Sitting down to play the Campaign of Carnage, it’s obvious that Gearbox intends this expansion to be played by its most hardcore players. Torgue’s campaign mixes Borderlands 2’s typical mission structure with the Circles of Slaughter seen in the main game, using horde mode-style battles to punctuate story missions throughout its running time, which is roughly the same as the previous expansion.

Like in Pirate’s Booty, enemies have been replaced by new versions related to the theme -- Marauders become bikers, Goliaths become Enforcers -- but Campaign of Carnage has plenty of new enemies to offer as well. The expansion includes multiple bosses, like Pyro Pete (a surprisingly lassez-faire flamethrowing psychopath), Motor Mama (a “rather buxom lady on a motorcycle with twin sidecars” according to concept designer Scott Kester), and Badassaurus Rex (a “big crazy Torgue-themed robotic dinosaur breathing fire”).

According to Kester, the expansion is built around “the culture of combat,” and it’s not shy about exploring it. Playing the first hour, it’s clear that you’ll be fighting. A lot. The only ones fighting more than you are your various enemies, who are just as likely to hurt each other as they are to attack you. Combat doesn’t become too repetitive, though. Aside from the story missions and arena bouts, you’ll come across an additional Circle of Slaughter in a bar brawl early on, and even when you do revisit the main arena you’ll encounter different combat scenarios each time.

As for that new currency, unique vending machines spread throughout the Campaign of Carnage’s new areas will only accept Torgue Tokens, which you’ll have to scavenge from killed enemies. Each machine features a selection of badass Torgue guns and always offers a legendary weapon in the Item of the Day slot. Campaign of Carnage will also feature some familiar faces, including Tannis, Moxxi and even Tiny Tina, who Kester says has “her own thoughts about sponsorship.” Tina will also offer a new subset of weapons, and based on her affinity for explosions it’s not hard to guess what they’ll do.