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Borderlands Legendary Collection review on Switch

July 3, 2020

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Borderlands Legendary Collection

Gearbox’s most popular franchise has landed on the Nintendo Switch and boy is it a great first outing! The Borderlands Legendary Collection includes three critically acclaimed games in one package: Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition, Borderlands 2, and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. Plus, there are tons of added downloadable content included for each game.

If you’ve never played a Borderlands game this is a great way to get started! And, even if you have played these games before, the portability factor of the Nintendo Switch will make you want to relive these classics yet again.

Borderlands Legendary Collection Details

Platform: Nintendo Switch
Developer: Gearbox Software
Publisher: 2K Games
Genre: Action role-playing, first-person shooter
Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
ESRB Rating: M (Mature 17+)

Three critically acclaimed games in one package

Each of the Borderlands games are centred around the planet of Pandora, home to ancient treasures and mysteries. Locked away in alien vaults, these treasures and mysteries are the target of Vault Hunters from around the galaxy. The series is known for its offbeat humour and colourful characters, which will have you grinning from ear to ear more often than not.

Out of all three games, I would have to say that Borderlands 2 has the most well written story and characters. In this game, we are introduced to one of the most devious, yet likeable villains of all time, Handsome Jack. He is the CEO of the Hyperion Corporation, who is seeking control of Pandora’s mineral riches and alien artefacts.

It has been quite a while since I last played these games but the over-the-top and offbeat humour still made me chuckle all these years later. In all honesty, I was quite surprised at just how well these games have aged over the years, for the most part.

Borderlands Legendary Collection

Intense first-person shoot and loot gameplay

Borderland games are loot driven first-person shooters that are filled with literally thousands of different guns, each with different properties, stats and tweaks. As a result, you are constantly on the watch out for better, more powerful weapons. In each of the games you have between 4 to 6 Vault Hunters to choose from, each with their own unique attributes and playstyles.

You can go out on your own solo, play two-player split-screen co-op play or play multiplayer online with up to four players. Pretty much all the games keep the same gameplay mechanics with a few updates such as the ability to use oxygen tanks and boost jumping. Furthermore, motion controls have been added as an option when playing these games and it actually works quite well.

Even though the games in the Borderlands Legendary Collection range from 6 to 10 years old, gameplay still feels relatively good. Though, I must say after extended play the quest structure and some gameplay elements do feel repetitive. And, with the amount of content included in each of these games you literally have 100-200 hours of gameplay.

Borderlands Legendary Collection

Beautiful cel shaded graphics and consistent framerate

Surprisingly, all 3 Borderlands games look and run well on the Switch in both handheld and docked mode. The cel shaded graphics look great on the Switch and each of the games run a consistent 30 FPS. Resolution wise, playing undocked you get a full 720p and docked 1080p. Either way you play, the game looks great!

Additionally, load times are a little bit longer on the Switch and pop-in is more frequent and noticeable. Though, I wouldn’t say that this takes away from the fun you’ll have with these 3 games. In the end, the developers did a really great job optimizing and balancing these games on the Nintendo Switch.

Borderlands Legendary Collection

Borderlands Legendary Collection is a great way to experience or relive 3 “legendary” games

The Borderlands Legendary Collection is an impressive first showing of the Borderlands franchise on the Nintendo Switch. You get 3 games filled with an enormous amount of content that will keep you busy for hundreds of hours. Moreover, split-screen and online multiplayer add even more fun and enjoyment to the overall experience.

Additionally, the games look and run solid on the Switch in either docked or undocked mode with constant framerates. I was surprised at just how well the motion controls work for aiming. Nonetheless, if you’ve never played a borderlands game before, the Legendary Collection is the perfect place to start. On the other hand, if you’ve played these games before, you might want to check them out again on the Switch for the portability factor.

+ Ton of content with hundreds of hours of gameplay
+ All games look and run great on the Nintendo Switch
+ Motion controls work surprisingly well
+ Shoot and loot gameplay is addicting

– One game comes on the cartridge and the other 2 need to be downloaded
– Longer load times and great frequency of pop-in