I've played about 3 hours so far.
Things I Like
- Engine is very well optimized. Hopefully we'll see id's Tech 6 in more games.
- Performance (related to the above) is amazing, considering the beautiful and detailed graphics especially at maximum settings (which I'm running). The only things I disabled are Motion Blur, Depth of Field, and Film Grain (Film Grain... in DOOM... lol?) for personal preference (I always disliked those effects).
- The " Gritty " render mode (in advanced video options) make the game look even better than default (in my opinion).
- Generally, the environments are good-looking, and level design is alright.
- Exterior environments (and level design) are the best (so far). I've only played about 3 hours, so I've only seen Mars.
- They kept the Red / Yellow / Blue card system in (a bit modernized), that's nice!
- Combat A.I. and the pathing for it in the maps (so far) is surprisingly better than what I expected, especially for the Imps. It's also the case for the the Hell Knights (those fuckers WILL pursue you EVERYWHERE; where you can go, they WILL go too). Now I'm playing on Ultra-Violence, maybe the A.I. is better because of that too.
Things I Don't Like (either a little, or a lot)
- Bodies AND gibs disappear (magically disintegrate / evaporates). WHY? Engine limitation? Someone enlighten me. If they did that to "force" good performance, it's a cheap move; instead give us decals quantity and duration options in the menus, on Low, Medium, High, etc. Part of what made the originals good (to me anyway) was how you'd see the carnage you wrought when you backtracked for any reasons. I KNOW, they were sprites, but we're not in 1993 or the early 2000s. And I do NOT care if that's because it was made for the lowest common denominator hardware in mind first. This is the PC VERSION OF DOOM... DOOM!!!.
- I do NOT like how some rooms (in interior maps) just lock down (entry / exit doors lock) and turn into a horde mode, having to STAY inside that room while you defeat waves of spawning demons until the (invisible) count is met, and then the room unlocks. And it's not like it's doing that just once per 'level'. So far from start of the game to a place called Foundry (which I've yet to finish... playing on Ultra-Violence, place is tough as Hell) I must have had a good dozen or so (if not more) of those horde mode rooms to deal with. WHAT THE HECK were they thinking? I would NOT have found that game mechanic to be annoying if it was a FEW times here and there, spaced by a couple of hours of play... but HOLY hell it's way too often (and that's only after 3 hours in).
You want to send me waves of demons? Bring it on! BUT NOT LIKE THAT. Let me travel the map freely, let me backtrack at all times AND spawn enemies every now and then (or often if you want) as I move around. Do NOT contain me in a "dedicated horde mode" environment until I satisfy someone working at id Software who clearly NEVER played the originals OR somehow thought that because we're in 2016 DOOM's campaign has to play like Mass Effect 3's multiplayer. Now, with this said, I've only played about 3 hours (as mentioned I'm currently in a room called Foundry and it's my first real challenge, it's a good one; I just keep dying) so... MAYBE... just maybe that horde mode bullshit will decrease once we leave facility environments and go in the Hellish levels (I HOPE so, so much).
- Generally, map design is alright. However, interior maps so far feels very condensed. The fact that we're indoor isn't a problem per se. I think that (at least so far) my issue with the facility environments is how it visually barely changes (it DOES, here and there... but not by much). I suppose that's just a personal taste thing. I definitely REALLY like the outdoor maps though (well, Mars surface that is).
- I tried to avoid spoilers (generally) prior to playing it. So I did NOT know (nor expect) to see any forms of weapons or armor upgrades (outside of the armor shards). So now... I'm playing DOOM, with "points" to spend to upgrade my armor? To unlock some more potent map scanner? To take less environmental damage? And I'm upgrading my weapons to reduce reload speed and do other stuff? I don't mind about secondary fire or even tertiary options... but unlocking upgrades and spending points? DOOM... oh my dear DOOM... I think we should have a conversation about a few things you and I.
Early Conclusions
I enjoy it overall. I DO, genuinely, like it better than DOOM 3. However, there's things (as mentioned above, and a few more that I haven't talked about) that make me scratch my head either in disbelief or incomprehension / confusion. As I play I see signs everywhere that I am playing some FPS that desperately tries to be DOOM but fails. But, sometimes, as I shoot demons around (especially in outdoor environments) and strafe to avoid Imps' fire balls shot at me from a distance, combined with a very solid core shooting mechanic I can't help but realize that I AM playing [a new] DOOM. Now, thankfully, I am not stricken by buyer's guilt. I do have my fun. I just hope that I'll get more outdoor environments and that the Hell levels will be the main meal of the campaign (because that facility I'm in right now starts to get on my nerves due to visual and structural / environmental repetition). I'll just stop typing now, get some sleep and play until I finish it, then I might review it properly (maybe with a bit less ranting, who knows).