The second of four announced expansions for Borderlands 3 has arrived with Guns, Love, and Tentacles. The story follows the pending marriage of Hammerlock and Wainwright, and players travel to a remote world for the ceremony. Things do not go as planned and after the introduction of a quirky wedding planner named Gaige and her protective robot. Players soon find themselves squaring off against a dangerous cult as they attempt to save the ceremony.

Of course this is just the proverbial tip of the tentacle, as players battle it out in locales ranging from a library, frozen passes, a brewery, township, and much more.

The style of play will be familiar with anyone who’s played any of the prior Borderlands titles, but there are of course scores new weapons and objects, as well as a host of new enemies against which to wage battle. The level cap has also been increased, which allows players to continue to upgrade and adjust their character’s abilities.

While the game’s design is for up to four players, I was unable to find anybody to game with. Efforts to join games only took me to stories within the main campaign. As result, I got hung up on a boss fight early, and I experienced a delay in completing the expansion as planned. Once I got past it, I was able to complete this section, and I could finish the rest of it without too much trouble.

There are some optional side quests that augment the main storyline, including an unexpected one that arose while the endgame credits were playing. I plan to revisit and complete it. It will enhance the story and help me pass the time until the third expansion is announced.

The action is as intense as ever, and the quirky characters are well in keeping with the charm and nature of series. The expansion did have annoying audio drops which unfortunately have become a staple of the game for many, but thankfully they were minor and in no way hindered my completion or enjoyment of the expansion.

While the first expansion was set in a casino, this time around players are given a much more diverse and varied environment to experience. This made for a more well-rounded and satisfying player experience, and improves upon what was already an impressive first expansion.

If you are fan of Borderlands 3 you will want to try this out. It’s well worth playing.

4 stars out of 5.

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