Tales from the Borderlands explained

Tales from the Borderlands
Developer:Telltale Games
Publisher:Telltale Games
Composer:Jared Emerson-Johnson
Series:Borderlands
Engine:Telltale Tool
Genre:Graphic adventure
Interactive film
Modes:Single-player

Tales from the Borderlands is an episodic interactive comedy graphic adventure sci-fi video game based on the Borderlands series. It was developed by Telltale Games under license from Gearbox Software, the developer of the Borderlands series, and 2K, its publisher. The game was released in November 2014 for Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and in 2021 for Nintendo Switch.

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, Tales from the Borderlands largely received critical acclaim. Particular praise was attributed to its strong characterization, emotional depth, creative setpieces, humorous writing and unexpected pathos.

Tales, like many of the other Telltale games, were pulled from sale following the studio's sudden closure in 2018. 2K Games was able to acquire the property and republished the series starting in February 2021. A successor, New Tales from the Borderlands, was released in October 2022.

Gameplay

Tales from the Borderlands is an episodic point-and-click graphic adventure comedy. The graphic of the game is similar to other Telltale's 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. The game also features several simple puzzles which involves players interacting with different items of interests.[1]

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.[2] Gameplay mainly revolves around reacting to on-screen prompts and engaging in quick time events.[3] 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.[4]

Setting and characters

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.

The player separately controls the story's two protagonists Rhys Strongfork (Troy Baker) and Fiona Dillon (Laura Bailey). Rhys is a Hyperion employee, who has been working with his best friend Vaughn (Chris Hardwick) to get promoted into the higher ranks of the company but is stymied by his new boss and rival Hugo Vasquez (Patrick Warburton). Fiona is a con-artist working on Pandora along with her younger sister Sasha (Erin Yvette), both who learned under their mentor and father figure Felix (Norman Hall). 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.[5] [6] Other new characters in the game include Rhys and Vaughn's co-worker Yvette (Sola Bamis), black market fencer August (Nolan North), bandit leader Bossanova (Jason Topolski), a mysterious masked stranger (Roger L. Jackson), hooligans Finch (Dave Fennoy) and Kroger (Adam Harrington), bandit lord and August's mother Vallory (Susan Silo), Atlas scientist Cassius Leclemaine (Phil LaMarr), and the robot Gortys (Ashley Johnson).

In addition to original characters, the game also features returning characters from the main Borderlands games (voiced by the same actors from the previous games) including Handsome Jack (Dameon Clarke), who appears as an artificial intelligence injected into Rhys' mind, businesswoman Mad Moxxi (Brina Palencia), gun salesman Marcus Kincaid (Bruce DuBose), the Hyperion Loader Bot (Raison Varner), madman Shade (Brad Jackson), Hodunk clan leader Tector (Joel McDonald), mechanic Scooter (Mikey Neumann), junk dealer Janey Springs (Catherine Moore) and her girlfriend, ex-Atlas assassin Athena (Lydia Mackay), Vault Hunters Brick (Marcus M. Mauldin), Zer0 (Michael Turner), and Mordecai (Jason Liebrecht), and the robot Claptrap (David Eddings).

Development

The concept of Tales bore 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.[7] 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.[8] 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.[9]

Voice actors from the previous Borderlands games returned to voice characters in this game, including Dameon Clarke as Handsome Jack and David Eddings as Claptrap. Troy Baker (originally Sam Witwer) 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.[10] [11]

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 had 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 did not anticipate there would be a sequel to the series; however, a successor, New Tales from the Borderlands, was announced on August 23, 2022. [12] Telltale's head of creative communications Job Stauffer refuted the sales figures and said that the sales were "not disappointing" but also that they were "not on the same level as The Walking Dead and Minecraft".[13]

Telltale Games underwent a massive reduction in staff and ultimately closed in November 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.[14] 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.[15]

Tales is considered canon to Gearbox, the events occurring between Borderlands 2 (released in 2012) and Borderlands 3 (released in 2019). 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.[16] Both Rhys and Vaughn also appear as supporting characters in Borderlands 3.

Gearbox Software announced that they will be republishing Tales in digital form for Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One as a single package containing all five episodes starting on February 17, 2021, with the only change being the absence of the comparison of the players' choice screens that were shown at the end of each episode.[17] [18]

On February 18, 2021, a Nintendo Switch version of Tales was announced, and was released on March 23, 2021.[19] [20] [21]

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.[22]

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 website Metacritic 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.[23]

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.

Awards

List of awards and nominations
AwardCategoryRecipient(s) and nominee(s)ResultRef.
The Game Awards 2015Best NarrativeTales from the Borderlands[24]
Hardcore Gamers Best of 2015Best StoryTales from the Borderlands[25]
Best Licensed Soundtrack
Best Voice Acting
Best Surprise[26]
Best Adventure Game[27]
Best New CharacterGortys[28]
Best New CharacterLoader Bot
Game of the YearTales from the Borderlands[29]
2015 NAVGTR AwardsWriting in a ComedyTBD[30]
Game, Franchise AdventureNoah Hughes
Performance in a Comedy, LeadTroy Baker
Original Light Mix Score, FranchiseJared Emerson-Johnson
Performance in a Comedy, SupportingErin Yvette
19th Annual D.I.C.E. AwardsOutstanding Achievement in StoryTales from the Borderlands[31]

Sequel

See main article: New Tales from the Borderlands. A successor developed by Gearbox Software and published by 2K Games, titled New Tales from the Borderlands, was released for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on October 21, 2022.[32]

References

Notes
Footnotes

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Tales from the Borderlands Season One review. Jeffery. Matulef. Eurogamer. October 26, 2015. June 15, 2018. June 20, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180620153241/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-10-23-tales-from-the-borderlands-review. live.
  2. Tales From The Borderlands: Episode 2 – Atlas Mugged. Jeff. Marchiafava. Game Informer. March 24, 2015. June 15, 2018. June 20, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180620180631/https://www.gameinformer.com/games/tales_from_the_borderlands_episode_2_-_atlas_mugged/b/pc/archive/2015/03/24/tales-from-the-borderlands-episode-2-atlas-mugged-review-game-informer.aspx. dead.
  3. Web site: Tales from the Borderlands Review (Season). Tyler. Wilde. PC Gamer. October 22, 2015. June 15, 2018. June 20, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180620153418/https://www.pcgamer.com/tales-from-the-borderlands-review-season/. live.
  4. Web site: How Tales From The Borderlands Works. Tina. Amini. Kotaku. June 17, 2014. June 15, 2018. June 20, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180620180644/https://kotaku.com/how-tales-from-the-borderlands-works-1591469762. live.
  5. Web site: Tales from the Borderlands detailed at SXSW . Christine . Caruana . March 9, 2014 . May 5, 2014 . . May 5, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140505180735/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/452960/tales-from-the-borderlands-detailed-at-sxsw/ . live .
  6. Web site: Tales from the Borderlands loot will be useable in other areas of the Borderlands series . Alexa Rae . Corriea . May 5, 2014 . May 5, 2014 . . May 5, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140505182328/http://www.polygon.com/2014/5/5/5683300/tales-from-the-borderlands-loot-pricing-season-pass . live .
  7. Web site: How Evil Dead, Venture Bros. and Borderlands Ended Up at the Poker Table . Griffon . McElroy . . May 7, 2013 . May 5, 2014 . June 6, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130606222206/http://www.polygon.com/2013/5/7/4307928/poker-night-2-venture-bros-evil-dead-borderlands . live .
  8. Web site: How Telltale teamed up with 'Game of Thrones' and Borderlands . Alexa Rae . Corriea . December 23, 2013 . May 5, 2014 . . February 26, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210226154051/https://www.polygon.com/2013/12/23/5224694/how-telltale-teamed-up-with-game-of-thrones-and-borderlands . live .
  9. Tales from the Borderlands - The Gearbox Interview . . November 21, 2014 . November 21, 2014 . November 21, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141121223217/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUOtmpJiOSM . live .
  10. Web site: 'Tales from the Borderlands' cast includes @TroyBakerVA as Rhys, @LauraBaileyVO as Fiona, @nerdist as Vaughn, @erin_yvette as Sasha (1/2) . Telltale . Games . November 13, 2014 . November 13, 2014 . . December 8, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151208063813/https://twitter.com/telltalegames/status/532972749199638528 . live .
  11. Web site: (2/2) WITH @paddywarbucks as Vasquez, @nolan_north as August, @dameonclarke as Handsome Jack and MUCH more to be revealed! . Telltale . Games . November 13, 2014 . November 13, 2014 . . December 8, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151208063824/https://twitter.com/telltalegames/status/532973015261122560 . live .
  12. Web site: Tales From the Borderlands' sales "weren't great" . Jeffrey . Matulef . August 9, 2017 . August 9, 2017 . . August 9, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170809232242/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-08-09-tales-from-the-borderlands-sales-werent-great . live .
  13. Web site: Phillips. Tom. Telltale talks The Wolf Among Us' return and Game of Thrones being "on hold". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. 30 August 2017. 29 August 2017. 29 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170829204653/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-08-25-telltale-talks-the-wolf-among-us-return-and-game-of-thrones-being-on-hold. live.
  14. Web site: Telltale games will all be removed from GOG, but 2K is working to bring back Tales from the Borderlands . Sherif . Saed . May 24, 2019 . May 24, 2019 . . May 24, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190524142427/https://www.vg247.com/2019/05/24/telltale-games-pilled-from-gog-but-theres-hope-for-tales-from-the-borderlands/ . live .
  15. Web site: Borderlands 3 Writer Wants To Pen Tales From The Borderlands Season 2 . Alysia . Judge . August 30, 2019 . August 30, 2019 . . August 30, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190830145826/https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/08/30/borderlands-3-writer-wants-to-pen-tales-from-the-borderlands-season-2 . live .
  16. News: Commander Lilith & the Fight for Sanctuary is a new Borderlands 2 DLC and you can get it free . Jody . MacGregor . June 8, 2019 . July 1, 2019 . . July 1, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190701221917/https://www.pcgamer.com/commander-lilith-and-the-fight-for-sanctuary-is-a-new-borderlands-2-dlc-and-you-can-get-it-free/ . live .
  17. Web site: Tales From The Borderlands Returns To Digital Stores Next Week With One Key Change . Eddie . Makuch . February 10, 2021 . February 10, 2021 . . February 10, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210210172824/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/tales-from-the-borderlands-returns-to-digital-stores-next-week-with-one-key-change/1100-6487373/ . live .
  18. Tales From The Borderlands, the best Borderlands game, is back in stores . Alice . O'Conner . February 17, 2021 . February 17, 2021 . . February 17, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210217114340/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/tales-from-the-borderlands-the-best-borderlands-game-is-back-in-stores . live .
  19. Web site: Cronn. Matthew. February 17, 2021 . Tales From the Borderlands is Headed to the Switch . September 15, 2023 . Game Rant.
  20. Web site: Morrow. Emily. February 17, 2021 . Tales From The Borderlands Releasing On Nintendo Switch In 2021 . September 15, 2023 . Screen Rant.
  21. Web site: Winslow. Jeremy. February 17, 2021 . Tales From The Borderlands Hits Nintendo Switch On March 24 . September 15, 2023 . GameSpot.
  22. Web site: Tales from the Borderlands now available on disc . Darren . Nakamura . April 26, 2016 . April 26, 2016 . . April 30, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160430083028/http://www.destructoid.com/tales-from-the-borderlands-now-available-on-disc-357717.phtml . live .
  23. Web site: Shadow of Mordor, Hearthstone, Bayonetta 2 grab Choice Awards nominations . . 2015-01-12 . 2015-01-12 . 2020-11-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201130092953/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/233810/Shadow_of_Mordor_Hearthstone_Bayonetta_2_grab_Choice_Awards_nominations.php . live .
  24. Web site: Nominees The Game Awards 2015 . 12 November 2015 . . . 13 November 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20151114024126/http://thegameawards.com/nominees/ . 14 November 2015 .
  25. Web site: Best of 2015 – Day One: Story, Soundtrack, Voice Acting Hardcore Gamer. January 2016. 2016-01-16. 2016-01-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20160104030045/http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2016/01/01/best-of-2015-day-one-story-soundtrack-voice-acting/184978/. live.
  26. Web site: Best of 2015 – Day Two: New IP, Sequel, Surprise, Remaster Hardcore Gamer. 2 January 2016. 2016-01-16. 2016-01-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20160106004612/http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2016/01/02/best-of-2015-day-two-new-ip-sequel-surprise-remaster/184979/. live.
  27. Web site: Best of 2015 – Day Four: Adventure, Platformer, DLC/Expansion, Mobile Hardcore Gamer. 4 January 2016. 2016-01-16. 2016-05-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20160504104249/http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2016/01/04/best-of-2015-day-four-adventure-platformer-dlcexpansion-mobile/185014/. live.
  28. Web site: Best of 2015 – Day 8: Developer, New Character, Trailer, Most Disappointing, Worst Game Hardcore Gamer. 8 January 2016. 2016-01-16. 2016-01-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20160110023644/http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2016/01/08/best-of-2015-day-8-developer-new-character-trailer-most-disappointing-worst-game/186006/. live.
  29. Web site: Best of 2015 – Day Nine: Game of the Year Hardcore Gamer. 9 January 2016. 2016-01-16. 2018-09-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20180926051951/http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2016/01/09/best-of-2015-day-nine-game-of-the-year-2/186300/. live.
  30. Web site: NAVGTR Awards (2015). National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers. 21 March 2016 . 2017-02-21. 2017-02-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20170222111933/http://navgtr.org/winners/2015-winners. live.
  31. Web site: D.I.C.E. Awards By Video Game Details Tales from the Borderlands: A Telltale Game Series . . interactive.org . 27 November 2023.
  32. Web site: 2022-08-17 . New Tales from the Borderlands launches October 21 for PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC . 2022-08-23 . Gematsu . en-US . 2022-08-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220823173004/https://www.gematsu.com/2022/08/new-tales-from-the-borderlands-launches-october-21-for-ps5-xbox-series-ps4-xbox-one-switch-and-pc . live .