Borderlands 2 or 3?

[LittlePureWater]

Both games are currently on sale, but which game would you guys recommend me to buy and why?

[Junipercat]

BL2 for story, character development, and overall writing along with enjoyable game play.

BL3 for improved game play. But a lot of things may not make sense without the backstory, though they do stomp on the buildup on the prior games. First playthrough many of us find too easy, especially with too high a drop rate of legendary weapons.

My vote would be BL2 (and maybe The Pre Sequel, though consider it a large DLC of BL2 as end game content was cut short) and then BL3 if you want an overall experience of both game play and story.

If all you care about is game play, not story or characters, than BL3 may be fine standalone.

[LittlePureWater]

Originally posted by Junipercat:

BL2 for story, character development, and overall writing along with enjoyable game play.

BL3 for improved game play. But a lot of things may not make sense without the backstory, though they do stomp on the buildup on the prior games. First playthrough many of us find too easy, especially with too high a drop rate of legendary weapons.

My vote would be BL2 (and maybe The Pre Sequel, though consider it a large DLC of BL2 as end game content was cut short) and then BL3 if you want an overall experience of both game play and story.

If all you care about is game play, not story or characters, than BL3 may be fine standalone.

Sounds great, I appreciate it

[AlexrAltr]

Honestly, everyone here likes to hate on bl3, but I honestly just have way more fun playing this one.

[reevo]

Both

[kmpt]

Both are good but b3 has better gameplay imo.

[Junipercat]

Originally posted by AlexrAltr:

Honestly, everyone here likes to hate on bl3, but I honestly just have way more fun playing this one.

Not everyone here likes to hate on BL3, as you are proof being you like the game. Many of us are annoyed how it treated the build up of the prior games but do acknowledge the good game play.

[Black Hole]

Most dont play it for story at this point, just for grinding loot.

[Tulip]

Originally posted by Junipercat:

BL3 for improved game play. But a lot of things may not make sense without the backstory, though they do stomp on the buildup on the prior games.

^ This.

I was going to highlight this as some things in BL2 make more sense if you've played BL (which I hadn't... but others explained them to me during my BL2 gameplay) and some things in BL3 make sense now I have knowledge of BL2.

However, as others have pointed out... BL3 isn't a seamless continuation from BL2, and could be considered a stand-alone game as it's so detached in places.

But: I picked up BL3's gameplay much easier due to my experience of BL2: Badsass ranks, challenges, side quests, action skills & skill tree, elemental effects, levelling, etc. So with that in mind, I'd recommend 2 before 3, as 3 has a lot more complexity added in.

3 comes in for some criticism; the storyline and some controls are terrible but gameplay isn't bad and graphics have improved, so I'm still enjoying it - the drawbacks aren't enough to ruin the game for me (and I'm not sensitive enough to make a huge drama out of wokeism/SBI controversy - it's a game, I bought it, I like playing it).

Originally posted by Junipercat:

My vote would be BL2 (and maybe The Pre Sequel, though consider it a large DLC of BL2 as end game content was cut short) and then BL3 if you want an overall experience of both game play and story.

That. Perhaps BL2, then DLCs for BL2, then TPS before 3 if you wanted to explore the BL universe a bit more.

I made the mistake of hopping to the DLCs before I'd got too far into BL2 so some of the side characters I hadn't encountered yet, so made the effort to get to BL2 UVHM before BL3.

(I've started TPS with some friends and am enjoying it, as it feels like a return to BL2)

However, nothing wrong with BL2 -> BL3 and bypassing everything inbetween. But I actually found some of the DLCs quite enjoyable, like the side quests.

Footnote: if you're a completist and want to rack up the BAR challenges plus the Steam achievements, DLCs are required.

[Diogenes49]

have a look at pandora's box

[Whos The Lion]

Hum Hum, I'll be biased on this response since Borderlands are my fav games.

If you like looter shooters, you can't go wrong with any Borderlands, each one is marvelous at what they do, and they are the example to follow in the genre, but quick summary:

Borderlands 2 - Amazing class system, infinite replayability, story is incredible and characters are very relatable, gunplay can feel outdated but still packs a punch and feels refreshing, and dlc's (if you get them) are amazing.

Borderlands 3 - The game with the best gameplay of the series, incredible late game, infinite replayability (every borderlands has infinite replayability btw), amazing class systems just like BO2, but the story is just flat, it is not bad, but it is also not at the level of Borderlands 2.

Want story and nice looter shooter gameplay? Bo2
Want the best gameplay, not much into story? Bo3

Either way, both are incredible games.

[Bankai9212]

Replayability isn’t infinite, most end game builds baring bl3 which is a bit more flexible will use meta builds. Plus the content will always be the same outside of what drops and class choice.

[Bankai9212]

Originally posted by Tulip:

Originally posted by Junipercat:

BL3 for improved game play. But a lot of things may not make sense without the backstory, though they do stomp on the buildup on the prior games.

^ This.

I was going to highlight this as some things in BL2 make more sense if you've played BL (which I hadn't... but others explained them to me during my BL2 gameplay) and some things in BL3 make sense now I have knowledge of BL2.

However, as others have pointed out... BL3 isn't a seamless continuation from BL2, and could be considered a stand-alone game as it's so detached in places.

But: I picked up BL3's gameplay much easier due to my experience of BL2: Badsass ranks, challenges, side quests, action skills & skill tree, elemental effects, levelling, etc. So with that in mind, I'd recommend 2 before 3, as 3 has a lot more complexity added in.

3 comes in for some criticism; the storyline and some controls are terrible but gameplay isn't bad and graphics have improved, so I'm still enjoying it - the drawbacks aren't enough to ruin the game for me (and I'm not sensitive enough to make a huge drama out of wokeism/SBI controversy - it's a game, I bought it, I like playing it).

Originally posted by Junipercat:

My vote would be BL2 (and maybe The Pre Sequel, though consider it a large DLC of BL2 as end game content was cut short) and then BL3 if you want an overall experience of both game play and story.

That. Perhaps BL2, then DLCs for BL2, then TPS before 3 if you wanted to explore the BL universe a bit more.

I made the mistake of hopping to the DLCs before I'd got too far into BL2 so some of the side characters I hadn't encountered yet, so made the effort to get to BL2 UVHM before BL3.

(I've started TPS with some friends and am enjoying it, as it feels like a return to BL2)

However, nothing wrong with BL2 -> BL3 and bypassing everything inbetween. But I actually found some of the DLCs quite enjoyable, like the side quests.

Footnote: if you're a completist and want to rack up the BAR challenges plus the Steam achievements, DLCs are required.

Most do DLC's last so the gear is scaled better.

[Black Hole]

All fair points.

Just get the entire collection on sale right now and save yourself money and have a ton of content.

[Junipercat]

Originally posted by Bankai9212:

Most do DLC's last so the gear is scaled better.

At least on 2nd playthrough.

Though definitely do not play Tiny Tina's Attack On Dragon's Keep until AFTER you've beat the main story of BL2 at least once. Otherwise some huge spoilers.

[Vandall1200]

both