'New Tales from the Borderlands' gameplay: Playable protagonists' abilities determine how their sequences play out

Fans on the lookout for "Tales from the Borderlands 2" won't be waiting for long as the sequel will be released next month. However, the developers decided to get creative with the sequel's name, so fans will be getting the "New Tales from the Borderlands" instead.

'New Tales from the Borderlands' to retain the humour and action of its predecessor

Aside from its strong characterization, emotional depth, and creative setpieces, "Tales from the Borderlands" has been particularly praised for its humorous writing. Thankfully, humour will still be a big theme in the upcoming "New Tales from the Borderlands," as can be seen in the trailer below.

While the game is mainly narrative-focused, there is plenty of action as well, especially when the story demands it. "[That was] one of the things we wanted to keep," lead game designer Pierre-Luc Foisy told Eurogamer. "Because when I played Tales back in the day, it was one of the Telltale Games that was best for the action scene. So we tried to keep that but also improve upon that where we could."

"So, for example, free-walk sequences, where you're controlling a character, sometimes felt a bit like [they] didn't fit with the story at that point like they were kind of just a break... So we tried to make them a little bit more involved with their story and also a bit more like action sequences... Fran is a good example of how she can make her way through obstacles or puzzles within the game in a more action-y, new way."

Playable protagonists' skillset and abilities determine options

Each of the three main characters of the game, Anu, Octavio, and Fran, has very different abilities and skills. Their skillset will determine on what options will be available to the player and how the sequences will play out.

The "three protagonists help dictate how their sequences will play out," Lin Joyce, head of writing at Gearbox, explained. "Fran can take a more brute-force approach to puzzling, for example, thanks to her supremely well-quipped hover-chair, while Octavio - with his always-online outlook and social media presence - uses his smart-watch-like ECHOdex to get help from friends or to progress the story. And as for Anu, her skillset is intended to be a homage to the original game, with a greater focus on exploration and item use."

'New Tales from the Borderlands' release date and platforms

"New Tales from the Borderlands" is set for release on October 21, 2022. It will be released for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.