New Tales from the Borderlands

New Tales from the Borderlands" offers a good time for fans of the Borderlands series but falls short of making a lasting impression. As a follow-up to the strong first game, it maintains some of the charm but lacks the ambition to reach the same narrative heights.

The game is a solid followup to the strong first game however the story never reached the same highs as the first one, because it seemed to really have no ambition to be grand.

The gameplay introduces little innovation beyond the fighting minigame and the fun joke later in the story with Fran and her sponsor-bot. This might have been acceptable if the game's story had been stronger and more engaging. I really enjoyed the reccuring joke with the Tediore Guard and the fighting minigame, but the action figures overstayed their welcome and often times felt as a forced pause rather than a relaxing break of pace, as the overall gameplay is quite minimal and uninspired.

The story begins with a solid premise, featuring familiar locations and characters, and concludes satisfyingly. However, the middle section feels out of place, even within the quirky Borderlands universe, serving mostly as filler. Nothing really interesting happens in the middle and the character arcs dont really progress much other than artificial relationship meters depending on your dialogue options. There are some good jokes here and there for the Borderlands fans.

Among the main cast, Fran stands out as the most interesting and well-developed character, fitting seamlessly into the Borderlands world. She feels right at place and I really hope to see her in the next Borderlands games. Unfortunately, Octavio and Anu don't fare as well. While Anu has her moments, both characters suffer from weak writing and poor jokes, preventing them from being taken seriously.

These two are often overshadowed by Fran and the supporting cast. L0U13, with his intriguing motivations, and the talking gun Brock are particularly noteworthy. Although Susan Coldwell is well-designed and well-acted, her motivations are clichéd, and secondary villains like the Fullfölja sisters and Brock have a more compelling presence in the story. This imbalance highlights that some talent and effort were present in the game's development, attempting to uphold the Borderlands spirit.

Overall, "New Tales from the Borderlands" is an enjoyable experience for series fans but lacks the depth and innovation to stand out. While the game has its moments of humor and charm, it ultimately feels like a missed opportunity to expand the Borderlands universe in a meaningful way.