Month: June 2021

Borderlands 3 on Sale, a Late-to-the-Party Loot Shooter That Still Delivers

Games | Bought June 20, 2021 | $40 CAD via PSN

Borderlands 3 cover art
Photo credit: PlayStation Store

Why I Bought It

Borderlands 3 had been out since 2019 and I’d somehow never gotten around to it, mostly because I burned out hard on the second game years ago. A deep PSN sale in June finally got me over that hump for $40 CAD, and with a DualSense fresh out of the box I figured a loot shooter was as good an excuse as any to put it through its paces.

Living With It

The gunplay is noticeably tighter than I remember from Borderlands 2, and the sheer volume of weapon variety still scratches the same itch it always has. The humor is a mixed bag — some of it lands, a lot of it is trying way too hard — but the moment-to-moment loop of shoot things, get slightly better gun, repeat is as addictive as ever. Coming to it two years late meant no launch bugs to deal with, which was a nice change of pace.

The Good

  • Gunplay feels tighter and more responsive than its predecessor
  • Absurd amount of weapon variety keeps the loot loop fresh
  • Co-op friendly, which made it an easy pick for couch sessions

The Bad

  • The humor swings hard and misses often
  • Story is forgettable and mostly an excuse to move between shooting galleries

Final Call

Rating: 4/5. Better late than never — a genuinely great loot shooter once you tune out the jokes.

Grab One Here

The PS5 DualSense in Midnight Black, a Small Upgrade That Makes a Big Difference

Hardware | Bought June 12, 2021 | $110 CAD from Walmart

PS5 DualSense controller in Midnight Black
Photo credit: PlayStation.com

Why I Bought It

My launch-day white DualSense was starting to look a little grimy no matter how much I cleaned it, and Walmart had the Midnight Black version in stock, which felt like reason enough. I’d been eyeing a second controller anyway for couch co-op, so instead of grabbing another white one I picked up the black to mix things up and give the white one a break from being the only option.

Living With It

It’s the same excellent DualSense underneath the paint job — adaptive triggers and haptic feedback still feel like a genuine step up from the DualShock 4 — but the black finish hides fingerprints and grime dramatically better than the white one ever did. It also just looks sharper sitting next to a black PS5 stand. Nothing about the actual feel or function changed, which is exactly what I wanted.

The Good

  • Adaptive triggers and haptics are still the best controller feature this generation
  • Midnight Black hides fingerprints and wear far better than white
  • Great as a second controller for local co-op

The Bad

  • Battery life is still mediocre compared to the DualShock 4
  • No functional difference from the white version, so it’s a style purchase and nothing more

Final Call

Rating: 4/5. Same great controller, better at hiding grime. Worth it if you want a second one anyway.

Grab One Here