Doom Eternal Review (2020, PC/XBONE/PS4, FPS/Action, Id Software/Bethesda)

Rip & Tear!

More of the same, kind of? 

Nah, this is an evolution of the franchise in mostly every way possible. Eternal kind of raises the stakes both thematically and mechanically; Earth, in the story proper, is being ravaged by the forces of Hell; new gameplay mechanics, enemy and weapon types, and a huge change in pacing take center stage. You won't miss a thing that Id Software has added to the mix for this round.

Does it all add up, though? Does it blow 2016 out of the water, or merely do its own thing well enough that you can't quite compare the two?

Well, both are kind of true here.

Like its predecessor, when you deal with enemies, the game takes on a sort of presentation that we've seen in the likes of Serious Sam and PainKiller. Exits close off and the hordes of Hell pour in over time, trying to slay your ass. You are often contending with such a varied minutiae of hellspawn at any given time that there`s actually a level of depth to the gameplay: never stop moving (if you can help it), keep shooting, but mind that some monsters are weaker and stronger against certain weapons than others. And each monster has different ways of trying to kill you and keep you moving. It`s just like before (minus the gore nests, which only show up to trigger `special encounters`, new to this title), only now it`s even more hectic.

One thing you`ll notice, visually, is that enemies look different this time around. Shy of the newcomers, such as the Arachnotron, Marauder, Dread Knight, Pain Elemental and plenty others, the ones who are returning may invoke feelings such as, "I've seen this before, but where was it?" Well, that's because this time around, the imp, zombie soldier, legendary Cacodemon, and even Mancubus (to name a few) have designs that hark back to the classic games of the early nineties. One or two enemies didn't really seem to fit in with this new visual theme, for some reason or another, but overall the developers pulled that off.

You have new means of dispatching demons at your disposal, whereas most of the arsenal from before make a return as well. The super shotgun, for instance, comes pre-packaged with a meathook, which allows you to rappel right toward your foes by anchoring the hook into their flesh. Neat. The chainsaw as well plays a more prominent role, too. You have a grenade launcher, with two grenade types, instead of having to use your hand as before; the reliable fragmentation grenade for the simple task of slaughter, and the ice grenade for slowing and freezing enemies. You can upgrade these two in the Praetor Suit upgrade menu, which also returns.

Some weapons have their methods of attack slightly changed, or in a few cases, their alternative modes changed entirely. The assault rifle, for instance, has a slower semi-automatic mode that deals greater damage at the expense of using more ammo; the super shotgun eschews the mastery that allowed for firing two barrels before reloading; the chaingun is an energy weapon that replaces the mode that keeps the firing mechanism winding in favor of an energy shield, and more. As mentioned before, you don't throw grenades, but rather you fire them with a new attachment to your suit. They are the frag grenade, the ice grenade, and then the "flame belch." The latter of these attacks is crucial to keeping armor drops coming during the heat of battle. 

The gauss cannon has been replaced by the ballista, which is a magic-based weapon (that uses cells, for some reason). You now have a blade attachment on your left arm which is used during some of the glory kills, but never has an active presence in real-time combat. The chaingun, like before (but more crucial than before given how little ammunition you can stock up on) serves to replenish your reserves when used on the forces of evil. The way you slice and dice with this bad boy is always fun to watch.

Glory kills make a return as well, which makes sense given how they helped 2016 achieve such popularity.

The new enemies really liven up the pacing of combat. Arachnotrons, highly mobile unlike in the good old days, like to pelt you with plasma from afar. Gargoyles, more or less flying imps, force you to keep on eye on the sky. Pain elementals like to throw lost souls at you, literally, and "walk" while floating in the air right towards you. Arch-viles, introduced in Doom II, make a triumphant return as one of the toughest foes in the game. A throwback monster in the Tyrant shows up here and there, to remind you that the infamous Cyber-Demon of old is still very much in the minds of the masters of hell. The Dread Knight is basically a cyborg Hell Knight which comes with an area-denial ability. The Baron now has blades of argent energy on their forearms which they use to gut you like an armored swine. The Cacodemon is more aggressive and really wants to take a bite out of you.

Then we get one of the most impressive enemies in the game: the Marauder. He's the foil to the Doomguy, basically. He's smart, highly defensive, very fast on his feet, toys with the player (fires his own shotgun if you're too close, or throws argent energy beams at you if you're too far), can summon evil wolf spirits, and leaves you with few opportunities to actually hurt it. In fact, you can't even nuke him with the BFG 9000. When you have to deal with him, make sure you take care of other demons first, because he's the one who'll give you the most stress of them all.

There are multiple bosses this time around: the cybernetic Doom Hunter, which has a shield and (at first) flies on a robotic platform; the first time you meet a marauder; the Gladiator, which resembles an even bigger "hell noble" demon that uses a shield offensively; the Icon of Sin, and then its master, Khan Makyr. Pretty impressive, compared to the previous game anyway. 

Rather than present the game in an entirely linear fashion, you now kind of "hop" between levels using portals in your newly-introduced hub area, lovingly called the "Fortress of Doom." The hub is impressive, as you can upgrade your suit and abilities here (with the help of various rewards you find in gameplay), gain a couple of important new tools, can play around with enemies in the "prison" area, and even attend to a room that showcase your collectibles and progress. There's even plenty of Easter eggs and nods to not only the older entries in the franchise, but pretty much anything that falls under the Zenimax Media/Bethesda family of games. Yes, you can find a reference or two to games like Fallout and Wolfenstein, to name a few. Talk about welcome fanservice.

Like before, the game encourages exploration between your bouts of slaughter. You also have new means of getting around: Doomguy can cling to climbable walls, and you can gain the ability to dash up to two times whether on foot or in the air. The meathook, as mentioned before, can also help you get around, too. Doomguy can smash in walls that have cracks in them. Much of this is meant to facilitate rummaging through the levels to find various secrets and collectibles. One new kind of artifact, if you collect 6 of them, can allow you to wield the "Unmakyr", which is basically Doom 64's "Unmaker" once again. Oh and there are now secret encounters, which if finished before the clock runs out, award you with weapon points. 

The story is a bit more serious, and goes kind of like this: Doomguy, at some point after the previous game, took over the Fortress of Doom and uses it to get to Earth, as the latter is being ravaged by Hell. Humanity is on the brink, only barely surviving thanks to a resistance movement, and Doomguy is the anti-hero that the (non-brainwashed) humans are leaning on to save the world. In order to stop this invasion for good, he has to find and kill three Hell Priests. However, as he moves from one to another, he gets stifled by a much more powerful entity that has basically orchestrated humanity's downfall. The motivation for this big bad wanting to kill humanity is cliche and uninteresting, but we still get to enjoy watching as the Doomguy shows everyone and everything that he's sick of all of this bullshit. You can almost feel his glare through his visor. Did I mention that we can see his eyes through his visor? Also, as the game nears completion, we get to see flashbacks that show that not only is this Doomguy the same one we loved from the classic games, but how he became the veritable force of nature that he's been since 2016. Let's just say that if you've read the infamous Doom Comic, then you'll notice the obvious call-out to that same devilishly hilarious piece of limited print.

It's not all rosy, though. Your mileage may vary on this, but at times, the game becomes borderline unfair. You get less ammo, even with upgrades, and often find yourself scrambling to murder a demon that is chasing your armored ass before he murders you. While you have several different ways of replenishing your health, armor, and ammunition (arguably most important), you're sometimes so overwhelmed by the proceedings that you might just forget to use these tools on hand to keep the fight going in your favor. Also, there were a few areas in the game (not including Slayer Gates, which can throw enemies often above your level right at you) that were downright aggravating to get through. An annoying new addition to the game, which thankfully only happens a few times, is this thing (or enemy, such as the Arch-vile) that provides buffs to enemies. Said buff makes enemies ridiculously fast, which can outpace YOU in the worst of times. Also, they keep coming and coming until you destroy the source of their buff. The worst thing about these sequences is the matter of finding those sources, which, in the case of the Arch-vile, can be a huge hassle to do while you're avoiding the bloodthirsty demons zipping your way.

It also gets a bit tedious at times. You feel like you're doing the same thing over and over, and it doesn't really mix things up much. We played this in 2016, and aside from the new additions to the formula, we're doing the same thing again. Only, this time for a good 15 or so hours. That's not a terrible thing, but depending on how you take the experience, you may grow weary of it or appreciate it. I kind of found myself slightly leaning toward the former, unfortunately. Especially in areas where I constantly get killed. A slight reprieve from getting killed over and over is that you can sometimes find (and eventually hoard) "extra lives", which simply revive you immediately when you'd otherwise die. If you don't have these, though, you have to reload the game. And while reloading the game doesn't take a painful amount of time, it's still time wasted, which can take you out of the frantic mood of the game, especially if it happens too often.

But at least it's more Doom. That, to me, is a welcome thing. Overall, this is a great purchase and we've all been promised additional single-player content in the coming months, unlike last time. I haven't tried the multiplayer mode, which has been flipped on its head this time around, but it seems to be a mixed-bag anyway. There's a lot of unlockable rewards that allow you to customize the Doomguy, the way monsters and weapons appear, and even trivial crap like character poses and introduction music. With new challenges and tasks to complete as time goes on, rewarding new skins and the like, the game will remain active for a while to come. Good on Bethesda and Id to listen to the fans this time around, and give us a more rewarding experience.

B+

The Good:

+ Same great gameplay

+ Lots of new enemies to eviscerate

+ As you pick your enemies apart, their skin and hide gets sloughed off. You'll even see the bones of your prey.

+ Great placement of secrets

+ Very rewarding to find upgrade points and the like

+ Funny and reverent Easter eggs to find, including the Dope Fish!

+ Looks fantastic, and runs smoothly as before, too.

+ Enjoyable soundtrack, with many more throwbacks to the old games than 2016 had. Even the main menu music is recognizable to fans of the series

 + The Doomguy is cooler than ever, and will go down as one of the most badass player characters in gaming

+ More single-player content is forthcoming, as of this writing

+ Customizable, thanks to revolving gameplay challenges and the rewards they grant

The Bad:

- Sometimes feels tedious

- Some areas are borderline unfair, even if you've been upgrading your weapons and character

- A few monster designs don't look as stunning or monstrous as they did before, taking away the 'wow' factor they presented in 2016

- The story is just an excuse to drive the game along, more or less. That's fine, though

- You often find yourself devoid of ammo, before you even realize it. It can be replenished fairly easily most of the time, but you're often too distracted by constant combat to notice before it is too late

- Rather lackluster multiplayer. While you do get to attack the Doomguy as a demon, this is basically the formula you always use: attack the Doomguy as a mook. 

- Platforming, while nothing like a dedicated 2D platformer in terms of difficulty, seems a bit tacked-on, to serve as an excuse to add extra mobility functions. 

God of War (2018, Action/Adventure, Santa Monica Studio/Sony)

The saga enters a new era, coming out on top in the process.

With all of the praise it has received since its release, one may likely think, or at least find that this game may be overrated. Well, it isn't. If you think so then you're simply wrong: this game is as good as most people say it is. 

And why is that?

It's because it refreshes the franchise. Instead of being the seventh installment that recycles the formula started with the very original (nothing wrong with doing it for three main games, if only to improve it with each release), it gives us a new perspective and change of pace. You're closer to Kratos now, playing from an over-the-shoulder, third-person perspective. You're never moved far way from him, even when a massive battle commences. Likewise, cutscenes, all rendered in-game, are closer to the action than they ever were. This is a more intimate entry to the franchise.

The story is also vastly superior.

To summarize the story, here it goes: Kratos has, long since the 3rd entry, exiled himself to a faraway land—the Norwegian wilds. Or, in other words, Midgard. Some time after arriving, he settles down, swearing to never go back to his old, raving lunatic ways. He also meets an enigmatic woman named Faye, and ends up falling in love. They even have a child. That child is named Atreus, in honour of a fellow Spartan who helped keep the others grounded in humanity.

Unfortunately, Faye passes away.

At the start of the game, we see Kratos cutting down a specific type of tree, all marked with yellow handprints. These were handpicked, literally, by Faye, indicating that she knew full-well of her demise. Her passing rocks both Kratos and their son, Atreus, forcing them to look inside themselves and most of all, to forge a bond together. For they are each all that they have left.

In short, this is a game about a father with a sordid past who tries to shape his son into a man—a better man than he ever was. But Atreus is genetically predisposed to the traits that, much to Kratos' horror, defined what he once was, and now hopes to let go of. He has to mentor his son, protect him, teach him humility and boundaries, and especially for him, not to be so afraid of his son. Kratos sees, in some ways anyway, his younger, much more violent and reckless self in Atreus, and throughout the game this terrifies him. 

Faye wanted her ashes to be released atop the highest peak in all the realms. So, knowing that the journey would be harsh and challenging, they set off to fulfill her last wish. Along the way they run into all sorts of oddball characters, borderline-insane antagonists, and a sinister force unseen yet at the center of it all. And all they want is to grant Faye her request.

What you're going to notice right off the heap is that this game is fucking gorgeous. Santa Monica Studio overdid themselves giving us a mesmerizing presentation. You have to wonder just how much work that your PS4 console is putting in to give you this experience. To give you a single hint as to how detailed and photorealistic this game is, you can see the tiniest, most lifelike details on Kratos' face: wrinkles, contours of the face, scars, ruggedness of the skin—it's all there for you to see at any time. The attention to detail not just in Kratos, but pretty much everything else you see AND interact with, that will take your breath away. 

The gameplay is not too far removed from the titles of yesteryear, but it is more deliberately paced and, owing to the closer third-person perspective, has more impact. Fighting enemies has weight and power, and as you earn experience and use that to unlock more fighting moves with the various weapons and your collapsible shield, it only gets more intense as the game goes on. And there's a well-designed gear system at play here: you unlock sets of apparel (chest, arms, waist, and various trinkets) that all grant different bonus traits. These sets can help you hone your play style. And though there clearly are tiers that rank in power, there are still caveats to all of them: do you favor having more hitpoints over defense? Do you want a set to grant bonuses to runic attacks, at the behest of cooldowns which may end up being longer? There are many combinations to consider, and some sets grant truly unique bonus abilities that you just have to discover for yourself.

Now, while you're still as much a god as you were before, if not out of practice a little, in the game proper you're often tested by even the most common enemies. They come in ranks, and with each rank comes greater risks. This keeps you on your toes, even if when you really think about it, Kratos would be laughing at all the nasties that come before him if it weren't for gameplay and story segregation. But that would make for a boring game, wouldn't it? 

There's a strong sense of progression with all of the things you encounter. Enemies and bosses get stronger and more dangerous as you move closer to your end goal. And a very notable foe may keep you glued to your seat as to just how relentless he is for our protagonists throughout the game. 

Oh, did I mention that you have Atreus at your side? 

Yes, Atreus is a supporting character. No, he's not a liability; Atreus was carefully designed to provide aid to Kratos AND look after himself remarkably well. First and foremost, though, is that Atreus is hardly ever at risk of getting hurt, or even killed for that matter. In fact, I'd say that outside of boss battles, he's always at the ready, only affected by the chaotic, ever-changing conditions of the battles you engage in. You can lock onto enemies and order him to fire arrows, of which there are three kinds (two of them take over when you unlock them), in order to stun enemies. Or they can help wittle their health down, too. Of course, there is a slight limitation here: Atreus can't simply spam arrows into your enemies, as there's a cooldown to each attack. That aspect can be upgraded with Atreus-specific gear that you can also unlock.

There are plenty of puzzles and sequences that often require working with Kratos' son in order to solve them. Is there an object that has to be hit with a lightning arrow from Atreus in order to open a door? Does Atreus, who understands the Nordic/Runic language the pair often sees on their journey, have to read aloud an incantation in order to unseat an obstacle? Such occurrences, and more, come into play many times, and they never get old. A lot of imagination went into the puzzles and other obstacles to overcome, and they only get more interesting as the game progresses. Of course, some of these puzzles only require Kratos to solve them.

The world is large, fairly open, but always focused. You can explore a little, for the sake of finding unlockables and new items, and also for gaining resources needed to improve the gear you find. There are various challenges and side-missions to complete, and in my experience, they are all satisfying undertakings. You might even gain some further insight to the lore that is on offer in this fantastic title when you explore as much as you can. The rewards are aplenty, so there's no excuse to not engage in this activity.

It's also a somewhat lengthy experience overall. We're not talking the length of an RPG, but you're going to get your money's worth. And that's NOT including the side-missions. The game is paced well, with set-pieces aplenty but spaced out nicely, making for a well-rounded experience. It's all very cinematic, without taking you too far from the action. Button prompts do return from previous titles, but they're not egregious. If anything, these only complement the action that unfolds. For example, a character named Baldur loves to harass our heroes from time to time, and he always brings with him a harrowing encounter. One such encounter involves Kratos trying to rescue Atreus from Baldur's clutches as they soar through the frigid skies on a dragon, and because Baldur can match Kratos' might blow-for-blow, he'll sometimes be forced to pin the madman down and wail on him in order to buy more time to save his son.

There are a handful of unique, and highly challenging boss fights that are seemingly optional: the Valkyries. While they all look rather similar in appearance, with even their battle areas sharing a common theme, they nonetheless are separate from one another. As in, they scale in difficulty and ability. One after another, each fallen Valkyrie pales in comparison to the next one up the ladder. You might not fight them in the proper sequence at all times, but when you do, you feel the burn getting hotter and hotter as you step up. And then you fight the final Valkyrie, and you're constantly on your toes. Your heart rate skyrockets as you duel against the deadliest enemy in the entire game. And when you finally manage to defeat her, you feel immensely rewarded, like David toppling Goliath. It should be noted that fighting the Valkyries grants you some of the game's most valuable, and effective gear and resources as well; very much worth the high degree of difficulty that these battles afford.

Speaking of his son, this is one of the most engrossing father/son storylines you'll ever experience in a videogame, bar-none. Their interactions and development are so well-written that it's believable, and natural. Kratos starts off rather distant and cold, and harsh, even if he's well-meaning. But over time, he is able to fight off his own insecurities and fears for the boy that naturally, he opens up to Atreus and shows more of the humanity that Kratos is in favor of. We also see a lot of development of Atreus as well; he starts off rather timid and cautious, but over time, he gains lots of confidence—perhaps too much at times, as well as straight-up arrogance and less patience for the world around him, and even, in the most heated of times, his own father. And then he has to learn humility, and to keep a level head, for like Kratos of old, he could get lost in his own anger and power and cause unimaginable damage to all around him.

Let's talk audio: the game has a memorable score, carefully made for this game. It also has some of the best voice-acting you'll hear in the franchise. Gone are the days of Kratos constantly barking like a lunatic; this Kratos is humbled, if not extremely weary, and has a deep, booming voice. In battle, he still roars with fury and determination as he ever did, if only because he just wants himself and his son to get to their destination with as little conflict as possible. There's a lot of funny banter as well with the merchants you meet in the game, especially the dwarf Brok, whose foul-mouth is as sharp as his wit. His brother Sindri is more reserved and timid. A third, very important character named Mimir joins our heroes, albeit unwittingly somewhat, and while his accent is noticeably unlike that befitting the region the game takes place in, he's always a treat to listen to as he is a story-teller type. 

Baldur, the primary threat our heroes face, is one of the best villains I've fought in a video game in quite some time. He's a menace, yes, but there's a reason for his madness. Each battle, and sequence involving him makes for a thrilling time. You'll even learn of his vulnerabilities as a character, for in spite of his invincibility, it comes with a price that has weighed on him over a very long time. Other characters, though not as frequent, nonetheless always contributes to the high quality presentation of the game's story.

And then eventually, with all the hardships our heroes face, and all that they learn about themselves and one another, they come to the destination that Faye had determined. This is when they learn that not everything is what they thought they were: Faye was a frost giant, and Atreus, already known to be half mortal and half god, turns out to be part Giant as well. And Faye may have known more than they realize about their journey. Finally, as Kratos himself learns, Atreus seems destined for something that will change their lives completely down the road.

And then it comes to a satisfying, if not somewhat emotional, end.

Great work, guys. I'm looking forward to the next inevitable installment. Thor, here we come!

A+

The Good:

+ It's a fresh new, if not still familiar, take on the franchise. Sorely needed.

 + The graphics are truly a sight to behold. The scenery porn alone is worth the price of admission

+ Gameplay is always satisfying, from fighting common and less-common enemies, to battling the bosses, and then the harrowing encounters with the Valkyries. 

+ Cutscenes, rendered in-engine, never bore us, always push the story forward, and are often thrilling or emotionally moving.

+ Kratos is much more sympathetic, and being humbled, never grates on the nerves. 

+ Atreus is the additional primary character that the story needs and deserves. He adds so much depth to the franchise alone.

+ While not a true open world per se, the world is still built in a way that allows you to explore for more experiences. And you never feel like the world is too small, either. It feels just right.

+ Everything you hear is perfect for the presentation.
+ The Valkyries serve as a test of all that you learn through the game. If you're up for the challenge, then you're in for quite a ride, even with the lowest-ranking Valkyrie.

+ The new setting opens up many new possibilities

+ We're going to fight Thor and Odin

The Bad:  

- Going through the game, you may be likely to find that it meanders a bit. Sometimes you want the next big set piece of occur.

- Nifilheim, while a really neat area, contains a side-mission that may come off as tedious to some. There are rewards for this activity, however.

- The game ends (no fault of its own this one, because all stories have to end at some time)
- Some bosses seem a bit recycled.
- The Valkyries, progressively so as you fight harder and harder ones, might frustrate you a bit.

  

Doom IV/2016 (PC, PS4, Xbox One, 2016, id Software/Bethesda)

Doom is back.

Then again, it has always been here. From 1993 onward Doom has shaped and re-shaped the First Person Shooter genre with each release. Yeah, even the re-hashes of the "classic" era. The very first title gave us the gift of shareware distribution, a new way to play with others, and truly visceral & in-your-face gameplay. Doom 2 didn't introduce much but gave us a more honed experience with tougher (new) monsters, the infamous double-barreled shotgun, and far more effective level design. Final Doom made the series start to look stale and the ever-increasing difficulty didn't help matters. And Doom 64, love it or hate it, was the epitome of how atmospheric and creepy the franchise can be. 

Doom 3 took the series in another direction almost entirely. Or at least it was initially supposed to, much to my disappointment. If you're going to do something new then go with it, but if you're going to play it safe with old mechanics, don't do it worse than with previous installments. While it was graphically outstanding for its time (in spite of the decidedly saran-wrapped look of everything and the low polygon counts that were never addressed with the advent of improving gaming hardware) the game seemed to lack an identity of its own gameplay-wise. It didn't help that because of the loss of John Romero, the genius behind the superb level design of the classic games, Doom 3 had decidedly underwhelming (albeit more grounded in reality) aesthetics in mind. And most of the game was set in tight corridors. It could challenge you, sure, but the old games were far better in this regard. And more fun. Oh and don't get me started on the flashlight mechanic. Many people loved that but I found it to be an example of laziness on part of the team. I mean, the game is set in the 2100's after all...

Now, 12 years of waiting has given us a game that had many of us worried, but delivered far more than we had thought. Initially envisioned as a sequel to Doom 3, set on Earth (!) no less, that was scrapped due to being dubbed a "Call of Duty" clone, with too many set-pieces and lack of thrilling gameplay. Plus being on Earth should afford you much more breathing room, right? Well, a newer iteration of id Software seemed to remember what made this series fucking badass, and gave us this game. While the entire suite isn't perfect *cough* derivative multiplayer *cough*, the one aspect of the game that really matters is what makes this title better than the franchise has been in practically two decades. Yeah, better than Doom 3. 

Immediately you realize that this title was made for the sole purpose of giving you a total joyride, blowing demons apart as you would. Our marine, or whatever he is now (he's the Doom Slayer now, but still Doomguy nonetheless), outright smashes a possessed guy's head as it attacks him after he wakes up in shackles. You proceed to do the same to all of his immediate buddies. We get treated to a view of who is definitely the game's antagonist, and stumble upon a newly realized suit of marine armor. He puts it on, hears some decidedly robotic voice plead for his co-operation, and hearing about how the UAC fucked up again he smashes a screen. You better get used to him smashing important things throughout the game, because it seems like Doomguy has now had enough of everyone's bullshit. After all, if this is the same Doomguy as of yesteryear then how can you blame him for having to destroy Hell numerous times by now? Thanks to the UAC, of course.

Anyway, it immediately dawns on you that this is, no kidding, a fast-paced shooter. Not only do you move fast but your enemies, at least demonic ones, do as well. And if they're not lobbing fireballs at you while keeping a modest distance from you, they're closing in to get a swipe at you. Get used to that, too. It gets harder and harder from here. You are not going to be playing this like Call of Duty at all, so if you're used to sitting behind cover, then you're going to be out of your comfort zone entirely.

It's been said that this game follows a very similar formula to that of Painkiller, another FPS title that I enjoy playing that, too, has been compared to the likes of Doom. Painkiller gave us sequential progression, wherein you get sealed up in a room and have to clear out the bad guy quota to proceed. It's not as obvious in Doom 2016, but you will notice it if you play enough, or even care to realize it. Not that this detracts from the experience because the game is a fucking blast to play.

One aspect that I admired about this outing is that it encourages you to play with an open mind. From exploring the levels for all of its secrets & collectibles, to changing up your tactics as the forces of Hell bear down on you with the countless combinations of tactics they are capable of. It opens up replayability and promotes active participation. To stay still is tantamount to throwing in the white towel, but you still know that Hell will just fucking gut you like a pig anyway no matter how they get you. Just like you did to them the entire game. Pay Hell unto Hell, they say? Pay Hell unto Doom Marine, too. You're sick of the UAC and of Hell, and Hell is sick of you.

It has awesome pacing; the story is kind of nonsensical but funny & interesting in spite of that; you can acquire various upgrades for your weapons, suit, and runes that grant you additional functionalities like increased pickup range and others. Enemy designs are as good as ever, often paying homage to the classics and to Doom 3. And rather than lumber at you, many of them haul ass in your general direction to get as much of a furious, hate-filled punch or swipe in as possible. Weapons have "oomph!" again and when you think the game isn't cleverly mixing things up enough, their various upgrades present more possibilities in battle. 

Level design was important to the single-player aspect of Doom 4, because had it been slouched at all, or reduced to the very tedious and restricted corridors of Doom 3, then this game wouldn't be as impressive as it actually is. You're not going in straight lines this time around, and you're not going to be restricted to just backpeddling away from an oncoming threat. Levels tend to be not only very open, but have many twists and turns and, most noticeably, height plays a huge role this time around. Since Doomguy now lifts himself up on ledges and can gain an upgrade in the game to make this process more efficient, you WILL be climbing ledges, crates, cliffsides, and whatever else there is in the environment. There are also secrets strewn about in all of the levels, multiple ones each, and often just outside of your general vision. The game encourages exploration in this way, and it's fantastic.

I can't really say the same about multiplayer. Doom has never, in my opinion, had truly breathtaking multiplayer. The classics definitely brought some big new technology to the table, thus opening up multiplayer options at the time, but they have not since stood the test of time. That distinction actually belongs to the franchise's sister series, Quake. Nonetheless, there's no excuse for what we got here, given all the "this isn't Call of Duty; this is Doom!" hype we were given leading up to its release. While that statement was mostly true, there's one glaring elephant in the room that makes the game resemble COD; load-outs. People did tell Id that they didn't like that functionality, but someone didn't listen and it made it to the final product. So instead of having to grab weapons in the level as you compete against others, you can now start with two weapons of your choice at the expense of getting others as you play. By resorting to this method they've actually created, inadvertently, massive weapon balancing issues. Because of this damn near everyone equipped only certain weapons, making it another missed opportunity. And that game narrator just sounds uninterested. Where's the deep, booming voice we heard in Quake 3 Arena? Unreal: Tournament?

SnapMap is another major feature of the game and while the potential for greatness was there, there were a number of issues at hand. The limitations are those issues. You can only play with up to 4 players in your creations, you can only use pre-made tilesets in your designs, and the maps tend to be rather small because of the limits. Some very creative, sometimes hilarious results have come from the community because of this mode, sure, but unless Id/Bethesda commissions some major overhauls to this mode, it won't have lasting power.

But like many who are enjoying Doom 4, I mostly judge a game by its single-player experience. And in that regard, Doom 4 succeeds admirably. Doom is relevant again, and I'm fucking happy about it. Let's just hope those guys who made the multiplayer suite don't come back in the event that we get a sequel. And can it be set on Earth, this time?

B+

The Good:

+ Fast-paced, brutal combat
+ Enemies are fun to fight again.
+ All of the weapons are useful, and they're all a blast to shoot with.
+ Much better level design than Doom 3. Why? Because it's not a corridor shooter, now!
+ Even zombies pose a threat, unlike in the aforementioned game.
+ Levels are made for you to explore, promoting growth in the process
+ Many upgrades, boosts (runes), and the like open up more gameplay options
+ The Hell levels are worth the time to experience.
+ That fist-bump sequence.
+ That opening sequence. Holy shit!
+ Doomguy doesn't give a shit anymore, and would probably give Duke Nukem a brutal Glory Kill if he ever ran into him. You've been warned, Duke.
+ Generally nice to look at
+ SnapMap is great, in theory.
+ So too, could have been the case for the Multiplayer suite...

The Bad:

 - Texture pop-in issues
-  SnapMap ends up being a disappointment.
- The Multiplayer was an even bigger disappointment.
- Classic levels (these are secrets found in each level) were translated quite strangely in this game. They do bring nostalgia factor, but they don't function the same and it's awkward to play in them.
- It eventually ends.
- It may remind you a bit too much of Brutal Doom, which is a starkly overrated mod for the classic games.