It’s more likely than not that you’ve played the Borderlands franchise at this point, whether it be PC or any other platform that it’s on. Is it any surprise that Nintendo jumped on the bandwagon and brought its own option to the table?
Players knew about this portable version from when it first came out on the PlayStation Vita in 2014; however, it didn’t do all that hot when it came to framerate and some other aspects. This is where Nintendo has improved on the portable franchise and made some tweaks to the game that you might not have noticed.
10 Framerate
Holding at a steady 30FPS, there are hardly any hiccups when you’re coming up with strategies on how to play on the handheld Switch. However, when dealing with situations where explosions get wild and hairy, there may be a bit of a drop. It’s barely noticeable, though, and not something that seems to be complained about. This is because the engine was made to be flexible, switching between 720p and 1080p with each game’s unique needs to ensure that they got the best framerate possible.
9 Load Times
Load time on the Switch is surprisingly fast according to players, rivaling even that of the Xbox and PlayStation versions, which is a pleasant surprise given the Switch’s smaller size. Those that have played the game marvel at its capacity to load quickly with pop-in’s being smooth, snappy, and loading in with little problem for the portable console. Those that farm or are trying to decide which character is best to play co-op with will appreciate this aspect as they’ll have more time playing and less time waiting, making this worth its port in a purchase.
8 Motion Controls And Settings
With the Switch’s motion settings, players may or may not have noticed that they can turn these up, allowing them to be in more control. With the addition of the gyro in the Switch’s hardware, tweaking the settings can be a must given the way the game runs with aiming, movement, and other factors. Some might complain that it’s overly sensitive, but going into your settings menu and turning this option up or down will solve that for you. There is also the added option for HD rumble if you’re into feeling the world around you as you traverse the terrain fighting bandits. Having these turned on during game-play can be a game-changer in regards to immersion and ease of play. Who doesn’t want to feel the rumble of the world as you zip through it with Zero slashing away at baddies?
7 Visual Settings
Within the games, there are so many visual settings available. With the games switching back and forth between 720p and 1080p depending on which one you’re playing, graphical demand, ambition in explosions, and other goodies, you’re bound to tweak these to your satisfaction. Turning on options such as bloom, FOV (this isn’t available in BL2), and other options will have players pretty happy.
That doesn’t mean that the games don’t come with visual compromises though, as there is a lack of anti-aliasing, and some texture quality takes a hit, an example being that shadows are flat and have no depth. Setting FOV in settings may help with gameplay, a nice added feature in the portable console’s size. While the visual compromises may not be immediately noticeable, the edges aren’t as precise as other versions of the game, nor as snappy or popped out in quality with its unique art style. Another drawback is that, at times, intricate details such as muzzle flashes from guns firing are missing, taking away from the visceral effects that gunplay has in the game.
6 Resolution
With the Switch and all the Borderlands games comes the switching between resolutions for each game to suit their needs. Each holds steady at 30FPS in their respective resolutions. However, it might not be noticed that it’s going back and forth when you switch games due to how smooth they run. With Pre-Sequels ambitious graphics and gameplay, the game runs at a 720p resolution rather than Borderlands 2, that runs at 1080p which is what they were aiming for. This to bring in some visual compromise so that the player doesn’t notice too much of a difference and sacrifice load time or FPS.
5 Multiplayer
Multiplayer is an integral part of all the Borderlands games, allowing players to play in groups of four while traversing the world of Pandora, gathering loot, and fighting off bandits. Voice chat comes standard with this version of the game, and split screenplay as well. Being able to join friends is effortless, making this an all-around enjoyable experience, though it doesn’t rival gameplay in the newer Borderlands 3 with the multiplayer system. Playing with others usually requires an online account; however, if your partner doesn’t have an online account which is understandable given the breach that had happened with player’s accounts, you’ll need to play offline. The console will give you a warning when they try to join with you, but ignore it and continue. That will usually do the trick.
4 Space To Install
Players will need an SD card to load all the games at once onto the Switch as they all carry a hefty load in needing space with being 49G in size. The physical cartridge needs to have an online connection to be able to download the full content of the game, including the DLC.
This will give players the need for juggling space with other games, or instead just installing each Borderlands game on its own to save precious space considering the Switch’s limited capacity.
3 Borderlands 2 vs. Pre-Sequel
Both games have a big size in their capacity requirements for install, making it almost a necessity to install them separately. However, the difference between the two may be unnoticeable to players that aren’t familiar with the particular aspects of the games ratios and resolutions. With Pre-Sequel’s ambitious graphics comes a downgrade into 720p and Borderlands 2 at 1080p so that they can both hold steady at 30FPS. Playing these in docked mode with a decent dock set up will get a better resolution and quality than in undocked mode, and playing with a pro-controller will get a better handle on the motion controls when it comes to lining up shots and choosing who the best class to play during co-op is in terms of ease of play.
2 No Commander Lilith DLC
Interestingly enough, there’s no Commander Lilith DLC included with the downloaded content, which came out free when it was first released and then went to $14.99 after the initial debut on PC and other platforms. This is disappointing considering that Lilith is a main character in the cast. The thinking behind this is because Commander Lilith was released as a pre-cursor to promote Borderlands 3 and that the memory needed to be able to download this would be yet another load on the Switch’s limited capacity. It’s speculated that the reason that this wasn’t released was that 2K wants to sell it down the road as another DLC in the package before they possibly release Borderlands 3 onto the Switch, much like it was on the original version.
1 Rumors Of Borderlands 3 Coming To Switch
With the release of the Commander Lilith DLC, there was the introduction of Borderlands 3, something that players had long been awaiting. Playing new characters, a new storyline, and further exploring the universe with the beloved characters that players had come to know and love being an exciting draw. Rumors are that there is the possibility that the game will be coming to the Switch here soon, though it’s not set in stone, nor is there a date in mind on when it will be coming out.
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