It’s no secret that Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep wasBorderlands 2’s best DLC by far. While Mr. Torgue’s Campaign of Carnage and Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate Booty were great in their own right, Tiny Tina’s DLC outshone every other piece of content inBorderlands 2.
Now thatBorderlands 3is through its second major DLC in the form of Guns, Love, and Tentacles, it’s clear thatBorderlands 3is taking its DLC very seriously and each installment is pushing into ‘Dragon Keep’ level of quality.SPOILER WARNING: This article will be discussing the content of both Borderlands 3 DLCs.
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Perfect Tone and Writing
Borderlandsis known for several things, and arguably one of the biggest is the tone. Both the Handsome Jackpot and Guns, Love, and Tentacles DLCs absolutely nailed the tone they were going for. In the Handsome Jackpot', players are performing their ownOcean’sElevenstyle heist of Handsome Jack’s space casino, spearheaded by Moxxi. In Guns, Love, and Tentacles, players venture to thehorrific planet of Xylourgosto attend the wedding of Hammerlock and Wainwright Jakobs.
Both DLCs brought something entirely new and refreshing to the franchise that previously had not been experienced - much like how Tiny Tina’s DLC did forBorderlands 2. If the quality remains the same (if not better),Borderlands 3is shaping up to have a whole suite of fantastic DLCs that really raise the bar for what DLC content should be like in games.
Moxxi’s Grand Heist
Moxxi’s Heist of the Handsome Jackpot was the first DLC forBorderlands 3,and it really set the bar for what fans are expecting for the rest of the Season Pass. Not only did it bring backBorderlands' most beloved villainin all of his smug, egotistical glory, it also really captured the feeling of planning a full-blown heist. The narrative and writing for the DLC is phenomenal, as it lets our Vault Hunters assemble the perfect heist team. Led by Moxxi and Timothy Lawrence (a familiar name for those who playedPre-Sequel), the Vault Hunters fight through bandits and robots alike to find people who will help take down Pretty Boy and take over the Handsome Jackpot. It’s like planning a big heist inPayday, but with the signatureBorderlandshumor to rope players in.
The Handsome Jackpot itself is so well designed, and each subsection of the map feels unique and has its own vibe. The Spendopticon serves as the main that players will travel through, and it’s littered with slot machines, killer robots, debt-ridden bandits, and more. Trashlantis serves as the garbage-filled underside of the Jackpot, and features one of the best bosses to ever grace theBorderlandsfranchise. Jack’s robot manufacturing plant is a slugfest through near-endless robots, and it really gives a lot more context as to how Jack controlled so many robots inBorderlands 2 -and the beautiful thing about it all is that there are noannoying anointed enemiesin sight. It’s all-around a great experience, especially for those who love a good heist flick.
A Lovecraftian Wedding Party
While the first DLC was themed after great heist films, Guns, Love, and Tentacles takes its inspirations from horror - specifically Lovecraftian Horror. Hammerlock and Wainwright’s wedding venue is located on the planet Xylourgos, which is home to an eldritch entity known as Gythian - who is dead by all accounts, but for some reason the creature’s giant heart still beats. Those residing close to Gythian’s heart are cursed, and some even fall under the thrall of Gythian to serve it as The Bonded. Everything from the design of The Bonded to the giant tentacles that encompass Cursehaven scream Lovecraft, and it’s perfect. Even thenew weapons added in this DLCare phenomenal.
While the story and set design of Xylourgos is fantastic, the real treasure of this DLC comes in the form of the character writing. Not only does Guns, Love, and Tentacles feature afan-favorite returning character, but every NPC players stumble across has their own unique and wild story to tell. The Lodge’s proprietor, Mancubus Bloodtooth, was an absolute joy to interact with thanks to his unique and unnerving mannerisms that ended up being delightful. Every cursed citizen of Cursehaven is hilarious to interact with - a special shout-out to the citizen who locks up at the mention of one specific word.
Lastly, it would be tragic to not mention Burton Briggs who is “cursed” to forget everything. He has a whole side-story that spans several missions that is a must-play. His quest line walks the fine line between humor and tragedy like few otherBorderlandsquests ever have, and it has cemented itself as one of the best stories Gearbox has told in this beloved franchise.
The Future of Borderlands DLC
Borderlands 3has two more DLCs in the Season Pass, but not much is known about them currently. DLC 3 is set to launch this summer, and is labelled “Outlaws and Dinosaurs” on theBorderlands 3roadmap. Several clues have pointed towhich character may return in DLC 3, as both DLCs so far have had a familiar face tied to the story. DLC 1 had Timothy Lawrence, and DL2 had Gaige, so many are wondering who will be returning this time around. Some fans are hoping that Kreig will be returning at some point since he had a close relationship with Maya. Other fans want series staples like Dr. Zed to come back and be the center of attention. Unfortunately players may still have a month or two before DLC 3 launches. If each DLC is shooting to encapsulate a specific genre, then perhaps DLC 3 might be a Western - but only time will tell.
Borderlands 3has set the bar quite high for itself with its first two DLCs. While many fans weren’t expecting something quite to the quality of Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep, fans have been quite taken with the first twoBorderlands 3stories thanks to their fantastic writing and handling of tone and theme. Hopefully some news about DLC 3 will be dropping soon, perhaps around the Revenge of the Cartel event, but until then players can pass the timeplaying Borderlands Scienceaboard Sanctuary III.
Borderlands 3is available now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.
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