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Tales from the Borderlands: Episode 2 - Atlas Mugged

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By KenpoJuJitsu324-03-2015

The Defence

Developer:
Telltale Games
Publisher:
Telltale Games
Genre:
Adventure
Release Date:
17-03-2015

The Prosecution

CPU:
Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0 GHz
AMD equivalent
VGA:
Nvidia GeForce 8800
AMD equivalent
RAM:
3 GB
HDD:
3 GB
DirectX:
9.0c

The Case

In 2009, Gearbox software would release a game called Borderlands. Combining the ever popular genre of first person shooting with the character progression and loot acquisition of action RPGs, Borderlands would go on to become a massively popular franchise spawning two sequels, mobile games, merchandise, etc. Now Gearbox (along with Borderlands' publisher 2K Games), have teamed up with Telltale Games to bring us the next Borderlands installment, Tales from the Borderlands...an adventure game with nearly none of the shooting or the looting that made the Borderlands franchise famous? Court is now in session.

The Trial

Ladies and gentleman of the jury, previously on the last episode of Tales From The Borderlands...just kidding. If you want to know what I thought about Episode 1, just click on the link on the side.

So, on to Episode 2. Let me just get some basic stuff out of the way. If you enjoyed Episode 1 then stop reading and go play Episode 2...like right now. If you found Episode 1 to be a bit slow paced and plodding, Episode 2 should change your mind. On with the review.

Rest now, because once the action starts it doesn't let up.

Rest now, because once the action starts it doesn't let up.

Presentation. All of my points from the Episode 1 review still stand. The visuals are basic but effective in that Borderlands’ style while the audio and voice acting really bring the story to life. This time around there were two minor visual glitches I noticed. The first, being a character that disappeared and reappeared while talking. The second, being a rock that was flying through the air with our characters during a cutscene when it had no business being there. Also, there was one point in the game where the framerate tanked from 60fps to 40fps. Given how lightweight this game is on system resources and the strength of the rig I’m playing on, this really should never happen.

Gameplay. It’s still a point and click. All of the mechanics from the previous episode, or you could say from Telltale’s point and click games in genre, are in effect here. Nothing amazing here. They work to progress the story and in no way, shape or form get in the way.

The story. Ohhhhhhhh Myyyyyyyyy Goodness. This episode is much better than the previous one. Warning: Spoilers ahead, I already told you to go play it so you wouldn’t have to read this far but since you’re here... Episode 1 kind of dragged a bit for me in sections. This one was active all the way through and did a better job of keeping me engaged. It also made me laugh more. Credit a lot of that to the inclusion of Handsome Jack. Yes, Jack makes several appearances and they are all completely worth it. Scooter and Athena also show up from past Borderlands games. The interactions with Scooter are really enjoyable. All in all this episode was better paced than Ep 1, was even funnier than the already funny Episode 1, was not short on thrills...and left me on the biggest gaming cliffhanger I’ve seen since Halo 2. When the episode ended, it was obvious it was coming because Vasquez, August, Fiona, Rhys, Vaughn, Sasha and Loader Bot were all in the same place as the tension ramped up. I knew the end was coming but so didn’t want the ride to end. In a story based game, that’s the best compliment that one can give. I didn’t want it to be over.

Two bros, being bros, bro. Know what I mean bro?

Two bros, being bros, bro. Know what I mean bro?

That’s really all I need to say. Well...that and that Loader Bot is awesome. You know what I mean bro? No bro? Come on bro. Seriously bro? Bro? Bro bro... Play the episode and this will all make sense...bro.

The Verdict

This is another Telltale game, and arguably more of the same as Episode 1 but it’s just all...better. Ep 1 took me an embarrassingly long time to finish because I put it down quite a few times and came back to it. That didn’t happen in here. The story kept me hooked in this time from start to finish.

What say you jurors? Are you ready to try the same formula as before with better ingredients? Or are you going to be guilty of letting a great experience pass you by? Let us know in the comments.

Case Review

  • Sound: Strong dialogue and voice acting draw you into the world.
  • Strong Replayability: Choices that genuinely affect the story.
  • Mostly Technically Solid: No crashes, with only few visual glitches.
  • Telltale Formula: Adheres very tightly to the "Telltale formula". Nothing new. No risks taken.
  • The Wait: Being an episodic game, this is currently the end until Episode 3 comes out. It took almost 4 months between Episodes 1 and 2. Hopefully, it won’t take as long this time.
4.5
Score: 4.5/5
A marked improvement over Ep 1 and just an all-around fun experience.
Comments (3)
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Posts: 3290

Don't sweat it broseph

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Posts: 32

LOL, I so did miss that chance.

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Posts: 3290

You missed an opportunity with that last image. Bro what I mean?