Borderlands vs Fallout 3: An (Post) Apocalyptic Debacle
With Borderlands just on the horizon for release and Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition just hitting shelves, it is no wonder that the two titles have been in the recent spotlight, often on opposite sides of one another. Yes, both games feature Post Apocalyptic settings, first person perspectives, and rpg elements, but people, that is where the brute of their similarities stop. And likewise, to the people that insist on comparing the two truly epic titles as though they were the same game, you need to do the same: STOP.
Hammer Time! … Get it?
Okay, that probably grabbed your attention in a negative way (no, not referring to Hammer). Sure, there is nothing wrong with comparing any two games, but it only holds water if you do so with the right mindset and understanding. I could compare Tenchu with Ninja Gaiden. They are both third person and feature ninjas, right? Well, yes, but you also have to consider other very, very important things. It’s wrong not to consider the game play mechanics of both games, as well as the subgenres they fall into. Tenchu’s pacing is far slower, featuring stealth elements and level exploration. Ninja Gaiden is an action-packed gore fest with the intensity and brutality equivalent of a night on the toilet after eating at IHOP. If we are to compare Fallout 3 and Borderlands, it is no different.
Kinda like this… with Ninjas
Dear fellow gamers, you’ve fallen into a rant-trap. I feel compelled to write this article to set a few things straight. As of late, in-depth previews and even some early reviews have began to appear on the internet for Borderlands, and I keep finding that it is being compared to a (seemingly) similar game: Fallout 3. The simple act of comparing the games does not irk me, it is the accusation that Borderlands is an improved version of Fallout 3. A more intense, action-packed, and fast paced version.
First off, what? And secondly, how in the hell do you figure that?
Exactly, Cookie Monster. Exactly.
Now, before you go postal on me, I’m not saying that the combat isn’t more action-packed and intense in Borderlands, but that does not make the combat, and especially not the game, better. It is all a matter of opinion. Some of my favorite parts of Fallout 3 were getting lost in the truly epic world that Bethesda had created for the gamer. I scavenged like a real Wasteland inhabitant, finding friend and foe in the most unlikely of places. Drinking a Nuka-Cola and fighting off strange Deathclaws when I wandered into the wrong part of town. Oh, and VATS was absolutely kick-ass. I enjoyed every minute of the combat in Fallout 3, even though it can be admittedly sluggish at times.
I know what you’re thinking… cute and cuddly, right?
Now, does that mean everyone will enjoy Fallout 3’s pacing and style of play? No. But have you ever played a Fallout game? That’s how the series is. I don’t feel you should criticize it unless the rest of the game is not an enjoyable experience. The same goes for Borderlands. Maybe some people prefer not to turn enemies into Swiss cheese via bullets every five seconds.
The reason I feel so compelled to discuss this with you all is that I see Borderlands as being dramatically different from Fallout 3. Yes, as I’ve stated, they are in the same ‘post apocalyptic’ setting (though not really. BL is set in Pandora, not Earth). The genre is FPS RPG (That’s a lot of acronyms, ffs), but it is the subgenres of the games that really define them. Fallout 3 has elements of exploration, adventure, and even survival. Borderlands is an arcade-like shooter, built “From the ground up” for multiplayer action. Multiplayer, people. It features RPG elements found in a lot of classic and popular computer RPGs such as Diablo and even WoW (There is pvp, pve, epic loot, random generated loot, character classes, skill trees, different color categories for items, etc). Borderlands looks hectic and fun, with action taking the lead and story / variety of quests taking the back seat. Fallout 3 could arguably almost be defined as the opposite. People criticize this as ‘slow pacing’, but I consider it an entirely different type of play.
So what is the point of all this? Well, I find it misleading to compare these two titles. I think they are different in more than just their name and art style. I don’t feel it’s fair to criticize one for its style of play in comparison to the other. They are two different, surely fantastic games. So, come release day, enjoy your copy of Borderlands or Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition (or both, you lucky bastard), but know what you’re getting and what to expect. Be happy there are such a surplus of good games, and be sure to have fun (or else…)
And, by the way, Borderlands is going to be friggin’ sweet.
26 Comments
How could anyone get the two mixed up in the first place? Fallout 3 vs Borderlands never even crossed my mind, as the gameplay mechanics I've seen from them are completely different.
Borderlands is a run and gun, blow 'em up and collect phat loot type of game. Fallout 3 is a relatively slow RPG with a world to get absorbed into.
People must be confusing theme with mechanics…
I'm not sure if people are getting the games mixed up, per se, but they seem to be getting caught up in the fact that the games have similar themes, like you said. My biggest complaint is the criticism of one game for not being like the other in one aspect or another, as though it is some short coming.
Beautifully eloquent. Borderlands is being hailed as some kind of Fallout-done-right and it irritates me that people cannot seem to grasp that they are not the same genre.
Fallout is a story heavy, intense roleplaing action experience while Borderlands is an open world FPS with little story to speak of.
Personally, without a good story, games become boring quickly so I lean towards the Fallout style of play. Calling a relatively story-less game better than Fallout is silly to me.
Different strokes, different folks.
I couldn't agree with you more. I am excited to give Borderlands a try, but I definitely need story, so I'm not sure if Borderlands will be able to keep me hooked past my initial playthrough. There is something about loot, however…. and guns. Oh, so many guns.
Fallout 3 wins, hands down. This is the equivalent of trying to compare Spyro The Dragon with Jak & Daxter.
The reviews appear to agree with you, over all. I thought Borderlands would do a bit better than it is doing, but it's not shabby by any means.
So, essentially, you read a long article about how you can't compare apples to oranges. Then you conclude that apples are definitely better than oranges. Nice.
Actually, the author didn't conclude anything within the actual article. What he might say in comments is only substance for comments, not further articles… And I'm not trying to start a war here, I'm just saying that his title says it's a debacle to compare these games- and within the article, he proves they shouldn't be compared. Point blank.
BTW- Borderlands is a self-proclaimed RPS (Role-Playing Shooter). It says so on the box, thus avoiding the messy string of acronyms.
That's exactly my point. The author didn't conclude this, Macphail did.
What on earth does this have to do with fruit???
I'm saying that if you compare the overall quality of the two games Fallout 3 is better. Sheesh – go and take a look at Metacritic.
That's good to know, thanks VenerableBmoney. That makes a lot of sense, actually. I haven't played anything -quite- like Borderlands. RPS seems right.
This game was on my must have till the more recent details came trickling through and it moved away from where I had originally thought it was going. After reading the reviews, I decided to give it a pass for the time being.
Saved my hard earned cash for Uncharted 2 and a pre-order on Dragon Age! COLLECTORS EDITION!:O!
Its BioWare man… Its going to be good.
I've been having fun with Borderlands, but it's not exactly what I expected. It's a surprise in many ways. Some good, some bad. I think the reviews are a TOUCH lower than it deserves, over all, but still fair. Next game: Demon Souls.
Good points made there, Nathan. We agree on the fact that they're totally different. In my humble but accurate opinion, Fallout 3 is the best game of the decade.
Can't remember another game that I've played as much and loved as much since I started playing video games. Played it for over 300 hours on PS3 then learned about DLC and went out and bought a Jasper RE5 Red Xbox360 just to play all the DLC on Fallout 3. Impulsive huh? Yeah tell me about it. Just love playing the game that much, and have played on it on the BrakeBox 1.5 for over 600 hours. Now Borderlands is fun, but it doesn't have the charm and subtle but brilliant gameplay that Fallout 3 has. Fallout 3 = sublime genius.
There's no way I see myself being sucked into the world of Borderlands and playing for over 600 hours in the next few months or so, like i did with Fallout 3. Hell, I still play it.
Now if they would just hurry up with New Vegas . . . imagine . . . desert vehicles, drug gangs, casinos and giant mutated lot-lizards
lol
There's a game coming out that will be much better than Borderlands by a long shot its name is . . . [drumroll]. . . . . R.A.G.E. . . . . . . ha! take that borderlands!
Hey, Apacxavier, thanks for the comment! I do love Fallout 3. Like… a lot. I played it for many hours and just bought the game of the year edition so that I can play the DLC for the first time. It's going to be a blast. Insomina, here I come.
I own both games and I think Borderlands is more fun. That's it. And to me, that's what matters when I play a game.
Borderlands claims to be the first FPSRPG hybrid. Fail. Borderlands sucks and I am tired of lame ass games. Hype Hype Hype. I have both games for PC and both games have major flaws. I would rate FO3 better due to the fact there is mod software and a more open game world but suffers from a look like there is pillow lava everywhere. No post apocalytic land looks like there are friggin bolders everywhere! Good story you control. Good character build system. Borderlands is go here, get x amount of z or kill x, the go back and get reward, all with a story I can only sum up as short and lame. I am a college student getting into the game industry and I will not work for a company that can screw up a good concept this bad! Looks like I'll be working for Blizzard!
Borderlands claims to be the first FPSRPG hybrid. Fail. Borderlands sucks and I am tired of lame ass games. Hype Hype Hype. I have both games for PC and both games have major flaws. I would rate FO3 better due to the fact there is mod software and a more open game world but suffers from a look like there is pillow lava everywhere. No post apocalytic land looks like there are friggin bolders everywhere! Good story you control. Good character build system. Borderlands is go here, get x amount of z or kill x, the go back and get reward, all with a story I can only sum up as short and lame. I am a college student getting into the game industry and I will not work for a company that can screw up a good concept this bad! Looks like I'll be working for Blizzard!
You've got to be kidding me. The story in FO3 is a travesty of storytelling because of the potential that it has wasted.
Borderlands doesn't have a real story but I find the game to be enjoyable. If modern society has hit the point where the garbage in FO3 is considered good storytelling we might as well give up and just watch reality shows all day. FO3 is boring as hell and “features” terrible animation and equally terrible character models. I wish I could get my money back.
Now, without a story in FO3 I have to fall back on gameplay and FO3 is booooooooooooooooooring. Great, now I can walk around all day in an ugly ass world that I don't give a damn about. Plus, I have the option to customize a character that means nothing to me because his world is lame garbage that is passed off as a setting. Ooooh, they recreated DC. Am I supposed to be so enthralled by looking at the world that I'm supposed to forget that the purpose of a game is to have fun?
In the end I can at least enjoy the FPS elements in Borderlands. VATS is cool for about 5mins and after that it makes me want to shoot myself.
FO3 is lukewarm crap. IT IS A GAME and yet I can't find anything fun in it. If I want an RPG experience it's an even bigger disappointment. Lame story + Lame Gameplay + Character customization = Why the hell would I want to play this?
You say you want to work at Blizzard. Well then Diablo is out. It's go here, get x amount of z or kill x, the go back and get reward, all with a story I can only sum up as lame.
WOW is go here, get x amount of z or kill x, the go back and get reward, all with a story I can only sum up as lame.
Maybe you plan on working on Starcraft 3 which will be out around 2025?
The problem I have with Borderlands it's that it is advertised as an RPG Multi-player. Immediately I though- damn Fallout 3/ Mass Effect with Co-op? It had some minor RPG elements, but to me the game should be considered purely FPS with upgradable and mercenary type of game play. There is no dialogue; building of relationships/reputation(insignificantly to be fair); no cause-and-effect; no moral and executive choices. You can dip your character in some paint, and upgrade from limited options but there isn't much customization.
As we can see, the came is suppose to be an RPG and for several reasons The game also FEELS allot like fallout. Eg, the wastelands, lonely feelings of walking around, animal enemies ect….So, these two things lead people to compare it to Fallout.
I will not discuss which is better because to me, Borderlands is not a full RPG. It's a Co-op Multiplayer FPS, with minor RPG elements and mercenary activities. It's an FPS!
I am trying to get rid of mine, since it's not a bad game, but not for my taste. I especially hate games that the motivations are mostly MONEY, even when there is a small meaning to the story.
BTW, if you would like to reply please e-mail me the link to this stie since I don't come here much- it was an accident. Sqorpion@live.com
seth u cant be serious i know its a matter of preferance but the only reason you said this is because you obviously only beat the campane. Fallout 3 was really made more for people with good minds and like to explore and play with things. I mean really when i finally was at the end of velvet cutain in point lookout and i grabbed the backwater rilfle i was exited but when i read the terminal i thought oh shit im screwed and it took me about 5 min just figute that i can climb on the lockers.
really quest those two were the biggest compared between my friends. seth u cant be serious i know its a matter of preferance but the only reason you said this is because you obviously only beat the campane. Fallout 3 was really made more for people with good minds and like to explore and play with things. I mean really when i finally was at the end of velvet cutain in point lookout and i grabbed the backwater rilfle i was exited but when i read the terminal i thought oh shit im screwed and it took me about 5 min just figute that i can climb on the lockers.
if fallout 3 was an FPS MMORPG it would easily be the greatest game ever created. Please bethesda make the next fallout or elder scrolls game online with epic looting!!!
After looking at all of this I have figured out many things. 1, some people dont enjoy games like borderlands bc they haveno friends to play with. And 2, people calling fallout 3’s’story good are retarded. Borderlands is fun bc if youhave friends you can invite them, talk, and screw around. Bethesda has yet to make an online game, so I definitely see which one is better. When bethesda decides to make a game geared toward multiplayer then I will go out of my way to buy New Vegas. Come on guys fallout 3 better than Borderlands, seriously?
Ok, first of all, New Vegas is not actually from Bethesda, its being developed by Obsidian if I remember correctly, but people keep messing that up.
Second, the two games are very different yes. They are both RPG’s (whoever says Borderlands isn’t hasn’t played it) but they are VERY different styles. Fallout 3 is the traditional RPG, very well done. Borderlands is a very new kind, an RPS as they say, with new takes on RPG conventions.
Which you like better is a matter of personal taste, there is no definitive better game. I personally liked Borderlands better so far. The central design is more fun and carefree, not serious, which appeals to me more. I like the quirky characters and humor (which I think make up for the lack of a plot), the unique art style, the addicting loot-gathering, and the more comfortable and chill shooter gameplay. So far, Fallout 3 is a bit too slow-moving for me, and requires too much intense focus to be the kind of casual experience I play for hundreds of hours. I’ll definitely play through it, and probably love it, but I’ll come back to Borderlands more than Fallout 3. When I’ve seen Fallout’s great story, there won’t be much else for me. But blasting skags with big-ass guns won’t get old.