New Tales from the Borderlands Reviews
We can scarcely recall an occasion where we were more disappointed by a sequel than New Tales from the Borderlands. We wanted to love this. We'd have accepted liking it. But we hate this game. This is a ten-hour narrative adventure that feels four times as long as it needs to be, with dreadful characters, and appalling, relentlessly unfunny jokes. It's a spectacular misfire, its only success to speak of being the rare example of a sequel so bad that it ruins the original, too.
If you’re asking my opinion, don’t play New Tales of from the Borderlands.
New Tales from the Borderlands is a sequel that seemingly forgets everything that made the original so special and shoehorns in a story that simply doesn’t keep you engaged. Whilst it’s visually lovely and feels like it’s a Borderlands experience, it’s all style and no substance. Without heart or humour, this feels like a cash-in, and for a sequel to one of the greatest narrative games of all time? That’s just not good enough.
New Tales from the Borderlands is a vapid vision of its remarkable predecessor, bogged down by exasperating choices from beginning to end.
New Tales from the Borderlands is confusing, messy, and accomplishes nothing over the course of 10 hours. The game meanders from incident to incident hoping you'll laugh at a constant barrage of bad jokes, and lacks any heart.
While there may be some who enjoy this, most who play this hoping to get another taste of what they got with Tales of the Borderlands will feel let down
New Tales from the Borderlands could easily have been a hit if there was a more exciting story. Or at least the game devoted more to it than barely two of the five episodes. And it's a real shame because, as it stands, it's just like a pretty funny sitcom, but without a story and with an otherwise pretty strong foundation that just resulted in a pretty unmemorable experience, even though it had a perfect start.
Review in Czech | Read full review
If New Tales from the Borderlands is Gearbox Software's first attempt at reviving the greatness of Telltale Games, we hope it's also the last.
Review in Greek | Read full review
For a few moments, New Tales from the Borderlands captures the feeling of the series, but for the most part it's a rather generic and overlong trek that fails to excite, entertain, or amuse.
New Tales from the Borderlands tries to bring innovations compared to the first game, but they are not satisfactory and many give an impression of uselessness. Some characteristic elements remained in the franchise, but without the same quality, and the new characters don't manage to be as charismatic as the old ones. The game tries to be many things at the same time, but exaggerates in some and is not enough in others, failing to be anything with excellence.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
New Tales from the Borderlands won't be the spiritual sequel that so many fans were hoping for. More technically accomplished, the game adapts a formula that has been out of date for years without managing to bring any real flavor to it. It has the merit of making us laugh for about ten hours, without ever managing to be as memorable, enjoyable and delirious as its predecessor.
Review in French | Read full review
The best thing you can say about New Tales from the Borderlands is that it makes you appreciate just how good the folks at Telltale Games were at what they did. While Gearbox’s latest is more technically impressive than Telltale’s series, stale, irritating characters, a slapdash plot, and choices that don’t feel like they matter turn the game’s brief runtime into a slog. These Tales are new, but they’re definitely not improved.
A beautiful, great-sounding narrative adventure that loses its way with annoying and idiotic characters, drawn out exposition, and a distinct lack of challenge.
New Tales from the Borderlands would be easier to swallow if it wasn’t trying to follow up one of the best cinematic adventure games ever made. Instead, we get a forced episodic structure to a game that isn’t episodic, a cast of characters that are more interesting on paper than they are in execution, and a story that ultimately lacks stakes since there’s no personal investment in what happens to three bad people that aren’t all that likable.
New Tales from the Borderlands is sadly one of the most disappointing sequels of the recent years that manages to be behind its predecessor from around 10 years ago in almost every aspect.
Review in Persian | Read full review
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.
New Tales From the Borderlands could have been a much better game. There is a huge potential in the Borderlands universe to explore stories about all those people who with their work and sacrifice pay the bills for the eternal greed of corporations. The potential of this world to tell stories we can relate to and then give us the illusion that the little guys can win, even if it's just once, was completely wasted. Sadly, New Tales From the Borderlands only delivers in concept and, in execution, leaves much to be desired.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
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.
New Tales from the Borderlands offers a satisfying experience within the Gearbox universe, with its characteristic sense of humor as its flag and main triumph. However, its lack of ambition and uninspired gameplay detract from the overall experience.
Review in Spanish | Read full review