson Raiders. Their mission is to investigate the mysterious cult, Children of the Vault, which possesses the long-lost Vault Map. This cult is led by the siren Calypso twins, Tyreen and Troy, who wish to obtain what the Vaults hide, for themselves and fulfill their sinister plans. Vault Hunters will soon have to face them.
The plot in both games seems interesting, but in Borderlands 2 we can enjoy more of story length, which is certainly much more developed, complex, and intriguing, especially as it continues threads known from Borderlands: Pre-Sequel! Moreover, the main antagonist is considered the most memorable in the entire series!
Point for Borderlands 2!
Engine / Mechanics
Borderlands 2 is built on the Unreal 3 engine, while its successor runs on Unreal 4. Hence, there is an improvement in visual quality, although graphically both are very similar – the graphics are done in a comic, exaggerated, and not necessarily realistic style using cell shading mechanics.
Another improvement in Borderlands 3 compared to the second part is the number of Action Skills, which in the previous part, the characters had only one. In the third part, Radiation as an elemental damage type was also added, replacing Slag from the second part.
Borderlands 2 1:1 Borderlands 3.
Gameplay
The gameplay in both parts is similar – we traverse vast locations, fight various enemies using a rich arsenal of weapons, and gain experience, new equipment, and rewards from NPCs who give us tasks.
However, if we mention these locations, it’s worth noting that in Borderlands 3, there are many more, and they are much more varied than in Borderlands 2, mainly because we do not only move on the surface of Pandora, but we can visit many diverse planets.
Furthermore, the arsenal of weapons and loot in B3 is much larger and more interesting than in the second part. In terms of building skill trees and character customization, Borderlands 3 again surpasses its predecessor.
Another point for Borderlands 3!
Endgame content
The endgame content in both games is rated very positively by players. Approaching the end of the game in both cases, there is still plenty to do, with exciting, challenging bosses and engaging side quests that keep the games from becoming boring towards the end.
Here, however, we tilt the scales slightly in favor of Borderlands 2 due to its extremely interesting and engaging plot. The story keeps you on edge from start to finish, whereas in B3, towards the end, more joy is derived from side activities like exploring planets and battles rather than the main storyline.
In summary, it’s another tie!
Performance
Shortly after the release of Borderlands 3 in 2019, many negative reviews could be found online regarding the game’s performance, especially on Xbox consoles and when launching co-op mode.
Players also complained that for many months, despite being available on consoles and PC, the game was only accessible on computers through the Epic Store, not Steam (which has significantly more users). In the case of B2, releases took place simultaneously on many platforms and did not encounter major difficulties.
Another point for Borderlands 2!
DLC
Borderlands 2 was expanded with 5 major DLCs, including a game focusing on a story created by one of the game’s characters – Tiny Tina. This laid the foundation for a significant spin-off of the series, expanding on this concept. Moreover, both the DLC – Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep, and the game derived from it, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, are considered some of the best installments in the series!
Additionally, after the release of B2, the Headhunter series of DLCs was released – these were small additions containing bonus campaigns. The creators planned to release only three, but they were so popular that ultimately five such additions were released.
In the case of Borderlands 3, there were many more additions, but they mainly took the form of skin packs, cosmetic packs, and season passes, which also introduced cosmetic items and bonus missions and characters. Five large DLCs were released – they developed certain threads and introduced new locations, such as Vaulthalla, the Casino, or a location resembling the Wild West.
Although this category seems difficult to judge, our point goes to Borderlands 2 – mainly due to the excellent Tiny Tina’s motif.
Summary
In summary, our ranking has the second installment of the series winning against the third 4:2! However, do not fully rely on our assessment – both parts are great and have elements that may appeal to different players. It’s best to play both and judge them according to your own preferences!
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