Tales from the Borderlands is an episodicinteractive comedygraphic adventuresci-fivideo game based on the Borderlands series, released in November 2014 for Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. The game was developed by Telltale Games under license from Gearbox Software, the developer of the Borderlands series, and 2K Games, its publisher. Set some time after the events of Borderlands 2, the game's story centers around Hyperion employee Rhys and Pandoran con-artist Fiona as they team up on an adventure to find and open a Vault. The game follows the episodic format that Telltale used for its titles The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us, where player choices and actions have somewhat significant effects on later story elements. Although the series received some criticism due to the aging game engine and repetition of gameplay from past Telltale games, Borderlands largely received critical acclaim. Particular praise was attributed to its strong characterization, emotional depth, creative setpieces, humorous writing and unexpected pathos.
Gameplay
Tales from the Borderlands is an episodic point-and-click graphic adventure comedy video game similar to Telltale's other games. It was released in five episodes. The player is able to move the game's two playable characters, Rhys and Fiona, around the world's environment, interacting with different objects. Rhys has a cybernetic eye installed which enables him to scan items in the environments, while Fiona is equipped with a single-shot pistol that can be enhanced with elemental damages. The game also features several simple puzzles which involves players interacting with different items of interests. Like the mainline Borderlands series, the game features a loot system in which players can collect cash scattered throughout the game's locations, which can be used to purchase items during certain points of the game. Gameplay mainly revolves around reacting to on-screen prompts and engaging in quick time events. In the game, players initiate conversation trees with non-player characters. Choices made by the player, which are often timed, influence story elements in future episodes, such as the player character's relationship with other characters.
Synopsis
Setting
Tales takes place in the Borderlands universe, primarily on the planet Pandora. Long-standing fables of a Vault containing vast treasures on Pandora have drawn numerous "Vault Hunters" to the planet, as well as the Hyperion corporation who maintain military-like control of the planet from an orbiting base named Helios. The game occurs after the events of Borderlands 2. It has been discovered that there are numerous other Vaults scattered throughout the galaxy, leading to a search for more Vault Keys that can open these new Vaults.
Characters
The player separately controls the story's two protagonists Rhys and Fiona. Rhys is a Hyperion employee, who has been working with his best friend Vaughn to get promoted into the higher ranks of the company but is stymied by his new boss and rival Hugo Vasquez. Fiona is a con-artist working on Pandora along with her younger sister Sasha, both who learned under their mentor and father figure Felix. The story explores how the characters came together, showing common events from the perspective of both characters in a manner called the "Big Fish version of what happened" by Telltale's Kevin Bruner. Other new characters in the game include Rhys and Vaughn's co-worker Yvette, black market fencer August, bandit leader Bossanova, a mysterious masked stranger, hooligans Finch and Kroger, bandit lord and August's mother Vallory, Atlas scientist Cassius Leclemaine, and the robot Gortys. In addition to original characters, the game also features returning characters from the main Borderlands games including Handsome Jack, who appears as an artificial intelligence injected into Rhys' mind, businesswoman Mad Moxxi, gun salesman Marcus Kincaid, the Hyperion Loader Bot, madman Shade, Hodunk clan leader Tector, cyborg Vault Hunter Zer0, mechanic Scooter, junk dealer Janey Springs and her girlfriend, the ex-Atlas assassin Athena, Vault Hunters Brick and Mordecai, and the robot Claptrap.
Development
The concept of Talesbore out from the 2012 Spike Video Game Awards, according to Telltale's Steve Allison. Telltale and Gearbox had already worked together previously to bring Borderlands Claptrap robot to Telltale's Poker Night 2. Representatives from both Telltale and Gearbox were present at the ceremony at adjoining tables, and over the course of the event, the idea of combining their respective talents on a project came out. Following the ceremony, Telltale and Gearbox began to explore the possibilities, realizing that the Borderlands universe had a large number of characters with interesting stories that Telltale could build upon, as well as continuing to explore fan-favorite characters that the series had developed. Gearbox noted that with the three prior Borderlands games, they had created an interesting universe but as a first-person shooter, the player's interaction with characters in that world was limited, and saw the potential in having Telltale expand upon their universe in a meaningful manner. Voice actors from the previous Borderlands games returned to voice characters in this game, including Dameon Clarke as Handsome Jack. Troy Baker and Laura Bailey voice the two central characters, Rhys and Fiona. Additional voice actors include Nolan North as August, Patrick Warburton as Hugo Vasquez, Chris Hardwick as Vaughn, and Erin Yvette as Sasha. While Tales was critically well-received, the title had not met management's expectations for financial returns compared to its other properties like The Walking Dead. According to co-director Nick Herman, about halfway through the series' release, Telltale's management considered pulling the series so that they could reassign the staff to more lucrative projects, but the project leads worked out a deal to retain a skeleton staff to see the game out through its final episodes. Eurogamers Jeffrey Matulef noted that the last episodes of the series seemed to be the best work that Telltale's done, likely as a result of those most committed to the project staying on as the skeleton staff. Because of the poor financial performance, Herman does not anticipate there will be a sequel to the series. Telltale's head of creative communications Job Stauffer refuted the sales figures and said that the sales were not disappointing and Telltale didn't lose money on the project but the sales were not on the same level as The Walking Dead and . Telltale Games underwent a massive reduction in staff and ultimately closed inNovember 2018. Tales was one of several games that were pulled from digital storefronts in the wake of the liquidation of Telltale's assets. However, 2K Games stated in May 2019 that they are looking to take over the publishing rights to Tales as to bring it back to digital storefronts, as Skybound Entertainment had done for Telltale's The Walking Dead series. Following news that the Telltale brand had been revived in August 2019, one of Gearbox's writers for Borderlands 3, Sam Winkler, expressed interest in a potential Tales, though no plans had been confirmed. Tales is considered canon to Gearbox, the events occurring between Borderlands 2 and Borderlands 3. To help bridge the gap, Gearbox released free DLC for Borderlands 2, Commander Lilith and the Fight for Sanctuary, in June 2019, which occurs following the events of Tales, after the crash of Helios Station onto Pandora. Vaughn and Cassius are both featured in the DLC.
Episodes
The game was separated into five episodes, released in intervals. A physical disc-based release containing all five episodes was released on April 26, 2016 for personal computer and console versions.
Reception
Tales from the Borderlands received critical acclaim. Critics have praised it for its story, characters, action sequences, humor, choice driven gameplay, and faithfulness to the source material while criticism was mainly directed towards the game's graphical glitches.
Episode 1 – Zer0 Sum
Episode 1 – Zer0 Sum received "generally positive" reviews. Aggregating review websiteMetacritic gave the Microsoft Windows version 84/100 based on 43 reviews, the PlayStation 4 version 80/100 based on 15 reviews, and the Xbox One version 82/100 based on 8 reviews. The first episode was an honorable mention for Best Narrative for the 2015 Game Developers Choice Awards.
Episode 2 – Atlas Mugged
Episode 2 – Atlas Mugged received "generally positive" reviews. Metacritic gave the Microsoft Windows version 78/100 based on 38 reviews, the PlayStation 4 version 81/100 based on 11 reviews, and the Xbox One version 78/100 based on 5 reviews.
Episode 3 – Catch a Ride
Episode 3 – Catch a Ride received "generally positive" reviews. Metacritic gave the Microsoft Windows version 81/100 based on 24 reviews, the PlayStation 4 version 83/100 based on 12 reviews, and the Xbox One version 65/100 based on 6 reviews.
Episode 4 – Escape Plan Bravo
Episode 4 – Escape Plan Bravo received "generally positive" reviews. Metacritic gave the Microsoft Windows version 79/100 based on 27 reviews, and the PlayStation 4 version 78/100 based on 9 reviews.
Episode 5 – The Vault of the Traveler
Episode 5 – The Vault of the Traveler received "critical acclaim". Metacritic gave the Microsoft Windows version 86/100 based on 32 reviews, and the PlayStation 4 version 90/100 based on 7 reviews.
