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New Tales from the Borderlands

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New Tales from the Borderlands
Developer(s)Gearbox Studio Québec
Publisher(s)2K
Producer(s)Frédéric Scheubel
Writer(s)Lin Joyce
SeriesBorderlands
EngineUnreal Engine 4
Platform(s)
ReleaseOctober 21, 2022
Genre(s)Graphic adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

New Tales from the Borderlands is a graphic adventure video game developed by Gearbox Studio Québec and published by 2K. A spin-off of the Borderlands series and a successor to Tales from the Borderlands (2014–2015), the game was released in October 2022 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X and Series S.

Gameplay

Similar to Tales from the Borderlands, it is a graphic adventure game in which the player must move the game's protagonist around the world's environment, explore their surroundings, complete quick-time events, and make narrative choices that may change the outcome of the story.[1] Each character has their own unique gadgets. Anu has a high-tech glasses which allow her to scan objects; Octavio can browse other people's social media pages and hack into their devices; Fran can freeze enemies using her hoverchair.[2]

Plot

Set about a year after Borderlands 3, weapon manufacturer Tediore has begun invading the planet Promethea. New Tales from the Borderlands introduces a cast of new characters, including three playable protagonists: Anu, an altruistic scientist, Octavio, Anu's brother who is seeking for fame and fortune, and Fran, the owner of a frozen yogurt store who uses a hoverchair for mobility.[3] The player must guide the three protagonists, each with their own hopes and dreams, as they fight against Tediore agents, as well as monsters and criminals that roam the planet. The trio must also work together as they seek a vault key which may grant them access to a vault stashed with treasures that may change their lives forever.[4][5]

Development

The original Tales from the Borderlands was developed by Telltale Games, which was shut down in 2018. Gearbox Studio Quebec, which was opened in 2015, served as the game's lead developer.[6] The team spent at least two and a half years developing the game.[7] As the Gearbox team did not have experience developing a game featuring a branching narrative, they hired several key members of the original game's development team to help them understand how to write an interactive story which can respond to the choices and decisions made by players.[7] The studio also hired Lin Joyce, a doctor in interactive fiction, to serve as the game's lead writer.[8] While the game initially had a larger cast of characters, many actors were unable to complete motion capture work for the game. As a result, the writing team had to modify the game's script to focus on the three core characters, resulting in a more "intimate" story.[7]

Gearbox considered New Tales from the Borderlands a "standalone product", and a spiritual successor to Tales from the Borderlands. It features a cast of new characters and a self-contained story, so that players will not need to have played other games in the series to fully understand the story. However, the game will also feature returning characters, including Rhys Strongfork, CEO of Atlas and one of the two protagonists from the original Tales, and his employee Lor (formerly Lorelei) from Borderlands 3. Its art will also look closer to that of Borderlands 3 than the original Tales, and the game will be powered by Unreal Engine 4.[7][9] New Tales from the Borderlands retains the episodic structure of the original game, but all five episodes will be released at once, similar to Life Is Strange: True Colors.[7]

Gearbox Software CEO Randy Pitchford announced a successor to Tales from the Borderlands at PAX East in April 2022.[10] The game was officially unveiled at Gamescom in August 2022 by Gearbox and series publisher 2K. It is set to be released on October 21, 2022 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X and Series S. The Deluxe Edition bundled the game with the original Tales, while players who pre-ordered the game would gain access to an in-game collectible, in-game credits, and cosmetics for the three protagonists.[11]

Reception

New Tales from the Borderlands received mixed reviews, with the game scoring a 72 out of 100 for the Windows version on the review aggregator Metacritic. The game's writing was generally praised, while the gameplay received the most criticism and reactions to the story were mixed.[12]

References

  1. ^ Tolbert, Samuel (August 23, 2022). "New Tales from the Borderlands: Preorders, release date, and everything you need to know". Windows Central. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  2. ^ Scheubel, Frédéric (August 23, 2022). "New Tales From the Borderlands Launching October 21 for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S". Xbox Wire. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  3. ^ J. Williams, Leah (August 23, 2022). "New Tales from the Borderlands trailer reveals mayhem, the return of Rhys". GamesHub. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  4. ^ Jones, Ali (August 23, 2022). "New New Tales from the Borderlands trailer stars a talking gun and a revenge-driven FroYo waitress". GamesRadar. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  5. ^ Ramée, Jordan (August 23, 2022). "New Tales From The Borderlands Is Coming October 21". GameSpot. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  6. ^ Sarker, Samit (December 11, 2015). "Gearbox opens new studio in Quebec City". Polygon. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d e LeBlanc, Wesley (August 23, 2022). "New Tales From The Borderlands Announced, Releasing This October". Game Informer. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  8. ^ Kim, Matt (August 26, 2022). "New Tales From the Borderlands Is Developed By 'Key Alumni' From the Original Game". IGN. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  9. ^ Kim, Matt (August 24, 2022). "New Tales From the Borderlands Officially Announced". IGN. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  10. ^ Chalk, Andy (April 22, 2022). "A new Tales from the Borderlands is coming this year". PC Gamer. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  11. ^ Carter, Chris (August 23, 2022). "New Tales from the Borderlands is only a few months away, here's our first look". Destructoid. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  12. ^ "New Tales from the Borderlands". Metacritic. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
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