Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel PS3 Reviews

While we’re aware that there are millions of people who haven’t upgraded to the PlayStation 4 yet, sales have shifted in favour of Sony’s next-gen super machine. Recent cross-platform titles such as Destiny and Watch Dogs all sold best on the Japanese giant’s latest box, putting Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel in a strange position. Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford previously lamented that the new console’s install base wasn’t big enough to host the co-operative shooter, but we suspect that he’ll be changing his mind in a few months' time. Either way, the reviews for the raucous role-playing game are rolling in, and here are a few must reads.

IGN - 8.0/10

Despite its tendency to make you jump through hoops before getting to the good stuff, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel delivers where I expect it to as a Borderlands fan. The new gear and low-gravity mechanics mixed with the zany skill trees makes for a fresh experience, and with Jack at the center driving the story forward, you get a deeper dive into the always entertaining, if well-traveled universe of Borderlands.

Polygon - 7/10

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel doesn't feel like a game that needs to be, exactly. It's a story filling in gaps, adding a bit of nuance to a world that's already had two games worth of exposition rather than exploring new ground. It's the same recipe that's driven two full, long games and a host of downloadable content. But the lark of low gravity proves that the tedious parts of previous games don't have to stay an anchor holding the series down. That addition makes this one last run through the world of Pandora (or its moon, anyway) on the last generation of consoles worth the time.

Joystiq - 3.5/5

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel has the makings of a pretty great Borderlands game. There are plenty of enemies begging to have their faces shot. The environments on Elpis are stunning neon spectacles, there are plenty of new guns that are bundles of violent joy to use (including lasers!), and the new characters are well-rounded. The Pre-Sequel is missing just a bit of soul, but it has plenty of heart – hearts exploded by laser rifles.

Destructoid - 6/10

Despite that glowing praise, I am torn, because I also recognize that it is far from perfect. The environmental art direction gets dull too quickly, the level design is lacking in basic conveniences, and a general sloppiness is present when looking closely. Some of the cool new features like multi-leveled areas and combining weapons could have been enhanced further if the user interface and systems had been updated to play to those strengths. Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is a solid entry to the series, but I hope that the development team takes some of the failings to heart and delivers excellence in the future.

USGamer - 2.5/5

If you've played Borderlands and the sequel, devoured all the available DLC, and still want more, that's exactly what the Pre-Sequel delivers. If you're looking for anything measurably different than your prior experiences with the series, though, The Pre-Sequel won't satisfy. And this lack of ambition only serves to disappoint: there's a fantastic game buried in here, somewhere, if only its caretakers would perform a serious overhaul.

Will you be picking up Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel this week, or waiting for its inevitable PS4 port? Have you had your fill of shootin’ ‘n’ lootin’ in Destiny? Are you able to stomach another round of bad jokes? Trade up your firearm in the comments section below.