First released in 2019, Gearbox Software’s Borderlands 3 is a first-person RPG with plenty of looting and shooting. Known for its extensive array of guns and gear, zany humor, and eye-catching cel-shaded art style, Borderlands 3 has become a sizable hit with hungry looter-shooter fans looking for engaging gunplay and unique looks.
That same striking, comic book-esque visual design lends itself very well to fan-created content. Many Borderlands players have created their own adaptations of the franchises’ eclectic characters, from incredible cosplays to creative Borderlands 3 nail art. More traditional art methods are common too, with slick sketches and gorgeous digital paintings matching the series’ signature style well.
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A Reddit user who goes by the handle toastydraws has shared their Borderlands art creation on the site. Posting to the Borderlands 3 subreddit, toastydraws’ rendition of the sword-wielding assassin Zero showcases strong lines, a muted color palette, and matches the series’ signature style. In an added bit of humor, Zero’s outer-facing helmet display shows the term “n00b” across it, echoing his character’s personality from the games.
The piece of art has been a hit with the Borderlands 3 Reddit community, earning itself over seven hundred upvotes as of this writing. Various commenters are praising the stunning illustration and pointing out the spot-on humor regarding Zero’s faceplate. While Zero may not have been a playable character in the third title, he was a selectable class in the second game, and his stealthy assassin role and cyborg-like look earned him plenty of fans.
Actually the fourth entry in the Borderlands franchise, Borderlands 3 was well-received upon launch, currently holding an 81 Metacritic score on its PC version. The title sold over 10 million units as well, with the series as a whole now topping over 60 million copies sold. While Borderlands 3 was criticized a bit for its weak plot and hit-or-miss humor, it garnered plenty of acclaim for its much-improved gunplay and unique art style. That particular art style has earned the game an abundance of attention from Borderlands cosplayers and aspiring artists.
Of course, Borderlands isn’t the only video game series that has captured the hearts of players and fans wanting to create their own fan-made art pieces. Series like CD Projekt Red’s The Witcher and Blizzard’s Overwatch also manage to produce many artistic adaptations, too. Still, it’s hard to deny Borderlands 3’s incredible visual design. The cel-shaded look is perfect for digital paintings like toastydraws’ engaging work.
Borderlands 3 is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X.
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