New Tales from the Borderlands: PS5 Review

Developed by Gearbox

Published by 2K Games

Platform: PS5

New Tales from the Borderlands follows the relative success of Telltale's Tales from the Borderlands, an episodic release from 2014 and 2015.

With its episodic framework and its need to get you to pick your own path of adventure, the Telltale ethos worked well for a change of pace from Gearbox's shooter Borderlands.

The sequel, New Tales from the Borderlands, is less successful but still playable enough if you're already versed in the Borderlands universe.

Taking the parts of Anu, a scientist, Fran, a frozen yogurt seller and hipster Octavio, it's back to the usual medley of mayhem as you fight back against weapons manufacturer Tediore who has begun invading the planet Promethea.

There's not much that's massively new in New Tales from the Borderlands as the game plods through its somewhat dated gameplay and its formulaic take on the world. While it's admirable that 2K have looked at what worked from the original, trying to emulate it here hasn't quite worked in the way it could have done.

Borderlands' desire to try new stuff is commendable - its Tiny Tina game showed mixing the two elements worked well, but perhaps for New Tales from the Borderlands the winning Borderlands formula is less about stripping the franchise away and just going back to basics to enjoy what worked and doubling down on it.

The adventure's not quite as thrilling as it could be, but if you're a Borderlands nut, then it will be worth diving back into the universe and watching it ever so slightly expand.