Borderlands 3 was released on Sept. 13, 2019, to almost universal praise not only from critics, but from fans such as myself.

Since 2009, with the release of the first game, Borderlands, this series has been held to a high, yet still moderately cult, following.

People who really love Borderlands, really love Borderlands, and the newest installment is no different.

From a graphics perspective, Borderlands 3 knocks every other installment out of the water. The trademark cell-shaded style returns in all of its glory.

On top of that the general animation has improved tremendously, especially the cut scenes.

Gameplay has also improved tremendously. Sliding is a new mechanic that seems to be popping up in every first-person shooter these days, but is still a welcome addition to the Borderlands series. It makes the fast-paced looting and shooting that much more agile and fun.

The number and variety of weapons has also been improved upon exponentially. Every manufacturer has its own shtick.

Vladof, for example, typically has an under barrel mounted weapon. As the game says, “It’s like a gun, for your gun!”

This has made every gun you find unique and interesting in a way that the previous games struggled with.

Legendary weapons also make a triumphant comeback. Many legends from Borderlands 2 especially have also made a return. Every one of them having a unique ability and flavor text.

On top of having more options in weapons, the weapons themselves feel much better than the previous Borderlands iterations. All of them feel snappy and weighted. You can sense how the gun feels through the controller and the animations.

The story is still just as crude and well-written as ever. The Calypso Twins, the main antagonists, are well-written and arguably as good or better as the previous game’s villain Handsome Jack.

The references to streamer culture is hilarious and extremely clever. The idea of a cult started by streamers is just genius.

Without giving too much away, the story has a ton of twists and turns and many characters long-time fans will recognize and plenty of new characters to fall in love with.

Every planet you visit over the course of the game has a unique identity and plenty of fun side-quests to occupy tons of your time on top of the main quest.

From starting up a coffee shop in the middle of a war-zone, to getting medical supplies for a rapping doctor.

Borderlands 3 has plenty to keep you entertained and is a great addition to the series, and arguably the best installment yet.