Brett Molina

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Fans of the first-person, role-playing shooter Borderlands are in for a special treat in 2014.

Not one but two video games based on the hit franchise created by Gearbox Software are arriving this year, although they take very different approaches. Let's break them down:

Tales From The Borderlands

Developer: Telltale Games

The adventure game from the creators of The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us takes place following the fall of Handsome Jack in Borderlands 2. A brief power struggle for control of the Hyperion Corporation ends with Hugo Vazquez (voiced by actor Patrick Warburton) taking charge.

Instead of starring Vault Hunters like the first two Borderlands titles, Tales From The Borderlands follows Rhys, a Hyperion employee who tried and failed to replace Jack, and Fiona, a thief trying to pull off one more big scam on Pandora. Both characters clash over a vault key on Pandora, and players revisit how Rhys and Fiona tell the tales of their hunt for the key.

A demo of the game featured at The Electronic Entertainment Expo kicks off with Rhys hoping to get a little payback against Hugo.

While Hugo is distracted by a phone call, Rhys uses one of the game's key features: his Cyber Eye that can scan key items. After a failed try at peeking at Hugo's computer screen the old-fashioned way, Rhys uses his eye to scan the machine and learn of a vault key for sale, with the details appearing on his cyber arm.

With help from colleagues Yvette and Vaughn, Rhys hatches a plan to steal money from Hyperion and take the key before Hugo. Rhys and Vaughn travel to Pandora in search of the World of Curiosity, home to the vault key.

The Borderlands franchise is heavy on the action and loot collecting, and Telltale's rendition is no different except for the gameplay approach. It's an adventure game, so more of the focus in on story and decision making that affects how the story unfolds.

When exploring, players can find loot boxes and collect the rewards inside. When it comes to combat, Rhys relies on Hyperion robots to do the dirty work, giving players control while attacking. Rhys selects his robot, customizes it by adding stronger weapons or defensive shields, and deploys it for action.

The demo ends with Fiona preparing to share her version of the story, which happens to feature a cameo from Borderlands 2 vault hunter Zero.

The first episode of Tales of the Borderlands arrives this summer.

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel

Developer: 2K Australia

For those players seeking a more traditional Borderlands experience, there's the upcoming Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel launching on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on October 14.

The game -- a collaboration between Gearbox and 2K Australia -- takes place between the events of the first Borderlands and Borderlands 2, as Handsome Jack rises to power at Hyperion Corporation. Four new Vault Hunters appear: Athena The Gladiator, Wilheim The Enforcer, Nisha The Lawbringer and Claptrap the Fragtrap.

During E3, 2K Games showcased two hunters: Athena and Wilheim. Playing as Athena, you can bring up a shield to move and defend while firing off rounds from a variety of weapons. As a final flourish, Athena will fling the shield at enemies like Captain America.

The game takes place on the moon of Pandora, so The Pre-Sequel features a lot more vertical action compared to earlier Borderlands titles. Players use the moon's low gravity to leap high above enemies and drop down to smash them into the ground. Plus, there are launch pads that help give players some extra air.

Players also get access to a new selection of weapons and gear from laser-based items to firearms with cryogenic abilities that freeze opponents.

Based on a playthrough of the demo, everything else feels like textbook Borderlands. Enemies are tough, loot is everywhere and the arsenal is beyond ridiculous. In a good way.

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.