With TellTale Games’ distinct style of animation, the comic book aesthetic works perfectly for the tone of the series and it’s hard to picture it any other way.
#TALES FROM THE BORDERLANDS GAME OVER TV#
It feels like a TV series, and a well-shot one at that. Tales from the Borderlands doesn’t have this problem. Outside of their quick-time action sequences, conversations between characters are often shot from a static camera point, cutting from one to the other without much artistic creativity. TellTale’s games, though powerful with regards to their stories and the emotional ties to the characters within them, can sometimes feel visually stationary. Tales from the Borderlands can easily compete against the hottest contenders on TV, not just on account of its writing, but also its cinematic beauty.
The decisions are not so much there to determine the future of the story, which will no doubt rub up some devout Telltale fans the wrong way, but by embracing its self-reflective style and offering choices that rely more on humour than being a plot-changer, it enriches the experience by working with the player, rather than challenging them. The framing device of Rhys and Fiona retelling their story at gunpoint provides many more comedic beats as each tries to belittle each other’s exaggerated version of events, and this is built into the gameplay narrative perfectly. Sometimes the player’s chosen decision, no matter how ludicrous, will be played out before reverting back to the standard narrative, yet you rarely feel cheated by the fact the game has basically overridden your decision. In fact, due to the comedic style of the Borderlands franchise, you are encouraged to opt for the more ridiculous variation of events, with often more rewarding and hilarious results. This self-deprecation gives Tales from the Borderlands a more refreshing take on the formula, and also adds in a lot more fun.Ĭompared to the more serious tone exhibited by Telltale’s last few game series’, the decisions in Tales from the Borderlands are less challenging and weighed down by emotional turmoil. What’s pleasantly unique about the tone of the writing for Tales from the Borderlands though, is how self-conscious it is of the typical Telltale tropes, even going so far as to poke fun at its own mechanics at times. Even the side characters that are only seen for an episode or two are just as captivating as its core cast, perfectly capturing this world of lunatics and corporate douche bags. Told through the eyes of Rhys and Fiona, the characters are masterfully written, each with their own unique personality and traits that, over the course of its five episodes, get a great sense of development. But as far as its storytelling goes, Tales from the Borderlands feels flawless. Additionally, the game’s quick-time events feel a lot more dynamic than Telltale’s previous efforts, and are highly enjoyable to watch. Foraging for cash and upgrading your appearance for example, is a nice little touch that adds a bit of customisation, and the Eco-Eye feature that allows you to scan your surroundings for points of interest. Saying that however, there are one or two new touches to the gameplay that make Tales from the Borderlands stand out.
Anyone acquainted with Telltale Games’ output in recent years will find the usual reliance upon its strength of story-telling to keep the player engaged as opposed to gameplay features, which are largely once again a case of simply mashing buttons and selecting dialog choices.