The problem with the episodic model that Telltale Games has adopted with its properties is that the space between installments can really make or break a game. Tales From The Borderlands nearly falls prey to this with the long space between episode one and two. The good news is that the quality and scope of “Atlas Mugged” makes up for any misgivings anyone may have had with the wait. Not only does Telltale give us a fantastic narrative, but offers up one of the best experiences that the team have ever produced in this format.
With such a long wait I nearly forgot what the heck was going on, but Episode 2 starts of with a recap of events that helped shake my memory loose. The narration that brings us up to speed also pokes fun at the long wait and helps set the mood for this new, much larger adventure. There is a whole lot of story packed into this episode, but it’s paced extremely well that you’ll feel you got your moneys worth and more. The entire narrative of Episode 2 will take you a few hours to get through and will have you exploring different paths with the two distinct teams at play, each with unique settings and secondary characters.
Gameplay is nothing new here, but with the extended length we do get to do a little more this time around. You’ll be able to do some shooting, more exploring, and some driving, but I do think that the space between these major “hands-on” sections is far too spaced apart. Yes, I was thoroughly engrossed with the story, but I began to treat the experience more along the lines of a movie (and a good one at that) so when the game gave me control, even for a few seconds, I felt a little lost and scrambling for my keyboard.
It really feels that Telltale Games is almost at the point where it’s just going to say, “Screw it,” and starting making movies and shows without the pesky action bits. While the game is categorized as and point-and-click adventure game, it is only one by the slimmest of margins. By now people know that you aren’t going into a Telltale experience for the non-stop gameplay, but for the story and world the team creates. The good thing is that you are going to get one heck of a fantastic experience with Episode 2.
“Atlas Mugged” is a great deal of fun and an experience that shouldn’t be missed. While I don’t want to get into the story as that is essentially the entire experience, know that it is top notch. If you are a Borderlands fan then this experience and story is one that explores Pandora and its people in ways that the FPS never did, or could. This time out we also start seeing some meaningful interactions with some better known Borderlands characters, and seeing and interacting with Scooter in particular was one of the highlights of the episode. All in all it’s a great experience and the love and care given by the developers can be seen in almost every scene.
It’s not quite a perfect package though as there are some bugs that mar an otherwise gem of a game. Texture artifacts and pop-in happened more than I would have liked, and the walk animations that the characters employ just feel a little off. The gameplay sections are more varied this outing, but the are so brief on most occasions that you’ll find them as more of a nuisance at m any points in this adventure. I almost would have preferred the dialogue choices to be the only gameplay feature here at times. While I love the exploratory bits, it pales in comparison to every other point-and-click game out there.
If you are a fan of Borderlands and the Telltale Games format then you already know you are going to absolutely love “Atlas Mugged” for what it does. The devil is in the details and Telltale shows that they know what they are doing to keep players engaged and wanting more. The music is also on point and when the game drops the title track you’ll be wanting to hear it again and again. Tales From The Borderlands Ep. 2 “Atlas Mugged” is not to be missed, but I really hope we don’t have to wait as long to get Episode 3.
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