Borderlandsfans were pleasantly surprisedfollowing the revealof a fantasy-laden spinoff of the APRG franchise,Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. Poised for a March 2022 release, the game promises to deliver a fun, colorful new spin on the adrenaline-fueledBorderlandsformula. The RPG stars fan-favorite antihero Tina, and expands on one of the most memorable DLC packs forBL2,Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon’s Keep. Not only this, but this stand-alone epic will host a slew of unique locales and new classes, as well as new firearms and melee weapons. Perhaps most notably, the game will include an amusing array of spells more akin to the likes ofSkyrimthan an FPS. These spells are meant to take the place of grenade mods and will range from summoning meteors to turning foes into sheep.
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But while this entry looks to be chock-full of fun content and interesting details, the DLC pack from which it stems also has its share of intriguing facts and trivia. It’s perhaps not surprising, given how distinct and off-the-wall this tangent seems to be; even for a series as erraticBorderlands. Some of these details may have even eluded many who’ve played this action-packed expansion.
8An Accidental Reveal
Borderlands 2mania was still in full swing in 2013, following the release of three DLC packs which continued to whet the appetite of fans and expand on the fun, zany lore. Thus, players were giddy with anticipation upon hearing about the reveal of the new fantasy-tinged DLC starring the fan-favorite Tiny Tina.
Its initial reveal, however, didn’t quite go the way Gearbox had intended. Ironically, it wasBL2’s lead writer and brother of Tina’s voice actress Anthony Burch, who accidentally tipped off fans to the DLC pack. Originally teased at Pax East 2013, the studio was coaxed into confirming the title by way of a picture of Burch’s snoozing friend, which showed a poster of the content in the background.
7A Slew Of Fantasy References
This DLC is a zany parody of geek culture and fantasy tropes as a whole; from the over-the-top magic elements to the cheesy exchanges to the silly portrayal of wizards and dwarves. This includes a slew of references involving specific (mostly) fantasy media, with the most obvious one being the iconicDungeons & Dragons.
Another example includesThe Lord of the Rings, which comes in the form of wizard Claptrap’s “You Shall Not Pass!” proclamation. There are also numerousGame Of Thronesnods including an Iron Throne and “Prince Jeffrey” appearance.
6The Unique Workings Of The Dice Chest
Being partly an homage to fantasy tabletop romps, it’s only natural thatAssault on Dragon’s Keepwould include a dice feature. This DLC introduces a new type of chest fittingly known as the Dice Chest. This unique box appears with two twenty-sided dice on top. Opening the box will trigger one of the dice to roll, but this isn’t merely for show.
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The number that the dice rolls determines the rarity of whatever is in the box, with one being the most common, and 20 being the rarest.Much like a trip to the casino, lucky rollers are certainly rewarded in this game. The coveted Eridium is also given a new purpose in this DLC, as spending 5 pieces of it allows players to roll both dice featured while reaping the rewards of the higher outcome.
5An Expansive Lineup Of New Baddies
As is the case with other DLC packs,Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon’s Keeppresents various new foes—though this rendition has a particularly vast, colorful lineup. Nearly a dozen new enemies round out this roster, and further add to the high fantasy mystique.
Examples include Dwarves, Golems, Knights, Orcs, Pixies, and the ever-frustrating Skellies. Of course, the game alsobrings the classic RPG stapleMimics; anthropomorphic, sharp-toothed chests that come to life when attempting to open them.
4Purple Weapons Corresponding To Different Gemstones
Assault on Dragon’s Keepgoes a step beyond when it comes to new weapons and items. In addition to unique guns, the game also brings a new type of purple rarity, fittingly tagged “Gemstone” weapons.
This moniker stems from the prefix attached to these weapons, each of which brings its own unique color and traits—andcorresponds to each manufacturer. For instance, Hyperion guns are white and tagged with Diamond, Bandit is pink and uses Quartz, andthe fan-favorite Jakobsis orange with a Citrine prefix.
These Gemstone weapons also have the distinction of granting a boost to critical hit damage, which ranges from 6.5% to 7.5%. These gems also give the player a chance to deflect bullets from enemies, and sometimes bring a handful of other more subtle, obscure perks like accuracy recovery.
3Various Parallels To The Main Game
Despite the bulk of each campaign having wildly different themes, there are numerous parallels between the core content ofBorderlands 2and its high fantasy counterpart,Assault on Dragon’skeep. Beyond the obvious one—Handsome Sorcerer representing Handsome Jack—there are also similarities when it comes to the enemies; many of whom echo foes from the main game.
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Examples include Spiders, Orcs, and Knights—which are the fantastical equivalent of Spiderants, Goliaths, and Loaders, respectively. Even the game’s plot is comparable to that in the main game; albeit a more fantastical, off-the-wall version of it.
2The Biggest Of The DLC Packs
This colorful spinoff is often regarded as top tier when it comes toBorderlands 2 DLC, and expansions as a whole. Not only does it present some particularly creative and humorous gameplay, but it also boasts some of the most robust content.
The main campaign alone will take close to six hours, which nearly doubles when factoring in the new collectibles andvarious fun side quests. This extends at least a couple of hours beyond otherBL2DLC.
1Was Almost Tiny Tina-less
Despite the title bearing her likeness, the quirky anarchist herself was almost not included as the main character. In fact, the initial idea forAssault on Dragon’s Keepinvolved a run-in with Hyperion in their facility. The building’s director would apparently possess the power to manipulate everything and run a twisted fantasy version of Pandora.
According to a Digitaltrends.com interview, the notion of Handsome Jack’s nephew, who ran a base like aD&Dcampaign, was tossed around at first. Ultimately, though, Tiny Tina was decided upon as the game master—as this zany, unpredictable character would yield more freedom for creativity and spontaneity.
