Borderlands 3: Guns, Love, and Tentacles delivers a focused story expansion in the action RPG looter shooter genre. Players join Vault Hunters on a new campaign set on the frozen planet Xylourgos, where they assist with preparations for a wedding amid threats from cultists and monstrous creatures. The experience centers on gunplay, loot collection, character progression, and cooperative play across a series of missions that blend combat with narrative elements.
Gameplay
Core gameplay revolves around fast-paced first-person shooting combined with loot-driven RPG systems. Vault Hunters collect weapons and gear from defeated enemies, then customize loadouts to handle varied threats. Combat involves targeting groups of foes that include occult worshippers who support each other with buffs and revivals, alongside mutated beasts and aggressive wildlife adapted to icy terrain.
Exploration covers distinct zones such as the possessed settlement of Cursehaven and wooded areas filled with hazards. Side activities include tracking down creatures for specific characters and uncovering details about local inhabitants through optional tasks. Progression comes from leveling up, equipping stronger items, and refining skills to suit different playstyles in single-player or group sessions.
New equipment options expand arsenal choices with additional legendary weapons and class modifications that alter abilities. Encounters emphasize positioning and resource management against enemies that revive allies or deploy explosive tactics.
Game Modes
The primary mode follows the main story campaign, which consists of six structured missions that advance the central narrative while introducing new locations and boss fights. This linear path guides players through key objectives on Xylourgos.
Optional content adds fourteen side missions that provide extra challenges and background details on the planet's residents and conflicts. These tasks often involve combat against specialized enemy types or collection goals tied to the wedding preparations.
Cooperative support allows up to four players to tackle the campaign and side content together, with shared progression and enemy scaling. The structure supports repeated playthroughs to pursue better gear drops and complete all available tasks.
Story and Setting
The narrative focuses on the engagement of Sir Alistair Hammerlock and Wainwright Jakobs, who host their party on Xylourgos despite interference from a cult devoted to a massive frozen entity known as Gythian. Players work alongside returning character Gaige and her companion Deathtrap to counter these forces.
The ice-covered world features harsh environments and unique enemy factions, including cold-adapted bandits and eldritch horrors. Missions weave humor and tension as the group navigates cult strongholds and natural dangers to ensure the event proceeds.
Backstories emerge through interactions with cursed townsfolk, revealing layers of the planet's history and the cult's influence without disrupting the main flow of events.
Is It Worth Playing?
This expansion suits players who enjoy Borderlands-style looter shooter campaigns with a mix of shooting, exploration, and light narrative. It adds a self-contained story arc with fresh enemies and environments that integrate into the base game's systems.
Reception highlights its consistent delivery of the series formula alongside witty character moments and challenging side content. The campaign length and variety of missions provide solid value for those invested in the ongoing Vault Hunter adventures.
Availability through the base game or related bundles makes it accessible for existing owners seeking additional story content. It remains a worthwhile addition for fans of cooperative action RPG gameplay focused on gear collection and boss encounters.
