Is Redfall like Borderlands?
Redfall and Borderlands 3 have a lot of similarities, however, how much do they overlap or differentiate from each other? Because both games are looter-shooters with a lot of guns and you have 4 heroes with special skills. Therefore, I’m going to compare Redfall against Borderlands 3. To make this comparison fair I’m going to take the base game of BL3 without any of the Season Pass content.
Redfall and Borderlands 3 Comparison
Redfall is still in development and Arkane Studios hasn’t revealed everything about the game just yet. There is a big reveal coming up but this overview gives a good impression to get you up to speed!
MentalMars
| 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 TBA) | 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 3 Soul Remnants | 1 Class Mod, 1 Shield, 1 Artifact |
| Character Progression | Yes, Unconfirmed (40) | Yes, LVL 72 + 10 Mayhem LVLs |
| Character Respec | Yes (Locked till End-Game?) | Yes |
| Customization | Yes | Yes |
| Weapons | Military, Robust, Anti-Vampire | 7 Different Weapon Manufacturers |
| Weapon Attachments | Yes | Yes |
| Amount of Guns | A lot | Over a Million |
| Weapon Levels | Yes | Yes |
| Weapon Rarities | Yes (5) | Yes (5) |
| Weapon Skins | Yes | Yes |
| World | 1 Open-World | 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 | Multiple Crew Challenges |
Head-to-Head Conclusion
I spend a lot of time playing Borderlands 3 and have been doing a ton of research into 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.
At first glance, Redfall and Borderlands 3 both seem to be looter-shooters. As they both have four playable characters with each having their own unique abilities that you can level up. Both games have a variety of weaponry and let you customize your load out. By comparing these things, it looks like Borderlands 3 is offering a deeper gameplay experience.
Yes, Borderlands 3 has more loot and bigger skill trees, however, I believe that Redfall’s strength comes from its world and how it comes alive. While Borderlands 3 has a day & 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 seem to be a big 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!
