By: Robert Murphy
Hello everyone, I know it is long overdue but oh well here
it is, the review for the latest DLC to come to “Borderlands 2”, “Sir
Hammerlock’s Big Game Hunt”. That’s right we are delving deeper into Pandora
and this time we’re heading to a more jungle like area with an Indiana Jones
type of feel to it, ancient natives and all. But I don’t think Indie had to
face the creatures you are about to face or had the kick ass weaponry you vault
hunters are packing out there. After you download the DLC, players are given
the option to go to a new area known as Aegrus where our resident cyborg
gentlemen huntsman is looking to take up a bit of sporting good fun by hunting
the areas exotic creatures. Not at all surprisingly though, things do not go
according to plan and this “nice” get away turns ugly or uglier I should say,
when the evil doctor Nakayama, who's
trying to create a clone of Borderlands 2 villain Handsome Jack aboard his
massive downed ship starts to intervene. And so almost immediately we are taken
away from the mustachioed antics of Sir Hammerlock and are sent after the mad
doctor because who else is going to save Pandora…..again and even Sir
Hammerlock himself says the same once you are taken away from the hunt.
Vault hunters facing down a Witch Doctor
Dashed expectations are the words that come to mind when you
play “Sir Hammerlock’s Big Game Hunt”, if you are like me and you were looking
forward to Sir Hammerlock getting his own unique tale of monster hunting
exploits, you’ll be sorely disappointed. Despite the fact that the DLC is named
after him Sir Hammerlock is barely seen or mentioned throughout the entire span
of the story, you spend the first one or two missions with him and that’s it.
Most of the story consists of players chasing after Dr. Nakayama and destroying
his twisted Handsome Jack perversions and the local tribesman which can prove
to be difficult. A new enemy that players will be facing is known as the Witch
Doctor and he comes in many forms like slagged and electrified but in any form
he proves to be a pain in the ass for the simple fact that they are able to
heal other savages and blast away Vault Hunter shields with a single shot. Also
they can turn into an elemental force of bats, tornadoes and other pain in the
ass effects that will have you in last chance mode in a matter of seconds which
frankly annoyed me to no end on many occasions.
The downloadable campaign takes place across three chapters,
with a few side quests tossed in to pad things out but they are nothing new
that we haven’t already seen. The DLC is fairly short, and where Mr. Torgue's
Campaign of Carnage was bolstered by some great voice overs and funny
characters that distracted you from the tedious missions, “Sir Hammerlock's Big
Game Hunt” doesn't have the charisma of Mr. Torgue or Tina gave you in the last
DLC to liven up what are ultimately a few switch-flipping and fetch quests. For
those of you who may of noticed the DLC also doesn’t raise the level cap at all
and there in laid my reason for waiting to play this DLC, because of my level
50 character I chose to wait until the level cap was raised. For those of you
who waited like me, there is some good news as recently the game has had its
level cap increased to 61 through a DLC offered through the game, adding some
purpose to playing this the DLC.
In closing, “Sir Hammerlock’s Big Game Hunt” is anything but
what the title suggest, players unfortunately barely see our mustached cyborg
and are instead made to ignore the enjoyable setting they are placed in. The
new area is well put together and I would of loved hunting with Hammerlock
across it but instead I had to face down the wanna-be Handsome Jack, Doctor
Nakayama, and where Handsome Jack was a cool, swarmy and cocky bastard with a
robot army to back it up, Dr. Nakayama has a second rate army and immediately
regrets ever challenging you. All in all, there isn’t much that saves the DLC,
not even “Borderlands” legendary humor, making for an unfortunately disappointing add on.
Good:
-The new area is well designed and nice to enjoy if you take
the time to look around
-One or two chuckles to be had but not many
-Hey it’s still Borderlands and that’s good for something
Bad:
-Witch Doctors are very annoying enemies
-Dr. Nakayama is a second rate, Handsome Jack wanna-be that
really worsens the DLC
-Sir Hammerlock’s barely involved in his own DLC
Scully Rating: 6.0 out of 10