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Tales from the Borderlands similar games & best alternatives

Tales from the Borderlands

PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Android, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3 • 2021

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Quick resume

Tales from the Borderlands is a five-part episodic game set on the unforgiving world of Pandora between the events of Borderlands 2 and Borderlands 3. This is a story full of Borderlands' trademark humor, following two adventurers on their quest for greatness.

Global score

94/100

Genres

Adventure, Puzzle, Point-and-click

Similar games

    Pros

    • Engaging and humorous story
    • Well-developed characters
    • Strong narrative immersion
    • Good voice acting and soundtrack
    • Appealing borderlands art style

    Cons

    • Limited gameplay depth
    • Choices have limited impact on overall story
    • Episodic release delays
    • Lack of multiplayer or competitive features
    • No official russian localization

    Analysis

    Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Intimacy, Survival, Violence, Competition. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Violence. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Exploration, Strategy.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      3

      "Players make choices that affect character relationships and some story elements, but gameplay is mostly linear with limited exploration and QTEs."

    • Competence
      1

      "Gameplay involves simple quick-time events and dialogue choices, with minimal skill challenge."

    • Competition
      -4

      "Focus is on personal story experience and choices without competitive elements or leaderboards."

    • Continuation
      3

      "Players express strong attachment to characters and story, with desire to replay for different outcomes."

    • Cooperation
      1

      "Game centers on two protagonists working together narratively, but gameplay is single-player and individual."

    • Creativity
      2

      "Players influence story through choices and dialogue, but game structure and scenes are predefined."

    • Domination
      -5

      "No evidence of exerting control or superiority over others; interactions are narrative-driven and balanced."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Players enjoy immersion in a humorous, action-packed fictional world distinct from reality."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of interest and enjoyment, not obligation or external pressure."

    • Experimenting
      2

      "Players explore different dialogue options and story branches, though within a fixed narrative framework."

    • Exploration
      -2

      "Limited environmental exploration; mostly navigating small areas with scripted interactions."

    • Expression
      1

      "Some customization through choices and minor item use, but no extensive avatar or environment personalization."

    • Fantasy
      5

      "Strongly imaginative fiction with sci-fi, humor, and exaggerated characters in a stylized universe."

    • Fellowship
      2

      "Narrative emphasizes relationships and teamwork between characters, though social multiplayer is absent."

    • Growth
      2

      "Players develop understanding of story and characters; limited skill growth due to simple gameplay."

    • Health
      -5

      "Sedentary gameplay typical of narrative adventure games with no physical activity."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires focused attention during episodes; not suitable for background or casual intermittent play."

    • Intimacy
      3

      "Emotional engagement with characters and their relationships is a core part of the experience."

    • Leadership
      -4

      "Players follow the story and character arcs without leading or managing others."

    • Progression
      2

      "Progression is narrative-based with some item collection and story advancement, not resource or power accumulation."

    • Relaxation
      3

      "Game balances humor and emotional moments, providing a flow state without high tension or stress."

    • Sensation
      2

      "Enjoyable audiovisual style with comic visuals and music, but not intense sensory stimulation."

    • Status
      -4

      "No social status or recognition mechanics; focus is on personal narrative experience."

    • Story
      5

      "Strong narrative immersion with engaging characters, plot twists, and emotional depth."

    • Strategy
      -3

      "Gameplay involves straightforward choices and QTEs with minimal strategic planning."

    • Thrill
      3

      "Players experience suspense and excitement through story twists and action sequences."

    • Value
      3

      "Players perceive good value in story, humor, and character engagement, especially on sale."

    • Violence
      0

      "Game includes action and combat scenes but focuses on narrative rather than violent gameplay."

    • Survival
      -2

      "No significant survival mechanics; story involves danger but gameplay is low risk."

    Where to buy

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    Last update: 29/04/2026