Tales from the Borderlands is a five-part episodic adventure series based on the universe of the Borderlands first-person shooter titles. The game is set in the world of Pandora where advanced alien technology is stored in vaults, drawing the attention of hunters who travel there to raid the vaults and acquire the technology. The introduction mentions Handsome Jack and his Hyperion faction of pirates, but then starts in medias res.
The game opens with Rhys in a desert looking for someone called Fiona, but he is captured by a man interested in the Gortys project. It turns out he has also captured Fiona, and the entire game is told as flashbacks, alternating between Rhys and Fiona, to explain how they got up to that point. In these flashbacks, we learn about Rhys's life working for Handsome Jack's Hyperion, his nemesis Vasquez, and the shady deal that leads to the theft of a vault key.
The game features the same cel-shaded visual style as the original Borderlands games. The player can influence the story through dialogue options with time limits, and choices carry over to affect the story and relationships with other characters. The game has humorous moments, lighter themes than other Telltale games, short quick-time events for fights, and minor puzzle-solving elements. Players must adapt quickly between their character's mindsets as they pursue their own interests.
Tales from the Borderlands is available on Xbox 360, a story-driven action & adventure game released on 2016-04-26. The remaining four episodes can be purchased separately or as episode packs, depending on the platform.