Redfall and Borderlands 3 have a lot of similarities because both games are looter-shooters with 4 playable heroes that each have their own special skills. However, how much do they really overlap or differentiate from each other? Therefore, I’m going to compare Redfall against Borderlands 3 but to make this a fair comparison, I’m going to measure Redfall up against the base game of BL3 without any of the Season Pass content.
Redfall vs Borderlands 3
Feature | Redfall | Borderlands 3 |
---|---|---|
Story Campaign | Yes | Yes |
Side Missions | Yes | Yes |
End Game Content | Nests, Safe House | Takedowns, Proving Grounds, Circle of Slaughter, DLC |
Party Size | Solo or up to 4 Player Co-Op | Solo or up to 4 Player Co-Op |
Co-Op Level-Sync | No | Yes |
Playable Characters | 4 Heroes (2 Paid DLC Heroes got cancelled) | 4 Vault Hunters |
Action Skills | Use 3 Abilities Alongside Each Other | Choose 1 from the 3 Action Skills |
Skill Trees | 4 Trees = 34 Skills + 4 Enhancements | 3 Trees = 40 Skills + 12 Augments |
Loadout | 1 Vampire God Remnant, 1 Blood Remnant, and 1 Soul Remnants | 1 Class Mod, 1 Shield, 1 Artifact |
Character Progression | Yes, LVL 40 | Yes, LVL 72 + 10 Mayhem LVLs |
Character Respec | Yes | Yes |
Customization | Yes | Yes |
Weapons | Military, Robust, Anti-Vampire | 7 Different Weapon Manufacturers |
Weapon Attachments | Yes (Silencers and Stakes) | Yes (Blade and Underbarrels) |
Amount of Guns | A Bunch | Over a Million |
Weapon Levels | Yes | Yes |
Weapon Rarities | Yes (5) | Yes (5) |
Weapon Skins | Yes | Yes |
World | 2 Open Areas | Multiple Large Segmented Locations |
Day & Night Cycle | Yes and has an impact on enemy spawns. Like more Vampires at night. | Yes but only changes the esthetics |
Collectibles | Grave Locks Simon’s Survival Guides | Multiple Crew Challenges |
Head-to-Head Conclusion
I spend a lot of time playing both Borderlands 3 and Redfall. All the resources on my site are a testament to that as there are a lot of in-depth guides you can dive into.
Redfall and Borderlands 3 both seem similar at first glance as multiple features seem to do the same. However, it’s noticeable that Redfall is the first attempt at a looter-shooter by Arkane Austin, and Gearbox Software has been making these for a while.
Borderlands 3 has a lot more stuff to offer as it has more loot and bigger skill trees, however, I believe that Redfall’s strength comes from its world and how it comes alive as Redfall is an immersive sim.
While Borderlands 3 has a day-and-night cycle, the only thing that really changes is how the environment is lit. The gameplay in Redfall will be impacted by its day & night cycle as different enemy types will appear during the night for example.
But the Redfall developers also talk about enemies having patrol routes and going about their own business. The enemies in Borderlands 3 wander a bit around but don’t have a clear objective other than strolling a bit around. Worldbuilding and your impact on the town is a part of Redfall.
Therefore, it looks like Borderlands 3 is your fun looter-shooter with a ton of things to tinker with and Redfall will be offering you a rich and immersive experience.
Gearbox Software and Arkane Studios both have their own expertise. But no matter if you choose to shoot Psycho Bandits in Borderlands 3 or if you slay Vampires in Redfall, both games will offer you a ton of gameplay and entertainment!