The community response to Borderlands 3 was interesting, as the game was equally celebrated and criticized among fans. While Borderlands 3’s post-launch support received plenty of praise overall, the lack of dedicated raid bosses frustrated many. Likewise, while the game’s shooting and looting was smoother than ever, its quality-of-life upgrades could not compensate for what many viewed as lackluster storytelling.
One aspect of Borderlands 3 that contributed to its disappointing narrative was its cutscenes. The game’s cinematic were not only strange from a technical perspective, but they felt awkward due to the Vault Hunter’s placement (or lack thereof) within them. With these scenes detracting from major moments instead of elevating them, they are one area that Gearbox should play close attention to in the eventual sequel.
Borderlands 3 Cutscene Problems That Borderlands 4 Should Address
When viewing just about any cutscene in Borderlands 3, players should be able to notice a few technical problems that make the cinematics stand out from those seen in other games. Pacing and dialogue is strange, as are some angles used to show off the character models. The animations of the characters are also stiff at times, taking the intensity out of moments like the fight between Lilith and the Calypsos in the game’s opening act.
Perhaps the strangest thing about the game’s cutscenes is the lack of music accompanying some of them. Maya’s controversial death, for example, feels particularly odd. Players only hear the characters talking and the sound effects tied to the various Siren abilities being used. When Troy eventually kills Maya, this quietness stands out even more, and it likely contributes to the community’s dislike for the moment. Even in sound design, Maya’s demise feels a bit rushed. With other cutscenes sharing this awkward silence, like Lilith’s naming of Sanctuary or Troy holding the Vault Hunters in the air at Jakobs Estate, it is something for Gearbox to keep in mind.
Aside from better pacing, sound design, and animation, Borderlands 4’s cutscenes desperately need to figure out a way to incorporate the Vault Hunters. The character players control has no presence in the cinematics of Borderlands 3, and this makes for some inexplicable moments in the story. While Maya’s death can be viewed as the Vault Hunters being inside the Vault while it happened, other examples are impossible to justify.
A key example of this comes near the end of the game. During the scene where Typhon DeLeon is killed by his daughter Tyreen, the Vault Hunters are nowhere to be seen. Considering that they were fighting the Children of the Vault in this same room prior to Tyreen’s arrival, this is truly confusing. No explanation was given for the Vault Hunters not being present in this encounter, as they have simply disappeared from the room completely. For whatever reason, none of the other cutscenes in the game involve the Vault Hunters, either, which makes little sense given how active they are in every major battle of the story.
It is worth noting that flawed cutscenes can be viewed as a series issue, as even the beloved Borderlands 2 struggles in this area. The death of Roland, for example, sees the Vault Hunters doing nothing after he is shot. Considering that Handsome Jack remains in the room after the act and continues to stand in front of the Vault Hunters to talk, while simultaneously capturing Lilith, the player characters just standing still instead of attacking him is frustrating.
In Borderlands 3, the Vault Hunters feel entirely disconnected from the biggest moments of the main story, something that should not be the case. Even when the perspectives of the Vault Hunters are shown, they are given nothing to do in the cutscenes, which leads to some major plot holes. In Borderlands 4, Vault Hunters need to play an active role in the cinematics, or the problems seen during the Typhon and Roland death scenes will appear once again.
Borderlands 3 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
