Tales from the Borderlands Vs New Tales from the Borderlands

Gearbox Software's sequel to Telltale Games‘ Tales from the Borderlands recently dropped to a mixed bag of ambivalent fans, most of whom couldn't make heads or tails of the former making the snap decision to remove the latter from the equation. Needless to say, though, the follow-up segment to the best-selling episodic adventure still caught a number of eyes, and it miraculously went on to to garner twice the amount of attention as Telltale fans probably would've initially imagined. Therefore, you could say that New Tales from the Borderlands has become something of a success in the two short weeks it's been on the market.

Perhaps you're still not entirely sure which side of the fence to loiter on, or that you're unsure whether to buy the sequel out of the fear that it won't capture the same spark as the original. Wherever it is you stand, allow us to break down the two, chunk by chunk, in the hopes that it may just sway your loyalty to either one of the two sides. Here are all the differences between Tales from the Borderlands, and New Tales from the Borderlands.

Story

As with any game that revolves around the so-called Borderlands, there's usually a Vault involved, something that is rumoured to contain treasures beyond any one person's wildest imagination. Both Tales from the Borderlands and New Tales from the Borderlands are very much the same. Or at least, the two share a great deal of references on the prophesized Vault. Other than that, though, the two tales have no major connection with one another. And while you could say New Tales from the Borderlands is technically a sequel — you wouldn't necessarily have to play the first to get the gist of it, or any of its characters or lore, for that matter. It's a bonus if you have, for sure, but in no way, shape or form, is it essential to put two and two together.

If you happen to be familiar with the history of Borderlands, however, then you're likely to be able to predict both timelines without issue. There are Vaults, and there are Vault Hunters — need we say more? It's bread and butter Borderlands, which means you won't have a great deal of surprise on your side when diving into any of the two chapters. The only real difference between the two tales is the characters themselves, and perhaps a few of the locations that they call home. And so, story-wise, not a whole lot here is different, which means only one thing: if you enjoyed the first game, then guess what — you'll definitely enjoy the second.

Gameplay

New Tales from the Borderlands does a pretty splendid job at keeping up with Telltale Games' interactive drama-style gameplay. In fact, it does it so well, that'd you could probably merge the two adventures together into one standalone ten-episode game and nobody would dare bat an eyelid.

It doesn't take a wizard to see that Tales from the Borderlands and New Tales from the Borderlands both feature predominantly story-driven elements, which are often laced with abrupt QTEs, choice-based dialogue options, and multiple consequences for every decision one of your characters make in the heat of the moment. It's all still there in the sequel, alive and kicking, which of course puts it on par with the first sequence.

There is something new in the second chapter that didn't quite make the cut in the first: Skateboards. These units of measurement are calculated by how you approach each episode with your characters. In short, the better your teamwork is, the more Skateboards you accumulate at the end of each episode. And as the story comes to a close, the amount of Skateboards you have obtained will determine the outcome of the plot. This is, at least ever so slightly, an element that gave New Tales from the Borderlands a little extra legroom. At its heart, though, its sporting the same old hand-me-downs: QTEs, mild exploration, and short bursts of dialogue inputs.

Vaultlanders

There is something that makes New Tales from the Borderlands a little different compared to its original, which is Vaultlanders, a 1v1 arena mini-game that integrates a familiar gacha-based system into a short but surprisingly addictive button-mashing brawler experience.

As far as mini-games and side activities in the first game go — they're basically non-existent. New Tales from the Borderlands, though, picks up the slack by not only coming up with the concept of Vaultlanders, but also a whole platform which lets players both collect and battle figurines in and outside of the main story. It's a small nugget of entertainment that's in no way essential to win the game — but it's a definitely an extra bit of meat on the bone to keep fans on their feet.

Which One Is Better?

Given the fact that both Tales from the Borderlands and New Tales from the Borderlands share an almost identical blueprint, it's tough to favor one over the other. And while it may sound like a rather corny conclusion, the simple fact is this: if you played Telltale Games' prequel and thoroughly enjoyed it, then there's no real reason why you won't get along with Gearbox Software's sequel. Besides the shift in rosters and locations, the narrative remains mostly the same, which of course bodes well for those wanting something with a little consistency.

So, Tales from the Borderlands or New Tales from the Borderlands? It's a tough one, and it does in fact boil down to the humor and the comradery between the characters, which makes this one a real doozy, given how well-orchestrated each of the two games' protagonists are. But if we had to make a decision based on every mentioned ingredient, the we'd have to go with Telltale Games' Tales from the Borderlands.

So, what's your take? Have you had the chance to play through New Tales from the Borderlands yet? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.