Interactive stories leave the majority of actions and dialogue to the player. By giving the player the ability to choose, they will have an impact on the resulting story, and the relationships withother characters. When it comes toNew Tales From the Borderlands, that is entirely true, as the game features plenty of dialogue choices that will affect the outcome of the game’s episodes and endings.
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Players ofNew Tales From the Borderlandsshould be aware of the most important choices that they could make in the game, and the positive and negative impact it will have on their relationships. It should be noted that these choices are not failed quick time events, as they will simply result in a game over, as more often than not they result in death, so the story cannot progress.
Warning: Spoilers Ahead
7Hank’s Fate
In the first episode ofNew Tales From the Borderlands, players are faced with a matter of life and death. A character named Hank attacks Fran, and as such, she freezes him. The decision here is to let him chill here or to shatter him and kill him. Hank’s fate is in the hands of the player, with bonuses to either outcome.
If players let Hank chill, then players will get $3,500 as an insurance claim reward from Reba. This will also provide players with a higher Skateboard Score later in Episode 3. If players kill Hank, Reba will put a bounty on Fran, and Fran has to decide whether to freeze Reba. Freezing Reba will hurt relationships with the crew in later episodes.
6Stealth vs Non-Stealth
Episode 2 is the first episode where character relationships truly impact the game. For the best outcome, players should aim to keep the relationship above 50%. The biggest decision of this episode is whether to go with Octavio’s Plan or Fran’s Plan.The former is stealthyand the latter is loud, but the thing to keep into account is either choice affects Anu’s relationship with Octavio and Fran.
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Considering that whomever the player chooses will gain relationship points, the person that is not chosen will lose relationship points. Therefore, the rest of Episode 2 should be spent siding with the character that did not have their plan chosen.
5LOU13’s Bounty Money
When the crew makes it to the studio in Episode 3, they will be stopped by a security guard who will then give his full name. Considering LOU13 is an assassin robot that will kill anyone with a bounty, he shoots the man instantly. The crew is annoyed with LOU13, but he proposes to Octavio to take the cash from the bounty. Octavio is given the decision to accept or refuse it.
Players will get $2,500 if they accept the contract money, which they can spend on cosmetics. However, refusing will net the players better relationships with Anu and Fran, who were annoyed at LOU13. It’s a matter of money versus relationships.
4Anu In The Shark Tank
During Episode 3, Anu will have to pitch her healing ray device. No matter what they say, the presentation will fail, andAnu is thrown into the shark tank. This segment relies on quick time events, and Octavio must excite the audience before him whileFran rescuesAnu from the shark tank.
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The Skateboard Score will increase for the episode if players complete the quick-time event without failing a single check. If players do, they should either restart or just accept that their total score will be lower than desired.
3Brock Or Octavio
In Episode 4, after the quick time event that defeatsthe Tediore soldiers, Fran has a decision to make. Fran must either comfort Octavio or kill Brock. There is not much reward for killing Brock, other than the fact that the dialogue will be changed later in the game.
Players should comfort Octavio, as it will increase the relationship score between Octavio and Fran. Growing positive relationships is good advice in general but works in favor ofNew Tales From the Borderlands.
2Shooting Blivington Bradwick
After being tricked by Blivington Bradwick in Episode 4, Episode 5 will give players the opportunity for revenge. Octavio will escape with Brock and is stopped by Blivington. This was his celebrity idol, that used him and tricked him into his entrapment in the first place.
Although players and Octavio might want some revenge, in shooting Blivington, the overall Skateboard Score is reduced. Ignoring him will keep the score from decreasing, and considering Episode 5 is the last chance to increase Skateboard Score, it’s best to not lower it late into the game.
1The Shard
The last major decision to make in Episode 5, and the finale of the game, involves the shard. The shard has been the crux of the entire game, and the overarching power that could change the tide of the weapon manufacturers’ war of power. Players are tasked with the decision to reunite the shard or reject the shard.
The outcome of the shard depends on how the final boss is fought. Rejecting the shard will giveSusan Coldwell powers, and the characters will have to fight her with wit and cunning. Reuniting the shard will result in a more conversationalist approach, but each is equally tense.
New Tales From the Borderlandsis available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
