Borderlands 3 has received some well-deserved praise for its core gameplay, its visuals, and its willingness to go to new places and expand the universe. Its Vault Hunters are strong, too, with plenty of build variety and viable strategies available for each of the four playable characters. However, Borderlands 3 is not perfect, and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands should aim to avoid some of the mistakes made by its predecessor.
While certain things should be taken from Borderlands 3, like the Mayhem Mode concept, Diamond Armory, and Vault Cards, the game struggled in other areas – something that Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands needs to avoid. There are ways that the spinoff game can deliver both a stronger story and a more rewarding gameplay experience, with Borderlands 3 being a perfect example of what works and what does not.
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How Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands Can Tell A Better Story Than Borderlands 3
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands already has one advantage over Borderlands 3, which is Tina’s larger role. In that game, Tina was hardly used, with the beloved explosives expert staying mostly on the sidelines throughout the story. While Tina getting more than one main mission and a few side quests is great, it is only one way that her fantasy-focused adventure can tell a more engaging story.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands should aim to avoid Borderlands’ villain problem. While the Calypso Twins did have their fans, most gamers would agree that the pair was lacking compared to Handsome Jack. A key part of telling a better story will be making sure that the villain works, as Borderlands 3’s main antagonists often felt annoying and underdeveloped. While Tina seemingly creating the Dragon Lord is promising, as it means that he will likely be entertaining, making sure that he stands out from Handsome Jack will be important. On top of this, cutscenes should see the Dragon Lord properly interacting with the player character, as the cinematics of Borderlands 3 were incredibly awkward due to the Vault Hunters just standing by while Troy and Tyreen wreaked havoc.
Even more important will be an approach that gives fans time to sit with serious moments. Given how emotional Assault on Dragon Keep was for Tina, there is a chance that there will be a sad side to the fun story that she is trying to tell. in Tiny Tina's Wonderlands. As such, Gearbox needs to be careful with how it approaches any serious elements of the plot. Maya’s death in Borderlands 3 shows how an important moment can feel meaningless if handled incorrectly. Not only was the moment incredibly rushed, but it resulted in a bit of dialogue that contributed greatly to the community’s hatred of Ava. While the deleted scene focused on Maya’s funeral is far better than what was in the game, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands needs to spend proper time with its characters from the beginning, getting the big moments right on the first try.
How Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands Can Improve Upon The Gameplay Of Borderlands 3
From a gameplay perspective, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is clearly aiming to do some fresh things. The use of a multiclass system makes it stand out from past entries in the series, while Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands' spellcasting and melee weapons could shake up combat in a major why. Alongside this, though, Gearbox needs to make sure everything is properly balanced from the get-go. Avoiding the issues with loot drops that happened near the start of Borderlands 3’s life cycle is important, as is proper weapon and grenade balancing – something that proved troublesome for Borderlands 3.
The concept of Takedowns should be completely reworked or abandoned entirely, as they were seen as unfair in the eyes of many. The divisive anointment system needs some work as well, as many had issues with its effect on the endgame grind. Prioritizing a stat over the weapon itself was a controversial call, as it made the actual gun matter a lot less. Most importantly, though, is traditional raid bosses. While Borderlands 3’s Hemovorous The Invincible made for an excellent fight, it came at the end of the game’s life cycle and was the only one of its kind. As such, having more than one raid boss is a must, and each DLC for Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands should add to that count just like Borderlands 2 did. With the right gameplay changes and a more careful approach to storytelling, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands could surpass Borderlands 3.
Borderlands 3 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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