Tales from the Borderlands Episode 3: Catch a Ride

The adventure story of Rhys, Fiona, Sasha, Vaughn and Loader Bot continues after their last episode was released about 4 months ago. Through Episode 3: Catch a Ride, gamers will be invited to visit various locations that are packaged in a colorful graphic visual display. Many parties agree that the Tales from the Borderlands series is one of Telltale’s most consistent products, both in terms of storytelling and the features presented in its gameplay. For those of you who have just joined this franchise, Tales from the Borderlands is a direct sequel to Borderlands 2 where Handsome Jack’s death is still a hot topic in Hyperion and on the planet Pandora.

Here you play a double role as Rhys, an ordinary office worker trying to climb up to the higher classes in Hyperion, and Fiona, a talented Pandora born. Catch a Ride features all the core players from the previous two episodes who must work together from the start of the game. This graphic adventure requires you and your team to solve various indications of evil by solving various mysteries that can sometimes lead you to doubt. Although it sounds serious and (perhaps) boring, the humor that intersects the course of the game, especially when we have to choose between two choices, makes Catch a Ride worthy of the attention of gamers.

Different Choices, Different Sequences
Tales From Borderlands: Catch a Ride begins with a different opening sequence depending on the choices you make at the end of Episode 2, and defines nearly a quarter of the game in Catch a Ride. Most episodes separate the characters into 2 core groups that allow Rhys and Fiona to develop into characters the gamers want. For example, the Rhys you play may not do amazing things but have a noble heart, and this may be different from your friend’s Rhys character. It’s the same with Fiona, who gradually realizes that she has the potential to become a legendary Vault Hunter, although she is confused by her own unclear desires.

Admittedly, this Episode 3 suffers from a bit of Telltale’s “illness” with regards to tactics being slightly delayed. In the middle of the episode, there are a number of areas that feel like they have a big influence on the development of the story in the future. However, there are a number of major changes in the narrative in the form of Big Bad, which has just emerged and is another hurdle for players to face. Luckily, Catch a Ride is filled with pretty colorful scenery. You can explore the forest that shimmers in the moonlight, or explore the richness of flora that seems to glow in the dark, in contrast to the Borderlands games which are mostly set in a barren desert.

Proof of a Quality Game
Not only the visual graphics are pleasing to the eye, Catch a Ride also presents a story, voice acting, and characters that at this point can be considered the best. Telltale’s decision to insert a humorous side into this game is also considered appropriate, because the humor that you can find in Catch a Ride adds to the excitement of this game. Some scenes will make you laugh out loud, while others may conclude with a smile on your lips. Even if you don’t laugh, the feel of the game feels lighter with an effective storyline, and is filled with new characters that gamers can enjoy.

The character who unexpectedly develops into one of the most popular figures in Catch a Ride is Gortys. She appears with an innocent personality that is completely opposite to Pandora’s cruel reality. Therefore, every interaction he makes feels very entertaining. Starting from the strange but interesting interactions with the Loader Bot, to the way he deals with death. By the way, Loader Bot can also be your favorite character because of the well-written story.

Another thing that is the advantage of Catch a Ride that you don’t get in other Tales games is the general gameplay. Since the debut of The Walking Dead, Telltale has often packaged its graphical appearance so tightly that sometimes the gameplay feels less than perfect. This is different from the Tales from the Borderlands series which returns the essence of a true graphic adventure as well as a number of decent action scenes. But the action scenes (especially when there are fights) are like a double-edged sword: interesting to look at, but not very good. Often switching between characters in a fight looks messy.

Closing Comments
However, nothing is perfect in the world of Tellate, and while Tales from the Borderlands Episode 3: Catch a Ride has an advantage over similar games in its class, the developers still need to upgrade. This game does look beautiful with outstanding character designs, but the animation is still not enough to spoil gamers. From a positive perspective, the humor presented is very hard to forget, the voice acting deserves thumbs up, and the overall gameplay can make you curious to continue the story in Episode 4.

Overall Score: 8/10

Publisher: Telltale Games
Developer: Telltale Games
Genre: Graphic Adventure
Release: June 2015
Platforms: PC, PS3, PS4, X360, XONE

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