Tales From The Borderlands: Episode 1 - Zer0 Sum

 Xbox One
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. Hyper Magazine
    Feb 9, 2015
    90
    Telltale's take on normal people trying to be Vault Hunters is off to a great start. [Issue#257, p.74]
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  2. Pelit (Finland)
    Jan 21, 2015
    90
    With Tales from the Borderlands, Telltale proves that they are not merely masters of drama; they can also write comedy. [Jan 2015]
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  3. Vandal
    Nov 28, 2014
    89
    Telltale proves they can adapt their narrative skills to almost any franchise, and brings us one of the best first episodes we've seen in any of their series.
  5. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    Jan 6, 2015
    80
    With wit and spot-on style, this is nearly one of Teltale's best, but prioritising action over dialogue means it falls just short of the story-led brilliance we're used to. [Jan 2015, p.83]
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  6. Eurogamer Germany
    Dec 1, 2014
    80
    You know and recognize the Telltalte template, sure, but the funny Tales from the Borderlands draws a lot of entertainment value from removing itself from the more dramatic Wolf among Us and The Walking Dead.
  7. Post Arcade (National Post)
    Nov 28, 2014
    80
    Still, Tales from the Borderlands is off to a great start in its plot and personalities. If Telltale can focus more on our heroes’ banter and comical interactions in coming episodes, it will only get better.
  8. MondoXbox
    Jan 26, 2015
    78
    A surprisingly valid and entertaining story, capable of casting a new light on Borderlands' world. Too bad for its technical problems like huge stutters and the complete absence of an Italian localization, even in subtitles.
  9. X-ONE Magazine UK
    Jan 31, 2015
    70
    A good effort at bringing the OTT planet of Pandora down to earth for a game that's less about guns and more about characters and conversion. [Issue#120, p.74]

Awards & Rankings

16
#16 Best Xbox One Game of 2014
61
#61 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2014
70
#70 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2014

User Reviews

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User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 67 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 53 out of 67
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 67
  3. Negative: 8 out of 67
  1. youlouz
    Jan 25, 2015
    8
    TellTale games have outdone themselves with this video game.

    PROS -Amazing graphics - Intriguing story -Smooth Combat CONS -Slow    TellTale games have outdone themselves with this video game.

    PROS
    -Amazing graphics
    - Intriguing story
    -Smooth Combat

    CONS
    -Slow Gameplay .    … Full Review »
  2. Whiston532
    Dec 2, 2014
    9
    I'm not a big Borderlands fan, so when this was released on Live I decided to give it a shot solely on it being TTG, and boy am I satisfied.I'm not a big Borderlands fan, so when this was released on Live I decided to give it a shot solely on it being TTG, and boy am I satisfied. As far as gameplay goes, it's still the same old TT style of choosing conversations to steer the story, plus the unfortunately still occasionally clumsy Interactive gameplay segments that are essentially the bulk of all combat. But there isn't too much, so it's acceptable.

    Where the games strength lies is in its writing. I enjoyed TTs writing in previous series' like TWD and TWAO. But I'd personally say this games writing is a step above. The inclusion of a lot more humor feels appropriate despite the rather harsh and brutal setting, which I guess has always been Borderlands style. But it's executed well here. I wouldn't call the writing perfect exactly, there's some cliches and odd writing moments. But all in all I enjoy it, and I'm relatively hard to please normally with writing.

    The one negative thing I'd say is that if I had one big negative on TT games it's that, despite choices that do occasionally carry weight, most of the time you realistically always end up in the exact same spot. I get and understand why this is (having a hundred different endings would be insane) but at the same time occasionally it gets shoehorned in when your straying a bit off the eventual end result. This is actually kept to a relative minimum this time around. Granted its only part 1, so it's still just branching out, well see how it goes from here. That being said, there is one big moment near the end where your presented with a few different options. But it's obvious no matter what you choose, if you go A,B,C or D, X will always happen.

    Side notes. Loading times are a bug, plus it has the almost traditional TT occasional running issues. I'd say about a Third of all the scenes started with weird bugging, including having the audio play to a blank screen, only for the video and audio to replay seconds later. Weird and unfortunate but never game breaking. Although I had one part where it felt like the game crashed, but eventually worked itself out.

    The length is VERY satisfying. I felt myself wondering if they had released the whole thing at once at a point.

    TLDR: Good writing and VO. Cool characters that do need some inevitable development but a good start, technical issues are buggy but not terrible, should have been ironed out at this point in TTs existence i feel, gameplay is the same from TWD season 2 and TWAU both good and bad, great length for its value. Is enjoyable for non-borderlands fans. Worth buying.    … Full Review »
  3. jcarl663
    Nov 27, 2014
    9
    It's nice to see TTG move away from the drama genre, and teaming up with the weirdos over at Gearbox, they've made something truly fun andIt's nice to see TTG move away from the drama genre, and teaming up with the weirdos over at Gearbox, they've made something truly fun and memorable. I didn't think they could make a first person shooter into a story driven tale, but every moment feels like a truly authentic Borderlands experience. Oh, and those loads times are still not great.… Full Review »
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