Borderlands 2: Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt Preview

Captain Scarlett brought pirates' booty and Mr. Torgue created carnage, but neither continued the story of the core Borderlands 2 campaign. The third DLC installment, Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt, assumes you've already defeated Handsome Jack and are ready to travel to a new continent and face a cult of tribals who worship him as a fallen martyr. As such, this shoot-n-loot fest is recommended for vault hunters level 30 and above, and during an extended hands-on preview, my battered and bruised level 34 Zero found out why: This is the most challenging adventure Pandora has ever offered.



I'd envisioned the big game hunt would play out in a lush jungle, but the new continent of Aegrus, where Sir Hammerlock's hunting lodge is situated, is actually a massive swamp. There are some trees and grasslands, but for the most part it's a wet dull gray, rocky environment. What it lacks in color it makes up for with cool, vertically built villages that dot the soggy landscape. I frequently found myself fighting upward instead of simply forward as I had for most of Borderlands 2.

Riding In Style

I made my way between villages in a funky new hovercraft/fan boat hybrid, and much like the sand barge in the Captain Scarlett DLC, it's a huge upgrade over traditional Borderlands car and truck driving. There's even an optional flamethrower, and it was fun blasting and toasting Aegrus' hostile wildlife.


But the big draw here is, without a doubt, the challenge. There have only been a handful of spots in all of the two games and their DLCs combined where I couldn't breeze through without multiple deaths, but I hit one of those spots moments after stepping foot on Aegrus. I found the second new spot shortly thereafter, then my third, fourth…

These deaths were due, in large part, to a crazy new enemy: the Witch Doctor. The mask-wearing magic man not only has a ton of health, some potent ranged attacks, and the ability to transform into a frickin' cyclone, he regularly heals his buddies and boosts their effective levels. One minute I was beating a level 30 Savage to within an inch of his life. The next, he was a level 36 Badass with full health. After only being stymied by the occasionally tough boss in the previous two DLC packs, in Big Game Hunt I faced some seriously tough battles right from the get-go. It was a challenge I'd been craving -- Big Game Hunt is kicking my butt, and I'm loving it. For you high-level players out there, Gearbox also says Big Game Hunt packs the most challenging raid boss to date, and yes, there are plenty of new big game monsters to go hunting.

On The Level

Now, for the question you've all been waiting to have answered: does Big Game Hunt raise the level cap? Sadly, no. However, Producer James Lopez said Gearbox has heard the fan outcry for a level bump, and it has major plans to do just that. He shied away from sharing any specifics, other than that the additions will be "considerable," and give hardcore Borderlands fans reason for a third playthrough. Not a second, mind you, but a third. Gearbox will have much more to say on the matter in early 2013.


If I have to speculate -- and I think we all know that I do -- that sounds to me like an all new season of DLC adventures featuring new characters, a massive level cap increase, and new skills for each class. I can't think of a better way to encourage another high-level playthrough than by giving vault hunters new skills to unlock.

We'll find out for sure in early 2013. In the meantime, the challenge of Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt should keep us busy. It's set for launch on January 15th for $10.