Though the world is different, Tiny Tina’s Wonderland screams Borderlands in all the right ways, and I can not wait for the release!
Before the game’s release on March 25th, I was granted the privilege to play a preview copy of Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands from 2K and Gearbox Studios, and it was an absolute joy. What’s even more impressive is that the idea for this spin-off was due to the incredible success of Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep DLC from Borderlands 2.
I was thrown into the snowy and mountainous region of Mount Craw, where I played through as both the Stabbomancer, the stealthy ghost dagger summoner, and the Graveborn with their Demi-Lich companion, which I would consider to be the dark, blood magic class.
On release, the game will have six playable characters and, from what I have experienced, I’m curious about what they could be.
If I had to guess, I would say an offensive paladin class, a sharp-shooting archer, a dual-wielding gunslinger, and a very angry berserker.
The World
The optional region of Mount Craw is extensive and beautiful, with a cel-shading style that all gamers associate with Borderlands titles. I found myself just stopping to bask in the wonder of the world at times.
I was then hit by either a Goblin or Wyvern and was brought back to the painful reality that everything in this world wanted to kill me.
The main questline consists of you following Jar, a vocal activist of the ‘Goblins Tired of Forced Oppression’ group or GTFO; clever.
Your job is to help free her kind, and in doing so, you must defeat the tyrant known as Vorcanar, a fake god.
There were two additional side quests that I had the chance to complete that would provide you with reason to explore the rest of the world and offer some valuable items.
Or, you could explore the rest of the world with many, which I found myself doing.
There are points of interest scattered in each region that provide a number of beneficial elements that contribute to your adventure in this fantastical world.
- Lost Marbles are relics left from a supposed unknown hero known as Amnesiac that provides loot
- Rune Switch Puzzles that will see you mad dash around the map against the clock for a much-earned reward
- Poetry Pages that aren’t too difficult to find can provide cosmetic items
- Ancient Obelisks summon a range of difficult enemies that can kick your butt if you’re not prepared. I, for one, was not prepared
- And Golden Dice, which can provide you with increasingly more valuable loot when found. Keep your ears primed for their chime
Gameplay
Though the world of Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is new, the mechanics at its core are the same, and that’s a good thing. There is enough variety in the weapons available that allowed me to play the game how I wanted for both of the classes I had access to.
Regardless of the composition of the weapons that I ran with, the gunplay was smooth, intuitive, and fun. There is something still quite satisfying about seeing damage numbers trickle from enemies’ foreheads that I never get tired of.
The choice of spells to pick from complimented how I decided to play the game. There are self-cast, charge, multi-cast, and single-cast spell choices with varying effects.
My favourite was Quaking Sunder of Magnitude, which allowed me to create eruptive fissures in the earth that burned and tossed enemies.
Different enemies had different counter-tactics, with specific weapons more effective than others. Having a variety of weapons and spells allowed me to proficiently comb through the masses and some of the more difficult challenges.
Finally, the dialogue and banter between the characters was magical. It’s what tied all of the game elements together, and I found myself laughing out loud with some of the foolishly clever things they said.
Final Thoughts
On first impressions, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is the game that everyone needs to be excited about. After a rough couple of years for game releases, this is the shot of laughing gas and octane we all need.
A Borderlands game doesn’t have to be a Borderlands story with Borderlands characters. Borderlands could become its very own genre of game with gameplay, style, and storytelling as its backbone, and I think Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is the curious step in the right direction.
