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Banging music for banging action

This is the music review of
Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate’s Booty (2012) | Mr. Torgue’s Campaign of Carnage (2012) | Sir Hammerlock’s Big Game Hunt (2013) | Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep (2013) | Headhunter Pack – Digistruct Peak Challenge (2013) | Headhunter Pack – TK Baha’s Bloody Harvest (2013) | Headhunter Pack – The Horrible Hunger of the Ravenous Wattle Gobbler (2013) | Headhunter Pack – How Marcus Saved Mercenary Day (2013) | Headhunter Pack – Mad Moxxi and the Wedding Day Massacre (2014) | Headhunter Pack – Sir Hammerlock vs. the Son of Crawmerax (2014) | Commander Lilith and the Fight for Sanctuary (2019).

This loot shooter is undisputedly a great representative of its genre. The addictive nature of collecting better equipment is brought to perfection here. Especially in co-op, competing for the highest damage figures is great fun. The gunplay is good, the world is wonderfully wacky and the characters in particular make the story quite entertaining. Alongside kingpin Handsome Jacko , explosives specialist Tiny Tina is one of the stand-out characters. She may still be a child, but she has already experienced a lot of shit and explosively declared war on the nasty bandits. Thanks to the great voice acting (at least in the original), the more serious passages also come across well, and I had a lump in my throat every now and then when we learn about her tragic background story.

At the very latest with the DLC Tiny Tina‘s Assault on Dragon Keepwhere you play a round of fantasy-style pen and paper, I was hooked. Keyword DLCs: They are generally okay and add more content to the already quite long main game. In my personal ranking, Assault on Dragon Keep is followed by the first, Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate‘s Booty, then Mr. Torgue‘s Campaign of Carnage and finally Sir Hammerlock‘s Big Game Hunt. There's less story and more collecting tasks and challenges. But anyone who enjoys this kind of content will certainly have fun with it.

The heart of the Borderlands-series is, in my opinion, the shared experience with friends in co-op. For solo players, the mindless farming and the rather simple quest structures can quickly become monotonous. Instead, with a buddy you can provide your own entertainment or set yourself goals. And of course it's much more fun to hold your new, epic weapon under someone's nose and then shoot them to pieces in a duel.

Let's move on to the music. Assassin's Creed composer Jesper Kyd and guitar master Cris Velasco are among those responsible for the soundtrack. It's okay, but hardly anything really stands out here. A bit of techno, a bit of space and the occasional western. As expected, the atmospheric tracks are trivial, too. The action tracks for the firefights, on the other hand, are fun. One example is Dam Top , which brings a bit of hard rock feeling to the uniform droning. In keeping with the DLCs, the music here ranges between jungle, metal and fantasy. Overall, however, the soundtrack of Borderlands is not the real reason why you should play it.

All in all, an experience that is relatively unique in this quality. Repetitive quest structures, a comic style that takes some getting used to and XP farms don't manage to diminish the positive overall impression. So get it, please. And by that I mean Borderlands 2! The first part is good, but has been improved here in the right places, and the Pre-Sequel is just crap!

No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
01	Borderlands 2	Jesper Kyd	3
02	Ice	Jesper Kyd	3
03	Glacial	Jesper Kyd	4
04	Dam Top	Jesper Kyd	5
05	Ash	Jesper Kyd	4
06	Crater Lake	Cris Velasco; Sascha Dikiciyan	4
07	Dam Interior	Cris Velasco; Sascha Dikiciyan	3
08	Vog Chamber	Cris Velasco; Sascha Dikiciyan	4
09	Hyperion	Cris Velasco; Sascha Dikiciyan	4
10	Lynchwood	Cris Velasco; Sascha Dikiciyan	4
11	Lynchwood (Sheriff Combat)	Cris Velasco; Sascha Dikiciyan	4
12	Tundra Express	Cris Velasco; Sascha Dikiciyan	3
13	Sanctuary Ground	Jesper Kyd	3
14	Fyrestone	Jesper Kyd	3
15	Pandora Park	Jesper Kyd	3
16	The Caverns	Jesper Kyd	3
17	The Fridge	Jesper Kyd	3
18	The Interlude (Ambient)	Jesper Kyd	3
19	The Interlude (Combat)	Jesper Kyd	4
20	Warrior Boss	Cris Velasco; Sascha Dikiciyan	4
21	Ascent	Cris Velasco; Sascha Dikiciyan	5
22	Jack Final Boss	Cris Velasco; Sascha Dikiciyan	4
23	Bandit Slaughter	Raison Varner	4
24	Corrosive Caverns (Combat)	Jesper Kyd	3
25	Eridium Blight (Ambience)	Raison Varner	3
26	Fighting Off Wilhelm	Cris Velasco	4
27	Fyrestone Combat	Jesper Kyd	3
28	Natural Selection Annex	Raison Varner	5
29	Sanctuary Can Fly	Jesper Kyd	3
30	Sanctuary Pit	Jesper Kyd	2
31	The Bunker (Ambience)	Cris Velasco	2
32	The Bunker Is Not What It Appears	Cris Velasco; Sascha Dikiciyan	3
33	The Dust Rat Race	Jesper Kyd	3
34	The Highlands (Ambience)	Jesper Kyd	3
35	The Highlands (Combat)	Jesper Kyd	3
36	Thousand Cuts (Ambience)	Cris Velasco	3
37	Thousand Cuts (Combat)	Cris Velasco	4
38	Three Horns Divide (Ambience)	Cris Velasco	2
39	Three Horns Divide (Combat)	Cris Velasco	4
40	Three Horns Valley (Ambience)	Jesper Kyd	3
41	Three Horns Valley (Boom Boom Fight)	Jesper Kyd	4
42	Wildlife Exploitation Bloodwing (Encounter)	Jesper Kyd	4
43	Wildlife Exploitation Preserve (Ambience)	Jesper Kyd	4
44	Windshear Waste (Ambience)	Jesper Kyd	1

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Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate’s Booty

The first DLC is set in a barren desert landscape and focuses on Captain Scarlett, who asks us for help in the search for a lost treasure and is definitely not going to betray us - she says so herself. And of course she has a big butt, because Booty is a double entendre. Hihi.

The desert setting is created by the music in the Ambience-tracks with a relaxed chill atmosphere that oscillates between Bahamas and saloon mood. In the Combat-tracks, on the other hand, the core of the main game score shines through, with a driving rhythm and action feeling. And in the boss fight track Hyperious the Invincible , the distorted beat brings back memories of Command & Conquer . The composers successfully continue the style of the main game, even if there is no real highlight for me.

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No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
1	Wurmwater Ambience	Jesper Kyd; Raison Varner	2
2	Wurmwater Combat	Jesper Kyd; Raison Varner	4
3	Oasis Ambience	Jesper Kyd; Raison Varner	3
4	Oasis Combat	Jesper Kyd; Raison Varner	4
5	Magnys's Lighthouse Combat	Jesper Kyd; Raison Varner	4
6	Magnys's Lighthouse	Jesper Kyd; Raison Varner	3
7	Hyperious the Invincible	Jesper Kyd; Raison Varner	3
8	The Leviathan	Jesper Kyd; Raison Varner	4

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Mr. Torgue’s Campaign of Carnage

Mr. Torgue’s Campaign of Carnage revolves around the eponymous weapons manufacturer Mr. Torgue, his badass attitude and a lot of bang bang - both in the form of gunfights and the usual Borderlands-style. In keeping with his hot-blooded American nature, the music tends towards guitar-focused country rock, which sounds nice but rarely goes beyond this attribute. If you like the style, you can look forward to a few nice riffs and solos, but like the actual DLC, I would argue that you can give it a go, but you don't have to.

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No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
1	Badass Crater of Badassitude (Ambience)	Kevin Riepl	3
2	Badass Crater of Badassitude (Combat)	Kevin Riepl	3
3	Introducing the Arena	Jesper Kyd	3
4	Return to the Arena (Ambience)	Jesper Kyd	3
5	Return to the Arena (Combat)	Jesper Kyd	3
6	The Forge (Ambience)	Kevin Riepl	2
7	The Forge (Combat)	Kevin Riepl	3
8	Fighting Piston	Jesper Kyd	3

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Sir Hammerlock’s Big Game Hunt

The DLC about the big game hunter Sir Hammerlock, which is the weakest in terms of content, is also the least extensive of the story expansions with just two tracks. They are not very spectacular and rely on classic hunting tropes such as didgeridoo and drums mixed with the guitars typical of Borderlands. Highly unspectacular.

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No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
1	Hunter's Grotto (Ambience)	Cris Velasco	2
2	Hunter's Grotto (Combat)	Cris Velasco	4

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Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep

To round off the major content DLCs, Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep is probably one of the best DLCs in video game history. It was in fact so good that it was recently given its own standalone spin-off, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands . In it, too, we play a pen & paper game of the crazy explosives expert Tiny Tina, who revisits the events and ending of the main game Borderlands 2 in her own way. It was wonderfully wacky, but at no point did it seem artificial or forced, instead transporting the shooter gameplay into the fantasy scenario in a fun way. Unfortunately, the music is more of a decorative accessory.

In contrast to the other spin-offs, this expansion features unusual instruments such as strings and wind instruments, especially flutes and trombones, which make a certain fantasy flair à la Overlord come to life. However, there is a lack of defining or stirring motifs here: The Unassuming Happy Docks sounds like the background noise of a pen & paper campaign, The Forest (Ambience) dark and mysterious and Mines of Avarice (Ambience) like lumbering dwarves marching in unison. However, a little more substance, such as the fantastic score for Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, which was also composed by Sascha Dikiciyan and Cris Velasco, wouldn't have hurt. As it is, the music remains a background skirmish that unfortunately sinks into insignificance without the accompanying framework.

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No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
01	The Unassuming Evil Docks	Jesper Kyd; Raison Varner	2
02	The Unassuming Happy Docks	Jesper Kyd; Raison Varner	3
03	Flamerock Refuge	Jesper Kyd; Raison Varner	3
04	The Forest (Ambience)	Jesper Kyd; Raison Varner	3
05	The Forest (Combat)	Jesper Kyd; Raison Varner	3
06	Mines of Avarice (Ambience)	Jesper Kyd; Raison Varner	2
07	Mines of Avarice (Combat)	Jesper Kyd; Raison Varner	3
08	Hatred's Shadow (Ambience)	Jesper Kyd; Raison Varner	2
09	Hatred's Shadow (Combat)	Jesper Kyd; Raison Varner	4
10	Lair of Infinite Agony (Ambience)	Jesper Kyd; Raison Varner	2
11	Lair of Infinite Agony (Combat)	Jesper Kyd; Raison Varner	3
12	Fighting the Sorceror	Jesper Kyd; Raison Varner	3
13	Murderlin's Temple Challenge	Jesper Kyd; Raison Varner	3

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Headhunter Pack – Digistruct Peak Challenge

Now begins a long series of content packs, called the Headhunter Pack, which I can't really remember and therefore can't contribute anything to the content. Raid on Digistruct Peak sounds like an instrumental version of a pop song, which comes with the usual problems of instrumental versions of pop songs. Either you like the actual song so much that you want to hear it in every variation, or the song is fun enough without the lyrics. That's probably a matter of taste here. I like it, even if not on a 5-star level. Still, it's not wrong to give it a listen.

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No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
1	Raid on Digistruct Peak	Raison Varner	4

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Headhunter Pack – TK Baha’s Bloody Harvest

The cover and title already reveal that TK Baha’s Bloody Harvest is about a Halloween event that has something to do with the deceased character TK Baha from the first Borderlands . Don't ask me what exactly, it was nine years ago. Musically, the score is definitely more in the vein of Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep and less the usual Borderlands-action. The synths in The Hallowed Hollow even create a bit of a Bond-atmosphere, while strings and keyboard/organ dominate in Hallowed Hollow Combat . Anyone expecting classic ghostly horror will be disappointed, but instead find a mixture of Don’t Starve and Castlevania. Definitely worth listening to, even if it's not top class.

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No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
1	The Hallowed Hollow	Raison Varner	3
2	Hallowed Hollow Combat	Raison Varner	4
3	Kill the Pumpkin Head	Raison Varner	4

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Headhunter Pack – The Horrible Hunger of the Ravenous Wattle Gobbler

Plot? No idea. But since the DLCs after the big content updates seem to be going in the direction of American holidays, I would assume it's about Thanksgiving and a turkey that swears bloody revenge. At least that's how the music sounds, which is somewhere between Little House on the Prairie and Rocket League . Sounds stupid as a written sentence and doesn't sound any better. Listen for yourself and see if it's for you.

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No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
1	Gluttony Gulch	Cris Velasco	2
2	The Wattle Gobbler	Cris Velasco	4

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Headhunter Pack – How Marcus Saved Mercenary Day

Mercenary Day is presumably the Borderlands-equivalent of Christmas. Consequently, How Marcus Saved Mercenary Day probably revolves around the most wonderful time of the year, even if this is not really picked up on in the accompanying score. Anyone expecting bells, strings or choirs will be disappointed. Instead, it's back to Overlord brute beats, whereby I particularly like The Abominable Mr. Tinder (as I am also called on social dating platforms) with its marching band-like style and synth swing. It's something different and catchy. The score is therefore not for holiday fanatics in search of relaxation, but rather for fans of the main score who fancy a bit of variety.

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No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
1	Gingerton Bottom	Raison Varner	4
2	Gingerton in Danger	Raison Varner	4
3	The Abominable Mr. Tinder	Raison Varner	5
4	Hunger for Violence Extravaganza	Cris Velasco	4

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Headhunter Pack – Mad Moxxi and the Wedding Day Massacre

We're done with Christmas, so the only thing left on the agenda is Valentine's Day. The title already gives away the fact that this is unlikely to go well in the world of Pandora. The music, on the other hand, has a lot going for it. While Rotgut Distillery still tastes like stale ambient fare, Rotgut’s in the Air suddenly introduces a Pirates of the Caribbean-vibe to the arid desert scenario through the use of bagpipes. The Wedding Massacre is classic, high-quality action music again, which we should be used to from the series in this form by now.

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No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
1	Rotgut Distillery	Cris Velasco	2
2	Rotgut's in the Air	Cris Velasco	5
3	The Wedding Massacre	Cris Velasco	4

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Headhunter Pack – Sir Hammerlock vs. the Son of Crawmerax

As in the DLC Sir Hammerlock’s Big Game Hunt it's back to the musical hunting tropes, this time in Wam Bam Island with tribal flair and primitive vocals. And as with Mad Moxxi and the Wedding Day Massacre , the last track The Wam Bam Slamma Jam (say that ten times in a row) is once again the upbeat combination of DLC essence and Borderlands-beats. It works predictably well, even if the signs of wear and tear are now clearly visible.

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No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
1	Wam Bam Island	Big Giant Circles [Jimmy Hinson]	3
2	The Wam Bam Slamma Jam	Big Giant Circles [Jimmy Hinson]	4

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Commander Lilith and the Fight for Sanctuary

And finally, the last DLC, which I can safely say I haven't played. After all, it was only released in 2019, a whole five years after the last content update and seven after the main game, intended to serve as a bridge between Part 2 and Part 3. But since I'm currently playing Borderlands 3 and Sanctuary, the flying city from Borderlands 2, is apparently now a spaceship, I assume that this detail is explained in Commander Lilith and the Fight for Sanctuary , among other things.

So let's finally get to the soundtrack, which with 16 tracks is about as extensive as all the Headhunter Packs combined. Thematically, it picks up where the main game left off. This means that we are treated to a mixture somewhere between guitar playing in a high noon mood and end-time drumming. The basses in the Combat-tracks are once again banging away, this time with a slightly different spin thanks to individual accents such as the use of violins or spacey synths. It's not really exciting, but it shows that the series and composers have developed (somewhat) further.

No.	Title	Artist(s)	Ratings
01	Marcus Story - Sanctuary	Cris Velasco	3
02	Fight for Sanctuary - Outro	Cris Velasco	4
03	The Backburner	Cris Velasco	3
04	Dahl Abandon	Cris Velasco	4
05	Dahl Abandon (Combat)	Cris Velasco	4
06	The Burrows	Cris Velasco	2
07	The Burrows (Combat)	Cris Velasco	4
08	Helios Fallen	Cris Velasco	3
09	Helios Fallen (Combat)	Cris Velasco	4
10	Uranus	Cris Velasco	4
11	Mt Scarab Research Center	Cris Velasco	3
12	Mt Scarab Research Center (Combat)	Cris Velasco	3
13	Cassius	Cris Velasco	4
14	Hector	Cris Velasco	4
15	Haderax the Invincible	Cris Velasco	4
16	End Cinematic	Cris Velasco	3