If you pay any attention to the world of gaming at all, you’ve probably heard the comparisons between the recently released Borderlands, and 2008′s Fallout 3. While there are several delicious similarities between the two, I am going to take a moment to tell you why buying both is really your only option.

First, a bit about each.

In Fallout 3 you assume the role of  a young, underground vault inhabitant who finds themselves navigating a post-apocalyptic wasteland of Washington D.C. (the Capital Wasteland) in search of Dad. Along the way you encounter mutated animals, horrible raiders and scavengers, and higher-up baddies. The FPS/RPG-style game has you combing the blighted city for answers, while completing quests that further the story (or many that don’t) along the way.

Put a shirt on, hippie.

In Borderlands you assume the role of one of four character types: Siren (token girl), Hunter, Soldier, or Berserker. You find yourself navigating a foreign planet (Pandora) that is one giant post-apocalyptic wasteland in search of “the Vault”. Along the way you encounter mutated animals, horrible raiders and scavengers, and higher-up baddies. The FPS/RPG-style game has you combing the blighted planet for answers, while completing like, a million quests.

Rachel, they sound like the same game, what is wrong with you?

While the basic premise of the games, array of bad guys, types of guns, and gameplay styles are REALLY similar, it’s the aspects they emphasize differently that make them worth playing.

Story (or lack thereof) -

If the two games were siblings, Fallout 3 would be the older brother who has just gotten back from a tour of duty overseas; hardened, serious, complicated, and occassionally hilarious. While Borderlands gives you a glimpse of story at the beginning and then at the end, significantly more time is spent developing characters, backstory, and actions with consequences in Fallout 3, all culminating with an ACTUAL ending. To contrast, I literally could’ve played Borderlands on ‘mute’ and it wouldn’t have changed the experience.
WIN : 0000ff">Fallout 3

Leveling -

I didn’t even know I liked leveling until Fallout 3, and now I crave it. After playing Borderlands, I wish Fallout 3 had offered MORE leveling because somehow capping out at 50 is much more satisfying than capping out at 30. With both, you are able to assign skill points to branching areas of interest; Fallout deals with actual skills like communication and lock picking, whereas Borderlands deals in pixie magic like turning invisible or stealing health from your enemies. Again, I never knew I wanted to throw a hawk at my problems, but given the opportunity I don’t see how I could resolve conflict any other way now.
WIN : ff0000">Borderlands

I put all of my skill points into being attractive.

Guns -

Man, Borderlands. If you like guns, this is the game for you. The system used in that game randomly generates over 17 million different weapons. Seventeen. Million. They also Playskool it up for you by coloring the weapons according to how awesome or weak it is. Fallout 3 has some guns, too. Not 17 million different guns, but Fallout does offer you the super cool ability to repair your weapons as they wear down and break. Though Borderlands weapons don’t break, so…
WIN : ff0000">Borderlands

Characters -

Fallout 3 has them! And they’re interesting! Since Fallout 3 deals with player-designated morality and NPCs who react based on the person you’ve become, it’s an altogether different experience depending on how you choose to play. Morality in Borderlands amounts to the choice of gun you decide to blow someone’s head off with. Deep. While Borderlands allows you to level up your character, you are still the person you were when you stepped off the bus in the beginning. While I did develop a fleeting fondness for one character, he was killed off not long after, and for seemingly no reason. Although he came back later as a zombie and that made me happy.
WIN : 0000ff">Fallout 3

Everything good about Borderlands is almost ruined by these guys.

You still haven’t said why someone should buy both.

What makes both of these games worth buying are their strengths and their weaknesses, and how they combine to create a complete experience without seeming to lack anything on their own. Playing with friends, I’ve heard more than one mention something along the lines of, “Borderlands doesn’t take itself seriously at all and I love it”. Borderlands is great for not giving a crap. Instead of focusing on story and character development, they put all of their effort into making a really fun, mindless game. Fallout 3 decided it was going to go the serious route, and I had a engaging, fantastic time looking for my Dad and killing mutants.  Anyone who wants to tell you that one is lightyears better than the other hasn’t played both.