Tales from the Borderlands: Episode Five - The Vault of the Traveler

A fitting finale for what might just be the best series Telltale have ever made.

"The Vault of the Traveler", also titled "Episode 5", is the fifth episode and the season finale of Telltale Games' Tales from the Borderlands.

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 14 reviews

humor3 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The finale provides a satisfying conclusion to character arcs and showcases the impact of player choices throughout the series.
The writing is sharp and filled with humor, delivering both laugh-out-loud moments and emotional depth.
The game features memorable original characters and a fantastic universe, making it a standout title in Telltale's portfolio.

Some parts of the plot feel underdeveloped, and there are minor animation glitches.
There are performance issues with character 'snapping' and occasional dialogue cut-offs during choices.
The game could benefit from more actual gameplay elements, as some players may find it lacking in interactivity.

story
8 mentions
38 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The story of this title is praised for its strong writing, sharp humor, and emotional depth, effectively concluding character arcs while showcasing the impact of player choices. Despite some underdeveloped plot elements, the narrative is memorable and original, set in a vibrant universe that enhances the overall experience. With surprising reveals and a satisfying finale, it stands out as one of Telltale's best works, offering significant replay value.
- “This title will be showing up on many 'game of the year' lists, and rightly so, with a memorable story, filled with truly original, smart and witty writing, set in such a fantastic universe, this is one not to miss.”
- “Strong writing filled with sharp humor and emotional moments, wonderful characters that grow over all five episodes, the finale focuses on resolving the main story and deals with its aftermath, choices influence the journey greatly, surprising amount of replay value.”
- “Character arcs wrap up with poignant, powerful moments, stark proof that choices made throughout the series matter in big ways, creative use of the Borderlands universe to tell a different kind of story, new types of action sequences with new input commands are super fun, Loader Bot is the hero video games need.”
- “Some parts of the plot were underdeveloped.”
- “While the fish story element seems to be gone, a surprising amount of replay value and some truly sharp writing makes this some of Telltale's best work to date.”
- “Dialogue occasionally gets cut off when making choices, which detracts from the overall storytelling experience.”
humor
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is characterized by sharp writing and emotional depth, effectively blending comedic elements with character development and impactful storytelling. Players appreciate the surprising reveals and the way choices influence the narrative, contributing to a satisfying and replayable experience. Overall, it successfully balances humor with poignant moments, enhancing the overall enjoyment.
- “The game is a consistent joy, fusing humor and touching emotions into one product.”
- “Strong writing filled with sharp humor and emotional moments, wonderful characters that grow over all five episodes.”
- “Satisfyingly concludes character arcs, with great humor, writing, and story, showcasing how your decisions affect the outcome.”
emotional
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game excels in its emotional depth, featuring genuine surprises, touching moments, and humor that resonates throughout the narrative. Strong character development and impactful choices enhance the experience, culminating in a finale that thoughtfully addresses the story's aftermath. Overall, it offers a delightful blend of humor and heartfelt emotion, contributing to significant replay value.
- “There are some genuine surprises, some touching moments, some real laugh-out-loud times, and some of the best original characters Telltale has introduced since Lee and Clementine.”
- “Strong writing filled with sharp humor and emotional moments, wonderful characters that grow over all five episodes. The finale focuses on resolving the main story and deals with its aftermath, while choices influence the journey greatly, offering a surprising amount of replay value.”
- “The game is a consistent joy, fusing humor and touching emotions into one product.”
replayability
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-150 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
"Tales from the Borderlands" offers a surprising amount of replayability due to its strong writing, sharp humor, and well-developed characters that evolve throughout the episodes. Players' choices significantly impact the narrative, encouraging multiple playthroughs to explore different outcomes and experiences. Overall, it stands out as one of Telltale's best works, enhancing its replay value.
- “Tales from the Borderlands has wrapped up its tale of vault hunting, conning, heisting, and finger gunning with the arrival of 'Vault of the Traveler.' While the fish story element seems to be gone, a surprising amount of replay value and some truly sharp writing makes this some of Telltale's best work to date.”
- “Strong writing filled with sharp humor and emotional moments, wonderful characters that grow over all five episodes, the finale focuses on resolving the main story and deals with its aftermath. Choices influence the journey greatly, providing a surprising amount of replay value.”
- “Tales from the Borderlands has wrapped up its tale of vault hunting, conning, heisting, and finger gunning with the arrival of 'Vault of the Traveler.' However, the lack of significant replayability makes it feel like a one-time experience rather than something worth revisiting.”
- “While the story is engaging, the limited choices and outcomes significantly reduce the replay value, leaving players with little incentive to go through the game again.”
- “Despite the initial enjoyment, the game offers minimal variations in gameplay on subsequent playthroughs, which ultimately diminishes its replayability.”
optimization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has been criticized for performance issues, particularly with character "snapping" and an abrupt transition between the first and second halves of the episode, indicating a lack of smoothness in gameplay.
- “Some characters experience 'snapping' performance issues, leading to an abrupt shift between the first and second halves of the episode.”
- “The optimization is lacking, resulting in frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
- “I encountered significant lag and loading times that disrupt the overall experience.”
stability
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is marked by minor animation glitches and occasional dialogue cut-offs during player choices, but these issues do not significantly detract from the experience. The novel loot system is noted, though it has little impact on the overall narrative.
- “There are minor animation glitches that disrupt the experience.”
- “Dialogue occasionally gets cut off when making choices, which is frustrating.”
- “While the loot system is novel, it did not majorly impact the story.”
character development
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The character development is praised for its depth and intrigue, contributing significantly to an incredible story, all complemented by beautiful artwork that enhances the overall experience.
- “The character development is incredible, with a captivating story and beautiful artwork.”
- “I was truly impressed by the depth of character development throughout the game.”
- “The way characters evolve and grow is one of the most engaging aspects of the game.”
graphics
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their beautiful artwork, which enhances the overall experience of the game. While the focus is on the incredible story and character development, the visual presentation significantly contributes to the game's appeal.
- “The graphics are absolutely stunning, with breathtaking artwork that brings the world to life.”
- “Every detail in the environment is meticulously crafted, making the visuals truly immersive.”
- “The character designs are not only unique but also beautifully rendered, enhancing the overall experience.”
gameplay
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Users feel that the gameplay lacks depth and variety, indicating a desire for more engaging and substantial gameplay elements.
- “The game needs more actual gameplay.”
- “The mechanics feel clunky and unresponsive.”
- “There is a lack of variety in the gameplay, making it repetitive.”