In order for me to want to play Tales from the Borderlands, I felt I needed to get through the main games first, so I've reinstalled both games on the One. I've never played the first on the One actually. I've always found Borderlands to be pretty boring, especially on my own so I've only played several hours of each (and more or less just in the beginning areas, up to around level 10). Since I didn't play much of the first which I got around the time of its release, I didn't care to play two on last-gen. It was when my brother and I were looking for current-gen couch co-op games that we decided to get the remaster of two when that came out. I have to say now that I've gone back, I'm actually enjoying it quite a bit.

Originally, I was put off by a lack of focus on an interesting story and the loot shooting bored me, now I don't really mind as much that there's a lack of story (what's there is sufficient I suppose, at least right now), and I'm enjoying the shooting a lot more. Finding new, more powerful weapons is great as well. At first, I thought it'd be a chore to go through them just to play Tales from a Borderlands, but it's not. I've read that you don't need to play the main games before you play Tales from the Borderlands, but I hate missing out on even slight references and what have you. Okay, so I know what I wrote above has nothing to do with the topic title, but as the title says, should I play the Pre-Sequel first, or play it after I finish two?

So far as I play the games, the only thing I am not a huge fan of is the class systems. It would have been cool to be a little more customizable because I am playing with snipers and shotguns, but you can't specialize in both upgrade wise. I'm liking the exploring more, the challenge of running into slightly higher level enemies, and I also like the music more. It's all getting me more excited about Tales from the Borderlands too, but firstly I'd like to know if it makes more sense to play the Pre-Sequel before or after the main game of two.

Nope. Play them in the order they came out. Tales works whenever.

Instinctively I'd say play 2 first, if you're really commited to playing them all. Pre-sequel has a bunch of small things (I'd definitely call them improvements), that make it a little harder to go back to 2 afterwards: the butt-stomp, low gravity that goes hand in hand with more verticality in the levels, a better waypoint system, the best (one might say the only good) vehicle in the series, non-mute main characters.

@ntm said:

Play 2 first. That's the order they were released in, and the "intended" order, to the extent that actually matters. Pre-Sequel also has a few spoilers for the plot of 2 - it's assumed that you would have played 2 first and know the set-up.

Okie Dokie. As someone that has the Borderlands games but never really got into them, I am going in blind story wise to a large extent. To be honest, making this thread is the first time learning that in the DLC you're on the moon of Pandora. Generally, going in order of release is what I'd do anyway, but I thought I'd ask in case it really mattered. It feels weird to be excited and enthusiastic about Borderlands. Obviously, this is a discussion for another thread topic (which I should have made into this one), but I am curious what people would like out of Borderlands 3. I've heard great things about the story of Tales from the Borderlands; maybe they could implement a story that matters more and makes the player care more. Also, though I think it feels pretty good as it is, with modern first-person shooters the way some are, it'd be nice if they went all out on the way you could traverse. Minus the wall runs (that's just not necessary for Borderlands), maybe mix Titanfall 2's style of gameplay like its double jump, slide, clamber and the ability to toggle run with Halo 5's ability to dodge from side to side. I've been jumping or strafing away from some of the enemies and it made me think of Halo 5's side dodge which would be a nice addition. Also, maybe being able to go prone to add to precision.

Read about the plot or watch a video summary. Playing Borderlands for story is like reading Hustler for the articles.

There’s some setting stuff that’s cool, and some jokes land, but it’s A LOT of game for very little character development or plot.

Tales from the Borderlands might be Telltale’s best game, though.

Read a paragraph-long summary on Borderlands 1, watch a quick video on Borderlands 2’s plot, just to get to know some characters...I can’t speak for the Pre-Sequel...haven’t played enough of it.

I'm not really a fan of the Pre-Sequel, it felt like it should've been DLC for 2 instead of a separate game. As a new set of levels and characters, it would've been great. But there wasn't enough there to keep me playing just for that content. So yeah, play them in order.

Re: what I would want from Borderlands 3. Better writing, for one. The jokes should actually be funny this time around. I'd like them to keep a similar art style but make it look more modern obviously. Other than that, make the shooting itself better. Borderlands has never really felt like a quality FPS in the same way something like Destiny does. If they were to make the shooting feel good, it'd blow Destiny out of the water. I love Borderlands 2 to death, but they need to make serious improvements in order to compete with what's out there these days.

Personally I'd say you'd be fine just to play the first two games and have more than enough knowledge of the world to pick up on the little details within Tales, but even that isn't all that necessary.

Perhaps it's just me, but I would suggest avoiding Pre-Sequel all together. I have so many issues with that game that I wouldn't recommend it to anyone but the hardcoriest of Borderlands fans.

Tales is absolutely brilliant once it gets rolling. It's probably my favourite telltale game. The sooner you (or anyone) plays it, the better!

I get your reasoning, but you're way overthinking this. Just go in the order they were released and you'll be fine. Nothing about the series is so complex that you'd need to approach it surgically.