Let’s get one thing straight: Borderlands‘ “Pre-Sequel” did a lot of things right, but Borderlands 2 is practically legendary in it’s re-playability. It’s games like the latter people remember Pandora for, so what’s say we get more romps like that? What could happen when you turn the badass up to eleven out of ten? Let’s imagine just what a proper entry could do for the series.
What I’m Wishing For
Keep it Multi-Platform:
First and Foremost, I want it on consoles and PC to make everyone happy. I do NOT want it to be an MMORPG. That requires difficult balancing that Borderlands doesn’t need or want in an always-online arena.
Remember Where Your Funny Bone Is:
Second, I think we need to look at the narrative. Borderlands 2 had an amazing story and campaign. Between the nitty gritty of a looming war and a sadistic villain, I think it’s nevertheless important to keep the humor in the game. An all powerful evil alien threat could take the series’ trademark humor and irony to an entirely new level, satirizing the entire human species in an intergalactic scale compared to someone smarter, weirder, and all-around more twisted than us.
More Janey Springs, Nurse Nina, and Others:
They’d fit well with the previous NPC’s and there is no reason they can’t come back. Moxxi, Ellie, and Scooter could use some help bearing a load of Vault Hunters. Tina is best with more people to play off of. Zed can’t keep them all healed. He isn’t even a real doctor! Marcus could use some competition. I miss Captain Scarlett and want a rematch.
Comic Book Resurrections or Retcons:
I for one am going to miss Nisha and Wilhelm…not so much Fragtrap. I kid, bring him back too. That Eridian at the end of the Presequel could easily have been watching the whole time and saved them from death at the last second; all “off-panel” of course. Why not Roland? On one hand; just like comic books death would have no impact and become meaningless. On the other hand, the universe has New-U stations. “Why die when you can respawn?!” I mean Marcus died in the Robot Revolution. Yet he still pedals death across the game worlds.
A Larger Cast of Playable Characters:
Sorry…Everyone has a favorite vault hunter or three by now. I’d like to have all the vault hunters return, preferably in playable form. I’d accept them only as NPC’s and a new cast, but I think a mix of old and new on one team could be fun and offer interesting dialogue interplay. I for one, was heart-broken that Gaige had no appearance in this game during the back ground narrative, none of the second game’s vault hunters did. This should be rectified in Borderlands 3 If Tales from the Borderlands does well; we might even want to see Fiona and Rhys. If it does poorly we’ll likely enjoy seeing them killed in game!
Achievements/Trophies to go with the team-ups:
Marvel Ultimate Alliance did this. A team of the original vault hunters could be one, while, a team of all DPS classes could be another, or one of all different female vault hunters.
A “Loot Cave”:
Build one in for farming whites and greens only or see my idea below. Might as well make a joke about it while you’re at it Gearbox.
Let Every Enemy Get the Good Drops:
I think farming hundreds of skags or torks for badass points can get old. Well, what if they dropped a red-text blue or purple? (Orange, pearl, or seraph whatever you like) What if only those could drop it? The item would have to be sought after but also have a ridiculously low drop rate. It would pair well with a “loot cave” and could supply very slow infinite experience as well as a new reason for farm up badass rank.
A Nice spot to Power Level:
Just build it in. Players will find one anyway.
All bosses and unique monsters should be farmable:
This is self-explanatory and Borderlands 2 did this very well. Respawn them and give them a loot table worth killing for. Literally.
Give Us More Storage:
Even if only by DLC or even a la’cart…we want more bank, stash, and inventory space. Loot game is about looting, so give us bigger pockets.
Let Us Spend Our Money On More Stuff:
At this point Borderlands has four currency types. Cash, Eridium, Moonstone, Seraph Crystals. I think more uses for these would be awesome. Temporary buffs are a good way to use them. I think using them to fuel weapons or special abilities could be cool too. “Want Slag rounds? Best be ready to spend Eridium to do it!” A currency exchange could help with that too. Large amounts of cash could buy a single seraph crystal, but farming them would be faster and usually easier. Meanwhile Eridium and Moonstone could be more affordable and have comparable exchange rates.
Keep Every Element Useful:
Fire’s been good in every game. Corrosive is situational and less useful when there are less robots to frag. Electric is usually in high demand. Explosive has been great since Borderlands 2. Cryo seems almost too good at times and if Slag returns will be overpowered. I like all of them and think they all have a place and a value in Borderlands three. I just feel a fine balancing act is important here. Maybe reserve Cryo and/or Slag for rare gear.
Reactive Items:
I absolutely love the 3DD.1E 0z kit and the Asteroid Belt shield. They help you fight and offer defenses.
Think Through Characters’ Skill Trees:
Gaige, Krieg and the Pre Sequel characters seem very well built. I like that.
Free updates:
Short term free “DLC” like the latest Halloween stuff is what players really love. I can only imagine how much work that is, but it made me very happy to see.
Raid Bosses:
Lets mix Terramorphous and the Invincible Guardian of Eleseer. The raid bosses in this franchise have been kind of lazy. Let’s work on that for the threequel.
Let’s See the Other Corporations:
A common trope for future universes involves corporate wars. I’d like to see the other corporations and whether they are closer to benevolent or malevolent.
What I’m Wishing Away
The Pre-Sequel did lots of things right. It did these things wrong:
The Grinder:
Heh. “Grind out item!…Nina make joke!” Seriously. We get it. Don’t do it again.
Reflective shields:
I’m not so much wishing them away, as hoping Gearbox doesn’t use this as a solution to make every boss harder. That seemed to be the band-aid for raid bosses in Borderlands 2. I don’t like it.
Quest weapons forced into player Inventories:
Make players go loot or buy an appropriate weapon to finish a quest. Then people aren’t abusing Grog Nozzles and Probe’s etc.
Annoying challenges:
Grind twenty luneshine weapons for a single badass rank? No thanks.
Guns that use multiple rounds of ammo:
Give us more ammo to carry or get rid of this feature.
Best Gear available for sale:
No more Legendary, Pearlescent, Seraph weapons, and in vending machines, please. I should be spending my time in the middle of the action, not running around “farming” vendors. If Gearbox feels the need to include them, then they should make it very rare, or not make it the best way to acquire them. Actually, I’m willing to compromise make one item of each kind super rare that can only be gained from vendors.
Well that’s it. I don’t ask for too much, do I? Let me know. Chat it up on our comments. Keep on looting!