TL;DR
Telltale Games' *Tales from the Borderlands* is a must-play for fans of narrative adventures and the Borderlands universe. It masterfully captures the source material's humor and tone with excellent voice acting and an engaging story driven by your choices. While the animation might feel a bit dated, and the branching paths ultimately lead to a similar destination, the experience is a thrilling, character-driven journey. Discover why this Telltale classic is a strong recommendation and how it compares to the core Borderlands games. Read on for the full review!
The now-defunct Telltale Games developed a series of well-regarded adventure games. Their The Walking Dead: The Definite Edition stands out as a particularly strong title, arguably surpassing the TV series in certain aspects.
We have previously reviewed several entries in the Borderlands series. Tales from the Borderlands represents Telltale Games’ interpretation of the universe. As with their other adaptations, they have successfully captured the atmosphere and essence of the source material, crafting engaging narratives within that established world. (Our Telltale Games reviews are available in the archive.)
The gameplay mechanics are familiar to Telltale Games fans: players must make timely decisions in dialogue, influencing the narrative and character relationships. Careful consideration is crucial when responding. While the game features action sequences, unlike the core Borderlands titles, avoiding conflict is often the preferred approach. A single misstep can have significant consequences.
The voice acting is exceptionally well-directed, and the script is entertaining, successfully translating the distinctive humor and tone of the source material. Originally released for PC in 2014 as a series of five episodes, Tales from the Borderlands is now available on consoles, offering all episodes in a single package.
The primary criticism of Tales from the Borderlands lies in its animation quality, which can appear dated. Furthermore, despite branching narrative paths based on player choice, the overall experience remains relatively linear.
Despite these minor shortcomings, Tales from the Borderlands is a welcome re-release and receives a strong recommendation.
Review Highlights: Q&A
Who developed Tales From The Borderlands?
Tales From The Borderlands was developed by the now-defunct studio Telltale Games. The studio adapted the universe by crafting engaging narratives that capture the atmosphere and essence of the original source material.
How does gameplay work in Tales From The Borderlands?
Gameplay requires players to make timely dialogue decisions that influence the narrative and character relationships. While the game features action sequences, avoiding conflict is often preferred because a single misstep can lead to significant consequences.
How are the voice acting and writing in the game?
The voice acting is exceptionally well-directed, and the script is entertaining. The writing successfully translates the distinctive humor and tone of the source material into the adventure game format.
What content is included in the console version?
The game was originally released on PC in 2014 as a series of five distinct episodes. The console version bundles all five episodes together into a single comprehensive package.
What are the main criticisms of Tales From The Borderlands?
The main criticism centers on the animation quality, which can appear dated during play. Additionally, despite offering branching narrative paths based on player choices, the overall experience remains relatively linear.
