Borderlands 2 - Mr. Torgue's Campaign of Carnage

[PeeKnuckle]

Get ready, Vault Hunters -- Mr. Torgue's Campaign of Carnage, the second downloadable campaign add-on for Borderlands 2, is coming your way next week!

This story-driven expansion challenges players to conquer all that the titular Mr. Torgue has waiting in his newly-constructed Badass Crater of Badassitude, complete with a new storyline, new areas and environments, new bosses, new guns, new character customizations and more. In addition, Mr. Torgue's Campaign of Carnage features appearances from fan-favorite characters like Tiny Tina and Mad Moxxi!

Available for download on PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 beginning next Tuesday, November 20, Mr. Torgue's Campaign of Carnage is the second of four add-on campaigns announced for Borderlands 2 and will be available for $9.99 / 800 Microsoft Points by itself or as part of the Borderlands 2 Season Pass which bundles all four campaign add-ons for $29.99 / 2400 Microsoft Points.

http://www.gearboxso...s/borderlands-2

Read this if you don't mind some spoilers. Thanks, IGN.

http://www.ign.com/a...s-2s-torgue-dlc

I really don't like the path GB is taking. They're shafting the collectors and farmers who played their game long after launch, and long after casuals stopped playing. Now they're punishing ALL the players for sake of balance. Something that IS NOT needed in a loot game.

I used to play this game every single day since its release. I haven't played since just before The Bee nerf. Not because I can't play and need that shield. But because I'm pissed. I'm even extra pissed now, because I dropped money on the season pass, and it only seems like more bad decisions are coming my way. Oh, woo. Another arena DLC and it brings with it a fourth currency. That sounds so exciting to me. It will be mediocre and I'll tell you why I think I know it. A vending machine in the DLC will always have a legendary weapon in the Item of the Day. That's to offset the game's horrendous drop rate. They aren't going to fix the drop rate. They're just going to make it easier for you to farm by using a VENDING MACHINE.

That is not what collectors and farmers enjoy. They enjoy killing things for their legendary items. Since GB made those items mostly drop from bosses, you would need to kill them umpteen times. Even more if you played solo, since the drops scaled to players. That's where the whole Bee controversy stems from. Farmers didn't want to fight a boss for 10 minutes to get crap loot. Instead, they found an efficient way to get around that. Kill the boss with one clip, see the crappy loot, and reset their game to do it all over again. In the Knoxx DLC of the first Borderlands, there was an end game boss called Crawmerax. He was tough, but quickly enough, farmers found a spot on the map to make that fight more efficient. Gearbox left that in. They knew about it, too. However, the only ones fighting Crawmerax long after the DLC had launched, were the farmers and collectors. They were the majority of the players still playing that game years after it released. Because it was fun and there was a reward. There is no reward in Borderlands 2. Once you've beaten the game several times, you do not care about the humor or the story. So, what's left? Legendary weapons.

If you're a solo player, you're boned. Not only will you be missing out on some really cool stuff from the game (Vermi), but now it's even harder for you to play, and fight the bosses. GB increased the HP of several bosses, including Terramorphous. Would have been fine if you owned a Bee shield, but they made that shield no better than a level 35 white generic shield. *You'll be able to withstand damage from the end boss from the storyline. You'll be able to take several in a row without going into fight for your life mode. However! Getting to that end boss, you'll need to pass run of the mill bad guys who can down you in one or two hits.

Did I mention that this end boss can be used to destroy worlds? Did I mention it's a HUGE dragon that lives in molten lava?

You want to balance something, Gearbox? Balance that. It's ridiculous that the end boss can't even stand up to the pleebs who guard him.

Gearbox was my favorite developer. None of this is easy for me to say, or admit. I looked up to Randy Pitchford, too. His enthusiasm was contagious. I believe he could sell a fridge to a penguin. They've lost sight, though. I'm starting to believe all the people who said it was a fluke, and that they stumbled onto making a great game the first time around. The first game was pretty much lawless and you could do basically anything you wanted to. Now, you're being told how to have fun in the game, and spanked for it when you don't. The final result being that casual people will only end up playing the first playthrough, because after that, it's too difficult. You're forced to play co-op if you want to get anywhere. If you're like me, there's no one playing on your friends list to co-op with. So, who were these changes made for? There's no new players, and the ones who used to play, don't. The incentive is gone. So is the thrill.

For me, this is Diablo 3 all over again. Loved the game when it first came out, but then they started to balance and nerf the game. Another game I used to play each and every day. Now both sit in my library, untouched.

If there are any doubts, consider this -- Before launch of Borderlands 2, Gearbox was watching Diablo 3's auction-house "with great interest". They also added in MMO style lock-out bosses to the first DLC. Several days ago, the game received its first nerf. Are there any developers who only nerfed their game one time? I don't know the answer, but if there are, I'm certain that number would be extremely low.

*In Playthrough 2 or 2.5

[PeeKnuckle]

There's a gameplay video that's out, but I won't post it. Not just because of the spoilers, but because it makes me sad.

[PaNfOoT]

Glad I didn't bother getting the season pass, I play solo so I never even stood a chance against those bosses anyway, and just kinda got bored after getting zero and axton to 50, and getting gaige to around 30.

[vectordream]

It's Mad Moxxi Underdome all over again

I could not agree more with everything said here. Your totally right PK. I LOVED the first game but they really screwed up the loot in Borderlands 2. In the first game I used to get all crazy excited when we found one of those red chests but in this game the chests are totally worthless minus the golden key one. The bosses never dropped anything cool for me. Never finding anything exceptionally cool really takes the fun out of it. I got the best stuff from the damn slot machines!

Once you get past the humor and story elements the drive to keep playing is the loot. I love loot games and feel a bit let down with this one.

I have been playing solo for a bit now because everyone else moved on to other games. I completely lost interest for now. I have really no incentive to push on with the changes you mentioned. I did not get the season pass and so glad I held off.

I guess they got lucky with game #1 and accidentally found a cool combo and it turned into a hit but they completely over thought the second game in my opinion. They had us captivated and really could of capitalized on this. How does this happen!

Once I finished Diablo 2 first play through I lost interest as well.

[PeeKnuckle]

No one on my 360 or Steam friends lists, are playing this game. Not a single one. They will boot it up to input a SHiFT code, but they don't even stick around to open the chest. Just put the code in, and exit.

I don't like Gearbox dictating how I farm. They started it off by having certain bosses having a greater chance at dropping a certain legendary. So, we find a combo that kills those bosses quickly, because you have to kill them umpteen times before they drop it. The Bee sped that process up. Then they introduced raid bosses that dropped crystals. The first foul was knowing you had to collect a shit ton of those crystals if you wanted a mediocre item. The second foul was making those boss fights only once a day. What in the fucking fuck is that all about? Now they expect us to cash in a fourth currency to get weapons from yet another vendor.

This is all game metrics corporate bullshit. It's to artificially drive up the hours played by the fan base, so they can tout off some outstanding numbers. They won't get them, though. Who is playing Borderlands 2 still? A show of hands, please. lol

People are still playing the first Borderlands, because they're rewarded for their time. Stop dictating your fans fun, and let them organically create fantastic metric numbers. Whether they use a Bee shield or not. Doesn't matter and I'll explain why. You can take away all the toys, but a large group of players will always emerge to find a way around it. If you public co-op hopped on Borderlands 2 today, I bet you ran across people doing seemingly impossible shit. And that was the excuse for nerfing the Bee. People were saying public games were no fun, because others would kill everything before they could. THEY STILL CAN. They can jump 50 feet into the air, too.

Ugh. So sad. Genuinely sad. This was my favorite franchise and developer. I used to lay in bed before falling asleep, thinking about Borderlands 2 and when I'd play next.

[vectordream]

I totally feel you! I know how it is when your favorite franchise does not deliver. Raid bosses??? This sounds like they took cues from World of Warcraft LOL. I swear these developers just run for the money instead of trying to make a great game that would make me buy the next installment each time. I will buy DLC and all sorts of stuff if it is done right. I just don't know what is so wrong with letting the players have choice and letting people run with it. Skyrim is a good example. Look at all the mods for that.

Like you said so what if we use Bee Shield. I got bored cause I got no real toys in my hours played. No real rewards. I put in a decent amount as well.

I had a bad feeling when I found out about the golden chest and golden keys. I had some feeling that they were either gonna micro transaction golden keys or something stupid to control the loot.

[PeeKnuckle]

If you played on PC, I'd probably dump all of mine that I have for you. I don't know if I'll be playing this anymore. Blizzard already took a dump on my fun, and now another developer is. Borderlands 2 can sit next to Diablo 3 in my library and keep themselves company.

[Kira Onime]

Gearbox....

wat r u doing......

Gearbox......

STHHHAAAAAPPP

[Dateranoth]

While I don't feel as strongly about it as PK, I am disappointed. It's a complete shame they decided to go the nerf route. I'll finish playing the DLC because I bought the season pass, but I don't think I'll be making that mistake again.

[PeeKnuckle]

So Kotaku and IGN released their reviews today and I have to say -- I'm thoroughly confused.

IGN - This is by no means a bad thing, but considering the structure it sets up, not following through to what seems like the logical conclusion feels just the slightest bit disappointing. SCORE: 9.2 AMAZING

Kotaku - Mr. Torgue's Campaign of Carnage could've used the new vehicle it dangled in front of your nose. It could've used a new game mode. It could definitely have done with better loot, because even the vault's burst of new weapons didn't match up with what I already had in my inventory, a scenario that will likely be similar for many of you who have already dug lots of hours into the game. SCORE: YES (means play the DLC)

They both bag on the DLC in their reviews, but then both tell the reader it's worth getting/playing. I suppose I should consider the source, though.

Torgue also puts in another raid boss. With what Kotaku said about shitty loot, I'm starting to see why Gearbox didn't want us farming fast. After the vanilla game, there's nothing worth getting. That is, unless you like farming crystals and/or tokens. Aww hell to the naw.

[Dateranoth]

These damn reviews are starting to get confusing. All I read now are either one major biased extreme or the other. Then, when its bit we get confusing shit like this.

It's almost like thy want to give their honest opinion, but are afraid to step on toes when it comes to score. Say what they mean in the article, then rate it high so not to piss off the developer.

In this case it's a moot point. I've already been suckered into them all. Which means they've taken all the power away from the start. Remove the one voice we have by getting us to buy early. Won't happen again.

[PeeKnuckle]

In this case it's a moot point. I've already been suckered into them all. Which means they've taken all the power away from the start. Remove the one voice we have by getting us to buy early. Won't happen again.

Completely agree. Never again.

[Kira Onime]

I was exited when the first DLC came out + Gaige... but my interest as simply became 0 ever since.

I might eventually get the missing DLC..... when they are released as a sale package.

[vectordream]

Completely agree. Never again.

This! When the game first came out I almost bought the season pass. Gamestop was pushing it on me but I said no and decided to wait. I have never bought a season pass for a game and never will unless most if not all the DLC is out and proven to be decent.