Tales from the Borderlands: Vault of the Traveler
Overview -
'Vault of the Traveler' is the fifth and final episode in the 'Tales from the Borderlands' series, following 'Zer0 Sum', 'Atlas Mugged', 'Catch a Ride', and 'Escape Plan Bravo'. Unlike some other Telltale series, 'Tales from the Borderlands' has had a long roll-out, but, with its odd narrative timeline, the results have been worth the wait. 'Tales from the Borderlands' may be the best Telltale series in terms of attracting fans that normally wouldn't necessarily be interested in the base property.
Video Review
'Vault of the Traveler' has by far the worst framerate exhibited in this season or perhaps any Telltale game to date. It was egregious, almost unplayable during most of the Traveler mission. This is the one thing that spoiled it from being a nearly perfect episode. While the writing and narrative are awesome, engine problems threatened to ruin almost a third of it. Outside of that particular mission, which is long, the engine was more or less on track.
Audio Review
The soundtrack has gotten increasingly better as the series progresses, particularly the licensed tracks that are often used for comic effect during montages or credit scenes. The western-style guitar riffs that have been a staple of the source franchise are always present and preserve Pandora’s post-apocalyptic pioneer spirit amongst all of the jokes and buffoonery.
Final Thoughts
If for some reason you have any interest in adventure games and have not yet experienced 'Tales from the Borderlands,' now there is no excuse. 'Vault of the Traveler' is by far the best episode, even with its crippling stagger issues. In between the laugh-out-loud moments and the almost tearful, poignant moments of the underlying theme of friendship are a collection of witty jokes and awkward banter that any gamer can enjoy, not just longtime 'Borderlands' fans.
