Telltale Games expanded their lineup this year with a new series set on Pandora, sometime after the events of Borderlands 2. Guns, jokes, and classic Borderlands action is back but in a very different light as the studio that reinvigorated the choose your own adventure genre a few years ago tries its hand at the franchise that shares a similar art style but not much else. Can they really take this highly acclaimed shooter and make it into something completely different?
Well it seems that they’ve pulled it off because even with more of the same tried and true gameplay that Telltale is known for, Tales From the Borderlands is still an excellent addition to the roster. Not only does the art just ooze that Borderlands feel but they’ve managed to keep the style and humour consistent as well. Throughout the entire season, new wonders and dangers of Pandora are showcased and they never seem out of place.
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“While the story is a tad predictable at moments, for the most part it’s both well-written and interesting. A lot of twists and reversals will keep you guessing in the heat of the moment.”
This season follows the adventures of a Hyperion corporate lackey (Rhys) and a Pandoran con artist (Fiona) as they seek out a vault in hopes of striking it rich. They each have sort of a sidekick character with Vaughn as Rhys’ best friend and Sasha as Fiona’s little sister. As you guide these inexperienced vault hunters through a constant trial by fire, some familiar faces like Athena, Scooter, and Brick pop up to sort of remind you of when and where you are. Oh, and did I mention Handsome Jack is back again? It’s hard to imagine how they could possibly bring him back to life, but they do it tastefully and it never comes off as just a gimmick.
While the story is a tad predictable at moments, for the most part it’s both well-written and interesting. A lot of twists and reversals will keep you guessing in the heat of the moment. Who is the real bad guy here? Can this rag-tag team of casuals actually hunt down a vault? What the hell is a Gortys? These are all questions you can expect to be asking yourself as you finish each episode and edge closer and closer to the grand finale. You can really notice this is a Telltale game with how they actually make you care about the characters, and it wouldn’t be the same if there weren’t some truly heart-wrenching moments.
Unfortunately, a fantastic story isn’t enough for a lot of people. Tales From the Borderlands doesn’t do a whole lot to differentiate itself or stand out from other Telltale products aside from the brand. This is basically a show, where you add your own input occasionally and see how it all turns out in the end. While I was expecting this, TftB was a little bit heavy on the “sit back and watch” part of the experience. Especially further into the season, there are times where you just don’t get enough of a break from choosing dialogue options. Or, the only break you get is a quick two minute series of QTE events before you’re back to watching a scene unfold. With other Telltale games you can expect more exploration while TftB is a tad shallow in that regard.
Another problem I found with the season on a whole is the lack of payouts around the 50-80% completion range. Although your choices are absolutely still affecting an outcome, you don’t generally see it until much later on at this point. It seems maybe they thought the choices you get during action sequences would be enough to curb your hunger for results, but it just kind of falls flat for a while when regardless of your choices, the story keeps on truckin’. I was beginning to question just how much of an impact my actions even had until I was near the end. It’s still a solid tale, but the pacing could use a slight adjustment.
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“Tales From the Borderlands might be a bit more on-rails than their other titles, but it still delivers a top-notch story in a setting that many know and love.”
Now that being said, this doesn’t mean that you’re not bombarded with choices and options. Most combat situations have at least two ways out, with a third route opening up if you basically fail at everything. Pandora is a dangerous place, and the heroes of this story are incredibly lucky to be alive by the time you reach the end. Still, some more real consequences could have made the danger a bit more apparent at times. You have a lot of choices, but unlike The Walking Dead your choices are more along the lines of “How do I want to act like a badass?” as opposed to “Oh no, how do I shoot my way out of this one?”. Even though Borderlands is more geared towards action than suspense, without that bit of doubt there is no worry. Without worry, you don’t care quite as much.
One thing that really stood out was just how perfectly done the art was. In terms of aesthetics, it was a no-brainer that Telltale Games should work with the Borderlands franchise due to their similar art styles. With a more linear and direct story, the art team was able to really bring a lot of detail to Pandora. Every area you go to looks vibrant and alive, with a level of detail previously unseen in the Borderlands universe. Watching Fiona walk through a small Pandoran town or Rhys moving through the halls of Helios will surely be a treat to any long-time fans of the franchise. From the first time you pick up an object highlighted by the signature light cone to the time you’re walking through a wildlife infested jungle area, you’ll feel like you’re seeing a whole new side of Pandora that simply can’t be expressed in a typical FPS experience. It’s very refreshing.
Not a lot of studios can take something else and make it their own, but Telltale Games is amazing at it and they don’t fall short here. Tales From the Borderlands might be a bit more on-rails than their other titles, but it still delivers a top-notch story in a setting that many know and love. If you enjoy the stories that this studio weaves, or are a big Borderlands enthusiast, then don’t miss the latest Telltale Games creation: Tales From the Borderlands. For those of you already hunting for that vault, be sure to stayed tuned for Season 2!