Maybe the weakest Borderlands 2 add-on so far, but Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt is still greatly enjoyable with lots of side-quest, boss battles, new enemies and monsters and an hovercraft-like vehicle that we wish we could have from the start.
The main quest line is shorter and little slower paced than previous Borderlands 2 content, but the artwork that went into this DLC is outstanding - and with zones that pack a large sense of scope to hunt new creatures in, new loot and hours more enjoyment than a $10 movie ticket can give you, Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt is easily worth the money.
Definitely not the best DlC, they have put out. Its not bad. Actually on paper it looks good, interesting new locale, a nemesis, tons of weird new, bad guys including the tough witch doctors, but the story was just not entertaining me like I had hoped. Like the Torgue dlc, its not bad by any means it just doesn't click like borderlands can really do when it wants to. Wait for it to go on sale, or don't I'm not the boss of you.
A slight step-down from the previous add-ons but sill leagues above most other DLC, even if the whole great white hunter shtick sometimes seems ill-advised.
Unfortunately, the story feels just as half-hearted, and it's hampered by fast-travel locations and quest kick-off points that seem erratically placed.
Enjoying Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt is about managing expectations, about knowing what you want out of Borderlands 2's constantly expanding menu -- its strong suits are the subtle twists on combat and enemy behavior, exploration, farming, and a hidden raid boss that costs almost 100 Eridium to spawn.
Of the Borderlands 2 expansions released so far, this is my least favorite of the batch. While the new locations and enemies look amazing, the main villain lacks any character (especially compared to other villains in the main game) and the bonus weapons aren't as great. A few weak quests don't help matters. However, the 2 hidden raid bosses should challenge all but the best Vault Hunters out there. Seeing as it's one of the 4 Season Pass DLC packs, you get what you paid for. I just wished what I paid for was better than this.
For this standing on the panultimate stand of DLC releases (sharing it with BL1's General Knoxx's Armory), compared to the most exuberant General Knoxx DLC this is a pretty trifling disappointment. Don't get me wrong, on it's own it still stands well enough to play through, what with the usualness of BL2's comedy, gravity of gameplay and environments, with this one tuning to a more murkier, mysterious wasteland with plenty of high arching cliffs and jagged forestry. The gameplay itself has stepped up a notch not exactly in diversity but more in difficulty, and actually, quite a lot so. The witch doctor is perhaps one of the most frustrating common enemies you'll come across, as they are immune to headshots, have a gargantuan sized health bar, deal massive damage almost instantaneously, not to mention they're spells allow them to regenerate health, cripple you, upgrade fellow savages up to ultimate badass and can't be phaselocked nearly as long as most creeps, worst of all having at least one show up in a midst of a savage group. The savages themselves aren't too hard, more of your typical bandit clones but fitted to look more, as you say "savage" and communicate in what seems like intentional jarbles. The new creatures are perhaps the best deal you can get with unique enemies, with a return of the Drifters (although I don't get why they seem to left only for DLC content, as they ironically did this with General Knoxx as well) as well as a whole new barrel of interesting creeps to fight. Although the dlc title does fit more than half of the quests you'll do (killing big game), most of the game you fight surprisingly are less difficult than most commons you fight, perhaps because of their frequency rather than individual difficulty. Not to mention the witch doctors are defiantly are going to be the most difficult because of both frequency and how to deal to with them individually. One of the main problems with this particular DLC is that this time the DLC isn't mainly focused around a secret vault with a supposedly inexplicable way of opening it, rather, the treasure is just there after dealing with the eccentric Nakayama, who I do congratulate Gearbox for making him intentionally a bad guy, and not that kind of "bad". The narrative pacing is slow, as the main nemesis is literally asking you to be archenemesi's with you anyway, which unfortunately you must comply, and overall the length of playing isn't that long to begin with. There is only 4 location in this entire "continent" of Aegrus, despite that on the actual map the continent doesn't look anymore than the size of Rhode Island! Anyway, there is a strange "offering furnace", scattered around Aegrus where you can spend Eridium for some unknown reward, which hasn't been specified or even known yet. IF i do find out, I could get an opinion on it, but more or less it's just a place to waste unecessary Eridium. I have heard of more seraph gear available in this DLC, but the means to get so is still difficult at best, like the witch doctors. This also got docked a few points mainly for my disappointment of no new level caps (although now I omit this because of adding those to the season pass), and for this being the one DLC Gearbox needed to do right, not only with the pacing, but with the gameplay balance and partially towards humor, they seemed to mill it out for unknown reason. The only real thing that may make you seeking to go back is for another "treasure run", or to attempt to get those seraph items. Still, it serves it's place not to bee too horrible, but pray that the fourth DLC will be their "save the best for last"
I will say that this DLC is really pretty and has some great new enemies and creature design. Just a real shame that it feels a little empty in terms of content. Every area has been lovingly designed and are a joy to explore and marvel. But they lack any real depth. Professor Nakayama is just a fantastic villain as he utterly surprised me with his attitude, trying and failing miserably at being a cliche. Honestly when have you ever seen a villain act the way that he did?! Never, or at least none that I can remember. So, high praise for a highly original character. Overall: An OK DLC that is saved by its visuals (and great leading villain) but failed by its lazy writing and underwhelming overall gameplay.
The worst Borderland's 2 DLC from my point of view. Same mechanics as the main game, weak background, bland story, under exploited artistic direction. It is not completely bad, but it fails to stand on its own as an "exotic" DLC.
Big Game Hunt is a decent add-on but it never really takes any steps to truly set itself apart from the others. It does a great job immersing the player in the jungle environment but it lacks in story and overall content. The main quest can be completed in an hour or two and there's not much motivation to go back considering that Big Game Hunt minors in comparison to past add-ons
SummaryIn Sir Hammerlock’s Big Game Hunt players enter an uncharted territory deep in the swamps of Pandora where a very large Hyperion ship has crashed. The wreckage is believed to have stockpiles of loot. But watch yourself because mutated creatures, and armies of savages also had their interest piqued by the ship. As ferocious and deadly as ...