Though New Tales from the Borderlands is largely disconnected from the rest of the franchise, telling its own story with a fresh cast of characters, the series’ unique personality is still present. Whether players are looting containers they have seen in past games, interacting with talking guns, or encountering corrupt corporations, all the staples are there. This extends to Vaults, as the crew explores one in New Tales from the Borderlands’ second episode, and a scary enemy called the Devourer lurks within.
While the main point of the Vault exploration is to collect the Anahatium that powers Anu’s Device and drives the plot, to get it the characters first have to fight the aforementioned Vault monster. This leads to a memorable sequence of QTEs where Fran has to freeze off parts of the monster as Octavio distracts it, and though it is certainly fun, it is hard not to think about how the fight would have played in a traditional Borderlands game.
Imagining a Moveset for New Tales from the Borderlands’ Devourer
New Tales from the Borderlands’ Devourer, like its name suggests, is designed all around eating its foes. Essentially just a giant mouth, its main ability would likely be consuming its foes. For instance, it could grab a player and hold it within, slowly killing them if their fellow Vault Hunters do not damage it enough to break the animation. If they do, the trapped player could be spat out before they die.
The Devourer’s tongue would likely factor heavily into its moveset, as it attempts to stab Octavio with it multiple times during the action sequence. As such, players cold need to dodge various stabs and slams with this tongue to take down the boss. Perhaps a mechanic could be added that rewards good aim, as if players shoot the tongue right before it hits them, the Borderlands boss could be briefly stunned and a window could be opened for some uncontested damage.
The green Anahatium crystal that serves as a weak point for the New Tales from the Borderlands enemy could have the same functionality in a traditional Borderlands game. By shooting the green spot on the toothy creature, players could deal increased damage, with the crystal possibly moving around during the fight so that players do not have an easy weak point to hit at all times. While it could start on the front of the monster, it could move to the Devourer’s side or its back during other phases.
When it comes to a reward for beating the Devourer, a gun that incorporates its tongue could be interesting. The Borderlands series is full of guns that are visually unique in their functionality and designs, and a weapon named something like “The Devourer’s Despair” could thrive in both areas. Not only could it be covered in teeth and blood like the terrifying creature, but it could also shoot out its tongue as a projectile. Adding a grab with the primary fire and then a damaging shot with the secondary fire could be very effective, as players could pull enemies close to finish them off like with Roadhog’s hook in Overwatch.
With potential for a memorable boss fight and unique reward, it is a bit of a bummer that players will never get to fight the Devourer in the mainline series. Still, its inclusion made for a memorable sequence in New Tales from the Borderlands, and Gearbox is sure to come up with many more intimidating Vault Monster designs as the series continues.
New Tales from the Borderlands is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
