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TheOnlyChemo Since: Jul, 2020
08/04/2020 20:31:26 •••

This is why developers/publishers like to play things safe

Now, before I alarm some people over the title of my review, I just want to say right now that I like this game. Actually, no, I LOVE this game. I've played it once on Ultra-Violence with a few subsequent Nightmare runs and had an absolute blast. I'm referring to the reaction some parts of the audience have had towards it, but I'll get to that later.

This game demands so much from you and it's an absolute joy to play. You're switching weapons, prioritizing targets, taking out weak-points, selecting the right enemie(s) to get resources from... Getting through a tough fight in this game is way more satisfying and rewarding than anything DOOM (2016) had to offer, which was already a great game. Don't even get me started on the variety, art direction, and soundtrack.

To sum it up; you are a badass in 2016, while Eternal makes you one.

I'm not saying that the game is perfect (then again, I can't think of one that is). I wish the upgrade system was streamlined, perhaps by removing weapon upgrades, mission/mastery challenges, and making the air-control rune, dash and faster dash recharge, swinging, and weapon switching the default (then again, this is also an issue I have with the previous game). Also, maybe ease players in a bit more, like increasing the default ammo count and not introducing Arachnotrons and Cacos in the first damn level, and perhaps make a single permanent ammo upgrade received midway through the campaign that goes to the current max to compensate. More labyrinthine levels like the Super Gore Nest would also be appreciated. Oh, and make the Crucible like a melee version of the Doom 3 Soul Cube that replaces glory kills. These issues I have are mostly nit-picks, though.

The thing is, while general public reception has been very positive, there's a good amount of people who decry things like platforming (which IMO makes traversing environments more engaging and isn't even that hard), the Marauder (which doesn't break the pace if you know what you're doing), ammo limits (don't spam the SSG), and general "bloat" (like the Blood Punch or Flame Belch, which is ignoring the purpose of those mechanics). It's sad that this game feels this misunderstood.

Also, the story. Like, who cares? DOOM's "narrative" has been B-movie shlock first-and-foremost and aside from one certain brief section, doesn't get in the way that much not that unlike most past entries (and you can skip most of it now unlike DOOM (2016)).

I'm hoping those who didn't complete the game will warm up to it, and for those who did and still didn't like it, it will be Vindicated by History for them. I also hope id Software doesn't dumb-down the next game because some people sucked at this one, can't put the blame on themselves, and didn't understand its nuances.

Enderguy059 Since: May, 2015
07/21/2020 00:00:00

I think the reason why the Crucible doesn\'t operate on Soul Cube rules is that it\'d be fairly open to abuse in some scenarios: major fights and bosses utilise infinitely respawning fodder demons, which players would more than likely abuse in order to farm Crucible charges and ultimately trivialise combat encounters (which is what Doom Eternal has expressly tried to avoid). Outside of that, pretty much 95% in agreeance here.

Intermission
TheOnlyChemo Since: Jul, 2020
07/21/2020 00:00:00

Yeah, it would definitely need to be balanced in such a way that prevents players from overusing it. This is merely a suggestion for future games and I\'m not sure if it\'s something that could be made to work well.

Besides, I feel that the Crucible sometimes trivializes some encounters in this game anyway, since a single charge insta-kills most super-heavies.

Valiona Since: Mar, 2011
07/22/2020 00:00:00

The review spends an unnecessary amount of space complaining about people who don't like the game and condescendingly claiming that they only feel that way because they aren't good at it. As a result, it comes off as more of a rebuttal against the game's critics than an evaluation of the game's strengths and weaknesses.

TheOnlyChemo Since: Jul, 2020
07/22/2020 00:00:00

I\'m using my rebuttals to help explain why I enjoy this game, nor do I think that EVERYONE who dislikes it merely aren\'t skilled. I\'m directing my statements towards those who I feel MISUNDERSTAND it, there\'s a difference.

I would\'ve also probably elaborated further on my thoughts towards the game itself if it weren\'t for the character limit.

Dhiruxide Since: Dec, 2016
07/22/2020 00:00:00

I also agree, as I do feel there's a lot of knee-jerk reactions and dislikes towards this game, but I also understand there's some who don't like some changes to the game. I didn't play it myself but I truly wish I could do one day. I watched some walkthroughs, and yes, the game isn't that hard as what I saw others make it out to be.

ThompsonHaddock9991 Since: Oct, 2016
07/23/2020 00:00:00

Art doesn\'t exist in a vacuum. It\'s okay to acknowledge popular consensus on something in moderation as a part of a review.

Xilinoc Since: Feb, 2015
08/03/2020 00:00:00

Well, it seems like my review of this game on this very site influenced at least part of this one, so I guess I should respond.

Before I get into it, in the spirit of fairness and full disclosure, this and DOOM 2016 are the only entries in the series that I've played (aside from a bit of the original as part of Eternal). I'm also not a god-tier gamer when it comes to FPS entries, though I consider myself fairly decent. If that means my opinion on this doesn't matter to some people (namely the reviewer) because I'm not a true fan, so be it, but I'm gonna give my two cents regardless.

Now, speaking as someone with ONLY that experience and having read over this review a couple times, I stand by my issues with the gameplay and story. The game has an issue with turning perfectly fine and enjoyable bosses like the Doom Hunters and the Marauder into Elite Mooks that make standard combat encounters unnecessarily difficult and frustrating (the only pre-final boss to avoid this is the Gladiator Boss, thank CHRIST) on top of the Zerg Rush that so often ensues with minor enemies that you can't respond to with anything other than fleeing for your life, then turning around to engage from a distance. Compare that to 2016 where it never once felt like you were being outgunned or having cheap enemy spawning/strength levels thrown at you, and I'm left questioning the step back.

Then there's the story. If you and others don't care about it, that's perfectly fine - but to say players like myself SHOULDN'T care about it because "it's B-movie schlock" is facetious. If this were the older games where the plot really was just an excuse to shoot demons until they died, sure, but both this game and 2016 had major effort put in by the story team to craft something NEW and engaging to accompany the gameplay, so it seems only fair to me to hold it to a higher standard in turn...and where 2016 never once falters on that front, Eternal does, primarily with its antagonists. It's not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but it doesn't feel at all balanced or properly paced.

So that's about the size of it. I don't expect this to change the mind of the person going for the He Panned It Now He Sucks approach, but I figured it was worth a shot to reiterate myself.

Meditating under the weight of the log with a thousand backs.
SpectralTime Since: Apr, 2009
08/03/2020 00:00:00

Also, it made a ton of money and got high critical praise; suggesting that the fact that people criticized a few consistent things about it is what\'s wrong with video games, the reason that publishers want to churn out room-temperature oatmeal instead of titles like this just makes you look ridiculously thin-skinned and petulant.

Dhiruxide Since: Dec, 2016
08/03/2020 00:00:00

With due respect Xilinoc, reading your review months back made me go "huh." (that is an understatement btw) I couldn't disagree more if I tried. I'd say more but I'll leave it at that.

Xilinoc Since: Feb, 2015
08/03/2020 00:00:00

If you disagree, Dhiruxide, that\'s completely fine - the purpose of my comment here was to further explain my side, the side being pot-shotted in this review, not to say it\'s the only right opinion on the game.

Meditating under the weight of the log with a thousand backs.
TheOnlyChemo Since: Jul, 2020
08/04/2020 00:00:00

@Spectral Time This doesn\'t stop the developers from taking feedback too far. It\'s also not hard to find DOOM Eternal-related discourse and see someone negative compare to 2016 as if the latter game is perfection and the former is an insult to the franchise for the reasons I brought up. I think my concerns are justified.

@Xilinoc The developers in pre-release interviews compared the game\'s tone to a \"Saturday Morning Cartoon\"; I don\'t think something insanely well-written and engaging was something they were going for. It isn\'t trying to be like the newer Wolfenstein games. At most, the main story is an excuse for set-pieces, with the meat of it being regulated to codex entries (though YMMV whether the lore is interesting). I feel like making the story in this such a big sticking point (and, by extension, almost all of the other DOOM games, 2016 included) is like trying to find deeper meaning in Film/Commando.

As for your gameplay criticisms, all of this could be avoided you take a step back and realize what you did wrong in these sort of battles. This game doesn\'t have Fake Difficulty. It\'s fine if you\'re not very good at it, but blaming the game instead of yourself is completely missing the point. If you want some advice, looking at Zero Master\'s gameplay puts things into perspective.

Dhiruxide Since: Dec, 2016
08/04/2020 00:00:00

TheOnlyChemo you\'re taking this a bit too personally, and I agree more with you than Xilinoc or SpectralTime (but I disagree with both your takes on story), it\'s best to let this go, this comment section doesn\'t need to explode.

Xilinoc Since: Feb, 2015
08/04/2020 00:00:00

Yeahhhhhh, I had a feeling that was the kind of weird personal attack response I was gonna get for defending my stance. Not gonna dignify it with further debate.

Meditating under the weight of the log with a thousand backs.
TheOnlyChemo Since: Jul, 2020
08/04/2020 00:00:00

I sincerely apologize if my rebuttals came off as personal. I\'m just trying to articulate why I don\'t agree with the points you brought up rather than attacking your character.


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