Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands preview: magical in every single way
The Borderlands franchise is one of my blind spots but Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands made me an instant believer. I’ve decided to try to run through the series before Gearbox’s magically delicious adventure is ready next month. That’s how much I loved the preview build I played over the last two weeks. There’s no way I’m missing Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands and you shouldn’t either.
The classic looter-shooter action and antics of Borderlands are perfect in a fantasy-adventure setting, especially with Ashly Burch’s Tiny Tina in control. The result is a smooth rhythm of magic and mayhem mixed perfectly with the explosions and gunfire of Borderlands. It’s Skyrim with no rules, which is why it rules.
I didn’t get to experience a lot of what makes the experience unique from the rest of the series and genre contemporaries, such as the Final Fantasy-inspired overworld, but the portions I played were enough to make me a believer. The preview build restricted me to a single area with only a few quests to tackle but it was immediately clear how suited the series is for the high fantasy setting. I completed the available quests as ‘The Stabbomancer’ and ‘The Graveborn,’ the two classes available in the preview build; the different abilities and builds provided a lot of variety. I can already tell that I’m going to replay Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands several times, if not dozens; the amount of customization extends beyond class types too, with RPG character-upgrade paths and an endless arsenal of weapons, there’s no end to what’s possible for players.
I helped goblins working in mines unionize with dark magic and a Demi-Lich companion as The Graveborn. Casting powerful magic spells while my character’s Demi-Lich readily dealt out damage was really fun. It was a rush.
The Stabbomancer provided a completely different approach built upon stealth and swift blades. I was able to chain together different powerful attacks, which allowed me to deal massive damage before some of the more powerful enemies even knew what hit them.
Action and chaos are always an option when stealth abilities are depleted. Or whenever it feels like it’s time for it. That’s part of what makes everything so fun. There’s always another way to play.
Magic and melee are a big part of Wonderlands and they both work so well when combined shooting. It’s seriously a perfect symphony. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to Skyrim. Gearbox’s magic-infused fantasy epic has everything I need in a fantasy game.
Gearbox has made it very clear this build doesn’t fully represent the finished product but everything felt really great. I can only imagine how well the final product will feel when it’s available next month.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands isn’t just for those that have spent time with the rest of the series. It’s a game for anyone that wants to feel like a badass against all odds in a colorful, fantasy setting. I’m looking forward to experiencing the full game next month. It’s hard to imagine any scenario where Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands isn’t toward the top of this year’s Game of the Year conversation.
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