New Tales from the Borderlands

In New Tales from Borderlands the freedom of choice is just an illusion, but unlike in case of other representatives of the genre, here I actually enjoyed being fooled by that illusion. That is until I wanted to see the different endings. The developers trying to extend artificially the time we spend with their game is downright annoying. It is like they did their best to distract us from something they felt they needed to hide. And it is a shame really, since the game, leaving aside all the unnecessary distractions, is not bad at all. It is worth exactly one playthrough, more risking to be a waste of time.

A roster of uncanny characters and their interactions is enough to detract from a well-trodden, predictable story. New Tales from the Borderlands is chock full of mini-games, laughs and great performances throughout. With cameos from well-known, returning characters and that distinctive art style, New Tales from the Borderlands is definitely worth playing, especially for Borderlands fans.

The script is unbalanced. One minute the game moralizes how bad it is to make fun of stereotypes, then a moment later it overwhelms you with an over-the-top brutal scene. Pretty graphics, hilarious animations and good voice acting can't save a weak script. [Issue#323]

New Tales from the Borderlands tries to go all-out but ends up with unlikable characters, mind-boggling story twists, and forced comedic writing. Even some interesting decisions and entertaining side characters cannot save what is otherwise an uninteresting romp through the world of Borderlands. If anything, NTFTB confirms that the original was indeed a perfect storm that isn't easily replicated. Fans of the franchise may end up enjoying the adventure, but I'd advise waiting for a sale before embarking on this strange adventure.

Gearbox tries to recapture the magic of Tales From The Borderlands, but by abandoning its original motley crew and valuing jokes over story, it offers tame tales only. [Issue#21, p.78]

There is heart behind New Tales From The Borderlands, however in trying too hard to be like its predecessor, it really only succeeds at being an inferior imitation.

As a huge fan of the original, I went into New Tales From The Borderlands wanting to have my mind blown and regaled with a story for the ages. Gearbox delivered this in some parts as they harnessed the crazy energy of the Borderlands universe to offer up exciting new characters and a coherent story. But the overeagerness to deliver a laugh a minute and the ludonarrative dissonance of its mini-games and QTEs take away from the game in droves. If we do get a third game, then I’d love to see Gearbox move away from all this and focus on delivering a heavy, gut-punching narrative sprinkled with that insane Borderlands energy we love so much.

Poor in substance, soft in impact, slow in pacing, annoying in characters, lacking in gameplay / choices, The New Tales from the Borderlands is just a distant foggy echo of the first, vastly superior game.

A game that is barely a game. New Tales from the Borderlands would like to continue the tradition of Telltale Games but misses quite a lot of the necessary ingredients. Your decisions don’t matter, the script just bombards you with ceaseless jokes and pop culture references, the main trio lacks plausible motivation. The voice actors are great, but how does that help a poorly written game?

Gearbox has no idea what made the first Tales From The Borderlands so good. Even more bizarre: they also seem to have no idea what humor is. New Tales is painfully unfunny and also way too expensive for its length.

Despite its impeccable art direction, New Tales from The Borderlands is ripped apart by its subpar, glacially paced narrative and miserably unlikeable ensemble.