A huge step down from Doom 2016. Still engaging enough to pick up Deluxe Edition at 70% off, but overall the new creative direction and redesign of the mechanics feels cheap and gimmicky. Low budget.

The level design feels like a series of small Unreal Tournament maps strung together by tedious puzzle platforming sections. All of it is completely uninspired compared to Doom 2016 level design, which actually feels grand enough to match the epic setting.

Compared to Doom 2016, the combat loop is VERY forcefully contrived/inorganic:

1) Pick optimal weapon for the enemy type
2) Switch to different optimal weapon for different enemy type
3) When exhausted ammo of optimal weapons for remaining enemy types, chainsaw trash mob for ammo.
4) Repeat steps 1 through 3
5) Periodically glory kill to keep health topped up
6) Periodically belch kill/flaming meat hook kill to keep armor topped up
7) Repeat any of the aforementioned steps depending on what is needed

It takes player agency out of the equation and makes it an extremely repetitive twitch/reflex exercise. Have a favorite weapon? Never use it unless it's the optimal choice for the enemy right in front of you, unless you like to minimize your ratio of kills vs ammo spent, causing your combat performance to rapidly peter out and lead to death.

A huge step down from Doom 2016. Still engaging enough to pick up Deluxe Edition at 70% off, but overall the new creative direction and redesign of the mechanics feels cheap and gimmicky. Low budget. The level design feels like a series of small Unreal Tournament maps strung together by tedious puzzle platforming sections. All of it is completely uninspired compared to Doom 2016 level design, which actually feels grand enough to match the epic setting. Compared to Doom 2016, the combat loop is VERY forcefully contrived/inorganic: 1) Pick optimal weapon for the enemy type 2) Switch to different optimal weapon for different enemy type 3) When exhausted ammo of optimal weapons for remaining enemy types, chainsaw trash mob for ammo. 4) Repeat steps 1 through 3 5) Periodically glory kill to keep health topped up 6) Periodically belch kill/flaming meat hook kill to keep armor topped up 7) Repeat any of the aforementioned steps depending on what is needed It takes player agency out of the equation and makes it an extremely repetitive twitch/reflex exercise. Have a favorite weapon? Never use it unless it's the optimal choice for the enemy right in front of you, unless you like to minimize your ratio of kills vs ammo spent, causing your combat performance to rapidly peter out and lead to death.