Guide to all story episodes and chapters of the game
New Tales from the Borderlands is the sequel to the original Tales from the Borderlands single-player adventure game released in 2014 by Telltale Games under license from Gearbox Software and 2K Games. Despite the fact that the new part is a sequel to the previous one, players will meet completely new protagonists who were not in either the original adventure game or the Gearbox shooter series.
Much of the first episode is devoted to introducing these very characters, their outlook on life and their goals. In this regard, the game does well, and by the end of the first chapters, you will clearly understand who each character is.
The game is divided into five episodes, each of which has 5-6 chapters. The original had the same format, with only one difference: it came out episodically throughout the year, while the new adventure came out in its entirety, all five episodes. That is, the players received a complete story with several endings, which you can read about in a separate guide .
Episode 1
Find Eridium Ore
After viewing the backstory, you will find yourself in the office of Anu, one of the three main characters in the game. During communication, you can choose any options, since they do not affect anything. You can make your first significant contribution to the game after you gain control of Anu. The current task is to find some eridium ore. Before doing this, you can look around the laboratory and open some boxes to collect money.
You will not be able to immediately find Eridium, because, according to the plan of the developers, you will have to examine several different places. Anu’s unique ability is related to her goggles, with which she can scan different objects and find hidden clues/traces. First, scan the safe located in the corner of the office, next to the table. After that, open the safe by pressing the indicated key/button and successfully completing the QTE sequence. Anu will come to the conclusion that there is no Eridium inside, but you will get some more money.
You can also scan Fong’s friend, but he will be unhappy with such an act. In any case, Phong doesn’t have what you’re looking for. After that, you will get a clear hint of where to look for Eridium, as the camera will turn around and point to a photo of the box. The box itself is located between the safe and the Jabber translator. Scan it for clear evidence that Eridium Ore is stored inside. After that, unlock the box and take this important item.
A small mini-game will start in which you need to launch Anu’s invention. All that is required of you is to turn the device and slam the round disk on top. The rest of the scene and the upcoming chapter with Octavio are a series of irrelevant dialogues and random key/button presses.
Froyo Store
The next important interactive scene involves Fran, another main character in the game. First, successfully complete the QTE sequence to open the door. Fran’s little bot will start clicking randomly on her buttons. If you allow Fran to complain, eventually a QTE sequence will start and Fran will destroy the little bot. Instead, keep your cool throughout the scene, and then it won’t come to that. In any case, the fate of the bot does not affect anything.
In the end, there will be regular customers. You just need to serve one of them. To ensure a high level of service, successfully complete the QTE sequence.
Anu’s meeting with the boss
In the next scene, Anu meets his boss, who turns out to be Reese, the protagonist of the original Tales From The Borderlands. During the conversation, Anu will demonstrate his invention. At first, Reese will be intrigued and will ask to continue. Regardless of what your next steps will be, what the presentation of the invention will be, Reese asks to demonstrate the device. You can shoot at any object. This decision doesn’t really matter, as Reese will be unhappy no matter which of his things you end up with. If you decide to hit Sasha’s photo on Reese’s desk, you will trigger a reference to Fiona from the previous game. This sequence will end in any case with Anu’s dismissal.
Assassination Contract: Octavio and LOU13
Once again, you take control of Octavio, the third protagonist of the game, who helps with the contract to kill his killer robot buddy LOU13. When you get to the victim’s apartment, interact with the call, then select any answer to convince the owner to go downstairs. You can choose any of the options. However, a man will be much angrier if you call him names, which will affect possible further actions.
Whether he is angry or not, when the owner goes downstairs, you need to convince him to introduce himself by name:
- If he is angry: choose any option, but most importantly do not reach for an imaginary gun.
- If he is calm: you can, for example, choose a phrase related to pizza.
Hank Confrontation
When you get control over Fran, who is communicating with a persistent visitor named Hank, you will have to sort out the situation. The client persistently demands free service until the end of his days. Fran refuses, and in response to this, Hank begins to threaten her.
During this sequence, you will be able to defuse the situation or react aggressively. One way or another, it will end in a fight. You must successfully complete several QTE sequences until you freeze this guy. After that, there will be an important choice – to kill Hank by breaking him into pieces, or leave him like that.
Your choice will directly affect whether you receive insurance money in the future or not. You will not be given money if a corpse is lying around in the restaurant room, therefore, if you want to earn cash, we recommend leaving Hank in a frozen state.
Anu’s escape during the Tediore invasion
In the next chapter, you control Anu. There are not many important interactive moments here. The Tediore Corporation invaded the Atlas property, and our heroine, along with Fong, was trapped. A little later, Tediore attacks Prometheus, where Octavio lives. Since Octavio is Anu’s brother, the girl decides to help him. You must leave the space station after successfully completing several QTE sequences. At the very end, Anu will receive the first figurine for the board mini-game from Fong, and then the main character will use the escape pod.
Octavio scans friends
Once you regain control of Octavio, your new goal will be to scan his buddies with EchoDEX. You can walk around the area to find a few places where you can spend money.
To perform a scan, approach a character and press the key/button from the tooltip. Octavio’s buddies can be found here:
- LOU13: Killer robot companion, found next to Octavio at the beginning of the chapter.
- Paco: Look in his taco truck in the middle of the square.
- Daniel: A sniper stationed next to the stairs behind the taco truck.
- Radon: Explosion expert, located a little further down the street, next to a large wall.
Finding Juniper
After you complete the scan of allies, Paco will call Octavio for help and ask him to find his pet, his beloved rat named Juniper (Juniper). The small critter is inside a large cracked wall next to Radon. Approach the wall and inspect it. The little rat is clearly there, so we need to find a way to free him.
Talk to Radon and ask him for help. He will destroy the wall, and Juniper will get out. Return to Paco to share the good news with him. As a reward, you will receive not tacos, but access to some applications.
At the end of the conversation, you can find a second figurine for the board. This should be done before Octavio uses the radio. The figurine is next to the dumpster located on the left side of where you originally spawned.
To end this scene, walk up to the radio and interact with it to start a 3-step mini-game. It will be random, but it will not be difficult for you to complete it.
How to get insurance money
In this chapter, Froyo’s shop will be visited by an insurance agent, with whom Fran is very familiar. You need to show her all the damage. First, go to another part of the store and inspect the wreckage. Take them apart to find another figurine for the board game. Walk around the store and interact with various items, showing the Rebbe for damage. It doesn’t seem to matter what you show the agent, because whether or not you get insurance money depends on other things.
When you’re ready, talk to Reba and say that you have nothing more to show. At this point, she will try to peek into the back room. Try to convince her of this, but she will be determined to check the premises. In the end, you can let Reba in or refuse her. If you don’t let her in, she will automatically deny you your insurance claim and you won’t get any money.
On the other hand, if you allow her to look around the room, the choice you made earlier regarding Hank will determine what happens next.
- If Hank is dead: If Hank is smashed into pieces, Reba will be horrified by the sight, and as a result, will be denied insurance payments.
- Frozen but whole Hank: If Hank was left as an icicle, Reba will be glad that you were able to fend for yourself and will give out insurance money.
Octavio and “Tedior”
After that, you will again have to play for Octavio, who, along with his friends, faced the invading Tediore Corporation. The first choice you have is to fight back or hide. The decision you make as a whole does not affect anything, since you still have to fight.
Shortly after the start of the action, you need to choose a friend who will deal with the commander. One way or another, the commander will be eliminated, and the decision you make depends only on what method:
- Radon: Radon kills the commander with a grenade.
- Paco: will summon strange creatures from underground that will eat the commander.
- Daniel: Use his sniper skills and shoot the commander in the head.
After the commander is dead, you will find a very chatty cannon, devoted to the Tediore corporation. An action sequence will start in which you have to shoot a lot. Choose the targets you want, although this does not affect anything, since you will kill the enemy blocking the path anyway.
In the end, Octavio will get rid of the gun and go to safety. After a few seconds, Octavio will be targeted by an enemy. Choose any reaction to the guy with the gun as it doesn’t affect anything and LOU13 will soon appear and shoot the enemy in the head.
The last two chapters of the first episode do not affect anything. In the first of these, Anu will find a new friend, Stapleface, after which they will be pursued by classic fanatics from the Borderlands. This will result in a scene with a lot of QTE sequences. Complete them successfully to defeat the enemies.
The final scene takes place in Fran’s shop, where the owner is trying to protect Octavio from the Tediore Corporation. This manifests itself in a series of conversations where no matter what you say, Tediore will try to blow up the building. This will lead to the end of the first episode.
Episode 2
The first scene of the second episode is important in terms of storytelling. It is in it that all three main characters meet and get acquainted. The choice you make during the dialogues between the three characters is of paramount importance, since it directly affects the overall rating of the team.
This concept will be explained by LOU13, but, in essence, the rating shows how close the team is. This cohesion influences the story and certain scenes. To get the highest possible rating, you must make sure that each of the characters supports and respects each other.
In addition to the normal conversations, the main choice in this sequence will appear at the moment when the radio in Octavio’s pocket starts to turn off. Because it’s a stolen device, the guy doesn’t want Anu to know he has it. As Fran, you must decide whether to lie or tell the truth. If you lie, then Octavio will pretend that he just found a radio lying on the ground. If you say that Octavio has a radio, Anu will be unhappy with the misdeed of his younger brother.
Down in the sewers
A few hours after the last scene, the team will finally get a clue indicating where to look for the key to the Vault. Fran, Octavio and Anu go to the sewers. Once in place, Octavio and Fran will want to go undercover, but they have different ideas about how to counter the guards. Octavio wants to sneak past them, while Fran chooses to eliminate them.
As Anu, you must choose one of the offers. Naturally, this choice will determine how you complete the level, as well as with whom Anu improves / worsens relations – a person whose plan you do not choose will be upset. In fact, no matter which plan you choose, you need to get past the first guard by successfully completing the QTE sequence. Then, as a result of an unsuccessful stealth, a battle of figures with the second guard will begin.
It is not difficult to win this duel. Pick the best figure and spam attacks while you’re on the offensive. In defense, you need to successfully perform QTE actions in order to dodge enemy attacks. In principle, nothing complicated! As a result of the victory, you will not only move further in the story, but also get a figure of your opponent.
How to get to the Vault
After a fierce battle with the figures with the guard, you will go deeper into the cave and find the guards with the key to the Vault. Take advantage of stealth by successfully completing a QTE sequence. As a result, you will be able to escape, but for this you will need to successfully complete another QTE sequence.
The team is soon joined by Paco’s rat, Juniper, whose main ability is tunneling. She does an excellent job with the task, and the team follows to the portal. Once on the other side of the teleport, you will control Anu. With her glasses, you can scan several things:
- A diamond-shaped advertisement to the right of where you spawn.
- Eridium chest on the left side of the portal. This chest contains money.
- A pedestal with a lever in the center. Go a little deeper into the cave. After you scan this lever, pull on it to see what it does.
Shortly after the end of the scan, Octavio will awaken a giant monster known as the Devourer.
How to defeat the Devourer
The brave Juniper will try to attack the monster, and the fate of the rat depends on the situation within the team. If you have a high cohesion rating and successfully complete the QTE sequence, you can save the little rodent. However, if the rating is low, the animal will die, despite your best efforts.
After that, Fran will be captured, and in order to save her, you will have to successfully complete the next QTE sequence. After a while, a spike will fall off, which will injure the monster, but he will be able to recover and continue the battle.
To defeat the Devourer, you need to choose one of the possible plans to confront the monster. You can ask Octavio to distract the monster or ask Fran to freeze him. Your decision doesn’t seem to matter as the heroes will do both. The plan will result in a long QTE sequence with a lot of button presses.
At some point, Anu must activate her device. Expand it and hit not the round disk at the top, but the thing sticking out from the back. Press the indicated keys/buttons to end the battle. Watch a few scenes that will complete the passage of the second episode.
Episode 3
After defeating a giant monster from the Vault and preventing the treasure from falling into the hands of the people of Thediora, the team tries to figure out what to do with the all-powerful artifact obtained in the second episode of New Tales from the Borderlands. On the other hand, the collective does not even realize that Tediora managed to get Anu’s working card, which she accidentally dropped during the battle with the Devourer.
Chapter 2
The green crystal obtained in the Vault proved to be an extremely powerful healing stone, capable of healing any physical wounds almost instantly. Anu decides to check his work, so you have to choose who to shoot. In the end, the choice does not affect anything, but if you shoot at L0U13, you will understand that the crystal does not work with robots.
In order to harvest the energy of the crystal using the Anu phaser, you need to find materials to repair it. You should look for them in Fran’s store. Use Anu’s goggles to scan Octavio, Fran, L0U13 and the frozen Hank for more information. However, this is optional. At the front of the store, look for a clear plastic bottle that is on the counter near L0U13. After picking up the item, pick up the camera inside the jukebox and the tape in front of the cash register. After that, go to the back of the store and interact with the refrigerator. Inside it you will find a fanatic, ready to fight in a mini-game. Defeating him will earn you a new figurine, Vasquez.
After you defeat the fanatic, it remains to repair the phaser. You need to replace the fuse. To understand which one, use Anu’s glasses and scan the block.
Chapter 3
After repairing the device, the team decides to enter an investment competition to get the money to fund their newly acquired technology. At the entrance to the studio you will be stopped by a security guard. As soon as he gives his full name, L0U13 decides to finish him off, remembering another unfinished contract to kill. You can agree or forbid the robot to do this. If you agree and the robot kills the guard, you will earn $2500. If you refuse to fulfill the contract, then improve the relationship between Octavio and Anu.
As L0U13 waits outside, the trio of protagonists make their way inside, where they are greeted by another contestant, Pierre Pallantine. Anu will be worried, so Octavio and Fran decide to take revenge on Pierre by hacking his invention. You can skip the mini-game or complete three random stages.
After the sharks eat Pierre alive (when you sabotage the operation of his device), Anu will have to demonstrate the work of his invention. This is a laser with a healing beam. If you agree, you can answer/ask three questions. Refuse – go directly to the presentation of your device.
Anu will end up in a shark tank, and Octavio and Fran will try to save her. Don’t forget to grab your device. As soon as you catch him, increase the cohesion rating of the team. Successfully complete the QTE sequence to cheer up the audience in the stands as Fran tries to get Ana out of the shark tank.
While it may not seem like things went according to plan, the team was able to demonstrate how the device regenerates Anu’s severed leg, earning money for winning the competition.
Chapter 4
After winning the investment money, L0U13 will reunite with the rest of the team, after which you can choose one of four phrases in a conversation with Fran. Choose the last two options if you didn’t break the frozen Hank into pieces. This will improve the relationship between Fran and L0U13.
Chapter 5
Thanks to the proceeds, the team decides to invest somewhere and develop their business. While Octavio is in charge of finding a new headquarters and Fran is off to find new allies, Anu must find supplies to help test the device. After meeting with the Keeper of the Dead and asking you to sell the corpse, you will be able to explore the laboratory and interact with the corpse. Before you do that, move to the far end of the room and interact with the freezer to reveal the Zealot. Defeat him and you will receive an epic Roland figurine, which blocks incoming damage with a certain degree of probability.
You can use the goggles on several items in this room, but to progress through the story, you need to scan the severed head lying on the floor, the body on the stove, and the metal rod next to the candles. Once you’ve done that, pick up the head and the metal rod and combine them together. After communicating with the Keeper, the latter bans Anu in a coffin, trying to get a reward for her.
Episode 4
Chapter 2
After five thousand blows, Anu will be able to break the coffin and free himself. However, the Keeper is aware of the escape attempt and will attempt to kill her before she can escape. You must use your fist or scalpel against her. If the scalpel is chosen, Anu will pierce the Keeper’s throat and kill her. After escaping from the Tediora soldiers, Anu will reunite with Octavio and head to the team’s new headquarters. Octavio’s genius led him to buy Fran’s store, spending all of his prize money.
Next, you need to choose in favor of a super-scientific innovation or a modern security system. Octavio bought the first one, and it’s a regular plasma ball. The modern security system is a toy foam turret. Regardless of your choice, Anu will start beating up Octavio, frustrated and angry at his brother’s stupidity.
After introducing Fergus, the gang is interrupted by Brock and several Tediora soldiers. Regardless of the choice during the conversation, Brock will shoot and kill Ana. Successfully complete the QTE sequence to defeat the Tediora soldiers until Fran has to make a difficult decision. She can comfort Octavio or try to kill Brock. If you kill Brock, then Fran will calm down, but if you decide to console Octavio, then Fran will receive respect points from all members of the team. Brock will run away. After Anu’s death, the rest of the gang will decide to test the device on the main character’s corpse.
Chapter 3
The device was able to revive Ana, but the gang encountered an alien force that would possess the girl whenever she was hit by a healing beam. As “Tediora” is still stalking a group of friends, they try to find protection by turning to an angel investor who invites the team to her estate. The rest of this chapter will deal with moving from Fran’s shop to a private hacienda. There will be no important dialogues.
Chapter 4
The buddies arrive at Angel Investor’s hacienda, where everything seems perfect at first glance. Octavio meets his business idol and Anu gets her own state-of-the-art laboratory. When controlling Ana, who ended up inside the laboratory, do not rush to scan anything. Instead, go to the back to the massive office desk to find Maya’s figurine near the screen.
Then scan the chemistry set next to the lab workers using Anu’s tech goggles. You need to balance the pH of the liquid with lye. Then go to the Jabber translator, interact with it and scan. To facilitate the task, you need to interact with the radio in front of the chemical set. Return to Jabber to take a lye sample and pour it into the chemistry kit.
After completing all the side tasks, you can explore the supercomputer. When the machine is broken, read the notes from the board and main table to continue troubleshooting. After translating the ancient code, repair the supercomputer to complete Anu’s mission.
In another part of the hacienda, Fran fulfills his dream of turning his store into a global franchise. Go to the corner at the back entrance of the store and interact with the trunk of the car. There will be a super fanatic inside him. Defeat him to get the Brick figurine. In this confrontation, it is best to use the Amara figurine, Fong or Fl4k. Time your dodge accurately. Brick’s main ability is to deal additional damage to an enemy who did not have time to dodge.
After defeating the super fanatic, head to the cash register. After opening it, take the Mordecai figurine. Once you find both figurines, interact with the craft and head to the back room to repair it. To open the locked door, you need to do some housework: interact with the Foopin’ Fashion machine on one of the tables, the jukebox and the fountain at the counter.
After figuring out her repressed childhood trauma, Fran finds herself in the back room of the store. Examine the creature, hit the car to start it, and freeze the milk tank to lower the temperature. After completing these tasks, return to the front of the store and make Froyo.
Meanwhile at the party, Octavio is pressured by his peers to try the drug. Even if you refuse, regardless of the decisions made, Beavington will trick Octavio into entering the cage. When both Anu and Octavio are captured, Fran must develop a plan to rescue them. But first, defeat the super fanatic to help L0U13 and the rest of his friends. For defeating him, you will receive a Mose figurine. He only appears if you defeat him in Fran’s shop. This time it’s best to use Mordecai and Fl4k as Mose takes less damage.
Chapter 5
After freeing L0U13 and finding the comrades, the team will realize that their angel investor – actually Susan Caldwell – is the evil CEO of Tedior. Once trapped, they had to give up Anu’s device and the powerful shard. When Susan orders the soldiers to kill the rest, which happens towards the end of the chapter, don’t panic as Ana or you’ll suffer a team cohesion penalty.
Chapter 6
Susan demonstrates the shard’s power on Octavio, stating that the Tediore can now take over the entire galaxy. You must choose between Octavio and the shard. When Anu breaks out of her cage with the power of the shard, successfully complete the QTE sequence. If you don’t press anything before the time runs out, Anu will select a shard and then pass out.
Episode 5
Chapter 2
Trapped in a construct of her own making, Anu will end up in the body of a Jabber. While the wheel is spinning, ignore the QTE actions to find out the truth about Fong. This is a very short chapter that serves as a transition to the next act.
Chapter 3
As Fran prepares for her execution and Octavio is imprisoned, Brock, Tediora’s talking gun, decides to visit the latter. During communication, respond with those phrases that put an end to Brock’s attempts to piss off Octavio. After you grab Brock and become a hostage, do not fire a warning shot, otherwise Octavio will hit himself in the leg. Meanwhile, Fran will be frozen by her car and rendered helpless by Tediora’s thugs. As one of them prepares to execute her, she will remember important things in her life.
Previous decisions will affect Fran’s current situation and character. If you managed to cool your ardor in the previous episodes, then defeat the bot, and it will start to fail. In this case, you need to choose:
- I deserve better.
- My friends will die.
- My character.
But if Fran was giving in to her anger, then none of these options would help. Back in Anu’s mind, choose options that don’t hide the truth that she’s a terrible sister. Connect the bridge by clicking on the debris in the air to move on to the next chapter.
Chapter 4
Meanwhile, Fran confronts a bot that has turned into a killer bot. When you get to the point where you have to fight a bot in turn-based retro combat, once this option appears, select the Help option. Fergus will appear, unlocking a secret achievement. Near the end of the fight, Fran must make a choice. Either way, you will kill the bot, however, if you choose the option that Fran controls his anger, then it will drop to the minimum value.
Returning to Octavio’s escape attempt with Brock, you will be stopped by Beavington Bradwick, the famous idol of the guy who tricked him in the fourth episode. After listening to his proposal, Octavio must make a decision.
Regardless of your choice, Octavio will leave and reunite with Fran and L0U13. While looking for Anu, they stumble upon Susan’s office. Once you have control of Octavio in Susan’s office, head towards her desk and turn left. There is another figurine lying on the floor that you can pick up.
However, this is the trap of that very superfanatic. Beat him one last time to unlock the Handsome Jack figure and another achievement.
Once the super fanatic is defeated, interact with the display case under Susan’s statue to collect her ECHOdex. Examine her computer to find a hidden button that opens the surveillance system inside Susan’s office.
Now with Susan’s ECHOdex in hand, check Fran, L0U13, and Brock’s backgrounds for another achievement.
After completing side tasks, inspect the observation terminal and hack it. Anu is still unconscious and trying to fix her repressed memories. Once you have control of her inside her mind, talk to the light and follow it. After finding Ana in a secret medical bay, the team will encounter Stapleface disguised as a Tediora soldier.
To collect all the figurines in Episode 5, you must confront Stapleface, and if you win, you will receive a Krieg figurine.
Chapter 5
After successfully rescuing Anu, the team will run through the security posts to the ship’s bridge. But the plan to disable the doomsday device and stop Susan once and for all is not as simple as it sounds. With an upgraded version of Brock blocking the way, Octavio needs to use his new ECHOdex to hack him. Click on the relevant items to toggle their output.
- Barrel: Off
- Security: On
- Store: Off
After Fran opens the last door to the bridge, the dialogue between Anu and Octavio is the last chance to increase their cohesion. As Octavio, you will have to insist that the shard is bad for Anu.
Chapter 6
By sacrificing Stapleface and L0U13, the fate of the universe will be in Anu’s hands. You will have to reunite with the shard or give it up. Depending on the decision you make, you will get two different endings. After that, successfully complete the QTE sequence to save Prometheus and defeat Susan.