Doom Eternal - Review

 

Any gamer, no matter their experience or skill level knows the name 'Doom'. Doom creator John Romero's impact on first-person gaming is huge and showed that the genre could be more than just a simple shooter.  I feel the same way about Half-Life creator Gabe Newell who mixed puzzles with great storytelling to create something more. In 2016 id Software released a next-generation version of Doom which was a lot of fun, I didn't play the sequel when it was released but recently saw it available on XBOX Game Pass and thought now is the time to play it.

To me buffalo wings with a beer are one of the most perfect snacks, that is until you accidentally order a family size amount of them and decide to eat forty wings in a sitting. I have no regrets, apart from the rapid and explosive bowel movements that followed the next day. Buffalo Wing sauce is amazing, and while normally I am not a blue cheese fan, as a dip it works perfectly. Playing Doom Eternal I found myself asking was ripping and tearing through those wings enough to keep me sated?

Story 

The original story of Doom was based on Mars where humans do what they do best and open a dimension to hell, oops. Doom 2016 and Doom Eternal has evolved the story significantly beyond that point, explaining not only what drives 'Doom Guy' but also so why he is so important. Doom Eternal focuses on the struggle between good and evil, but as always things are rarely black and white and with the fight now being on Earth the stakes are higher than ever before.

Ancient Gods Part 1 and 2

There are two DLC for the game, one of which was only released in the last couple of weeks called the Ancient Gods Part One and Two. The story follows on from the main storyline and answers many questions not only about the Doom Universe but about Doom Guy himself.  

Overall the main story, and that in the DLC is amazing and features a lot of lore which is available in the form of collectables spread throughout the game. I would love to get a book on it but sadly only seems available in the collector's editions which according to reviews online does not always feature it. Right, back on track, amazing story that made me really want to know more about the Doom Universe and find every collectable.

Visuals

Doom 2016's visuals were quite impressive and a serious upscale from Doom 3, Doom Eternal's visuals are on another level. Everything is improved from the backdrops and level designs to the enemies and weapons, all look more well rounded. A big part of the Doom combat are glory kills which are used not only to acquire health but also look badass. There are different types of glory kills that can be performed on each enemy and they all look awesome, some are extremely visceral, others are explosive and some are just fun like pulling out an enemies eyes and hearing them make a satisfying popping sound. There are the classic Doom enemies but there also some new additions, including more bio-mechanical enemies and high powered beings who look like highly advanced robots. The backdrops are really cool, the ones on Earth in particular as it looks and feels like what Earth would be if invaded by a demon army.

Ancient Gods Part 1 and 2

The visuals and backdrops in the DLC are quite different to the base game. The UAC Atlantica Facility brought you a little closer to the survivors of the world, up to this point they are always at arm's length and like a unicorn seems like they may not exist at all.  There are some really cool new enemies that drastically change the gameplay, you also get some great cut sequences and get to the deepest darkest parts of hell.

Overall the visuals are impressive and are so much sharper and greatly improved over the Doom 2016 release, the DLC step things up and certainly give you a bit more of a connection with humanity. I can't even imagine how good the next game will look. 

Music 

The Doom series has always featured a metal soundtrack that suits the gameplay and style of the game perfectly. It pumps you up and gets your adrenaline flowing and really focuses you. The music is created by Australian composer Mick Gordon, his works include the soundtracks for Prey, Wolfenstein: The New Colossus, SOMA, Mirrors Edge Catalyst, and Dead Space 3 to name but a few.

Ancient Ones Part 1 and 2

The Ancient One's Part One and Two was created by American Composer Andrew Hulshult rather than Mick Gordon due to fallout between himself and id Software. Hultshult has worked on and created the music for, Prodeus, 3D Realms Anthology: The Re-Rockestrated, Amid Evil, and Dusk (which on my list of games to play later this year).

The base game feature over four hours of music and the DLC features well over three hours created a fairly large soundtrack, especially for a first-person shooter. My favourite tracks between the two soundtracks include:

Cultist Base

BFG Divison 2020

Urdak 

The DOOM Hunter 

The Super Gore Nest 

The Only Thing They Fear Is You

Usuper Gore

Doom Eternal

End Of Level

UAC Atlantic Heavy

Blood Swamps Light

Overall the soundtrack is pretty good but is likely to stay with me, that being said when playing the game it is the music you need.

Gameplay

Let's get on with the ripping and the tearing! The gameplay is immense, intense and so much fun! The weapons feel more balanced than before, Doom Eternal has the addition of a new weapon that offers the same and perhaps even more damage than that of the BFG (a weapon that with just one shot can take out every enemy in a room), the Unmakyr. It offers single and chain shots which are great for some of the larger enemies. The Super Shotgun is great and now has a hook on it that can be used to pull you towards enemies. If that was not enough you know have a shoulder attachment that can be used to burn or freeze enemies and really is a game-changer, additionally, enemies that are burned or set frozen will drop armor for you. Similar to Doom 2016 most weapons can be modded and upgraded providing very different types of damage, once fully upgraded can devastate even the largest enemies. 

Killing demons never gets old, but just in case it does you will sometimes get random harder enemies thrown in or even better an intense boss battle. These battles are tough but you quickly need to get used to them as afterwards, they will appear more often in standard battles.

Need a moment for yourself to escape the crazy? Head to your floating Fortress of Doom, a cross between a castle and a futuristic ship. Here there are unlockable items, including weapons mods, Praetorian tokens (used to upgrade your suit), albums, and toys which can be found on each level and look awesome.

The game is not just a shooter and will require you to figure out some minor puzzles to get to other areas of the game, especially the hidden ones, it takes you away from the combat for a short time but is often a welcome distraction.

Hurt Me Plenty is one of the difficulty types (basically normal), but if that is not enough you can play it on much harder modes including Ultra Nightmare. While I am not bad at first-person shooters there were certainly parts of the game that I found challenging. The game has a great way of pushing to use everything you have, to keep moving and never falter, which feels awesome and every victory feels damn good.

Multiplayer allows you to have three characters, Doom Guy versus two enemies, it is challenging for both parties as while Doom Guy is no push over some of the larger enemies have some great abilities and while AI is good the human element really makes things more intense. While I am not a huge multiplayer head it is hard to deny the greatness of Doom Eternal.

Ancient Ones Part 1 and 2

The gameplay in the DLC felt a lot more hardcore even with keeping the difficulty the same. Most of the time the challenge was enjoyable and the new additions of enemies that need to be killed in certain ways were fun. That being said it did feel a little unbalanced at times, I really felt this way with the final boss. The first three health bars, simple, the last two felt like even a minor mistake would really screw you. Not against a challenge, far from it, but occasional unbalanced gameplay was a little frustrating.

Overall the gameplay is awesome and fairly well balanced with the only exception being the DLC which seemed to be a lot tougher than the base game. That being said the challenge was a welcome one and stopped me from becoming compliant. 

Final Thoughts

So, after over forty hours of playing how did I feel? Pumped up and curious to try the hard difficulties. The story is amazing, and collectable lore in each level expands on everything to provide something really well rounded. The visuals are really interesting and have some really great backdrops and when it comes to the DLC id Software did not leave me feeling short-changed. The music is pretty good and certainly creates a great atmosphere in the game and intensifies the gameplay. The gameplay is amazing, it is brutal, fast and unrelenting, there is so no going slow or taking it easy, go hard or go home - in a body bag. Overall Doom Eternal gets a solid 4 out of 5 

Yakuza 0 - Review

I remember playing the original Yakuza on the Playstation back in 2005, while I liked it there were a few things that annoyed me about it.  In fairness though I never completed the game because there was section I kept dying in, I kept trying to run & buy health but always got attacked by a random group of thugs before I could.  That being said I have always meant to go back & try it again.  Yakuza 0 was a great chance for me to start from scratch. 


I like appetisers, they are a great way to get you ready for your main course. Sometimes though the appetisers are almost better than the main course a great example of this for me is Buffalo Wings.  I really love them, my favorite in recent times has been from a restaurant called Soozis, they were just so damn tasty.  Playing Yakuza 0 I found myself asking were the appetisers better than the main course?

The story takes place in 1988, in both Kamurocho & Sotenbori.  Kazuma Kiryu is a small time debt collector for the Yakuza.  Shortly after a simple debt collection the guy you collected from turns up dead & everyone is looking to you as the guilty party.  The police are after you & the Dojima family want to throw you under the bus.  It's clear you are being framed, but by who & for what reason? Lucky enough you have some allies, most notably your main oath brother Akira Nishkiyama, who seems a little innocent for a Yakuza but is as loyal as you can get.


Not so far away you have an ex-yakuza who is not having a great time of things either.  Enter Goro Majima, manager of the high end cabaret club called The Grand.  He is doing all he can to get back to his former status , no matter how close he gets another new road block is put in his way.  This time he is being asked to kill & it is something he may not be able to do but if he doesn't he will be killed.


I enjoyed getting to play as both characters & watching them develop but as a whole I found Majima's story to be far more satisfying.  I even found a lot of his sub stories to be more engaging. This is not to say Kiryu was boring but I think I already knew what to expect from him after playing the original game.


There are some many great side characters in the game including; Bacchus who is bad at paying his debts & his friend Kamoji who is apparently a fisting artist (his words not mine), Nugget who is a brilliant financial manager, Miracle Jackson (aka Jack Michaelson, aka Michael Jackson) a singer, a dancer, a lover but not a fighter, Mr Libido, who is well....ummm, interesting.


The ending is bitter sweet & while it kept me wanting more I did not finish the story feeling unsatisfied (that's what she said).

Visually there are both highs & lows.  The highs would have to be the bright lights, down & dirty feel of the city.  There are fluorescent lights everywhere at night & the streets look dirty, there are people selling all manner of things & some of the outfits have that classic 80's feel.  There was an interesting feature used sporadically throughout the game, when some characters are interacting with each other the look changes to a kind of film Noir style.  The camera pans from one character to another, no lip or body movements just the occasional change in facial expression, I felt it really worked well but would have like to see it used more.


The lows were that some of the character designs almost look unrendered at times during gameplay. It made the characters looks flat & lifeless, considering the look of the rest of the game I wonder was this used to convey how young the two protagonists were or did the studio simply go over budget on of the other parts of the game?


The soundtrack is a varied one & includes many genres; pop, rock, dance & romantic. Take for example Kiryu's battle music, it is has a very rock sound which worked well with his character & fighting styles.  Often when going into a fight I thought the music was saying a lot about the character; he is a tough guy that can take whatever you throw at him.  Then there is Majima, his battle music often had a more dance/trance sound which again worked well with his character & fighting styles. The music spoke to his character, I felt it said; the more violent the better & if things get chaotic or bloody I won't be disappointed.


The composer of this very eclectic mix of music is Hidenori Shoji, who's has worked on; Super Monkey Ball (which is an awesome game on the Playstation 2 that I cannot recommend enough),
Fighting Vipers 2 & The Yakuza Series.   He is also part of a music group called [H.] who are made up of the Sega Sound Team which includes:


Akiko Nasu
Chihiro Aoki
Chiho Kobayashi
Eisei Kudo
Hiroshi Kawaguchi
Junpei Mishima
Keitaro Hanada
Mitsuharu Fukuyama
Susumu Tsukagoshi
Takahiro Kai
Takenobu Mitsuyoshi
Yasuhiro Takagi
Yuki Takatsuto


They have worked on; OutRun 20th Anniversary, After Burner, Fantasy Zone: Ultra Super Big Maxim Great Strong Complete Album, Galaxy Force 2, Thunderblade & others.

Listening to the score again really got me pumped & made me want to start playing the game again. The soundtrack is just over 3 & half hours long & is packed with great pieces, some of my favorites included;


'Substory Theme A'
'Substory Theme B'
'Pandora's Palace'
'Force Addiction'
'Crash Addiction'
'Fatal Conflict'
'Customer Creed'
'One Eyed Slugger'
'Try To Have Some Fun For Me'
'Fever Time'
'Misery Comes on Beat'
'Archnemsis'
'Two Dragons'
'Breeze Time'
'Ignite Your Spirit'
'Friday Night'
'Judgement'
'時間シンデレラ'
'怨魔の契り'

The gameplay, where to begin?  There is simply so much to see & do.  I suppose lets look at the fighting side of things.  Each character has three main fighting styles & one legendary one.  They play very differently from one another & work with whatever playing style suits you best.  Two of my styles were; Kiryu's Rush Style, which offers speed & evasion at the cost of power & Majima's Mad Dog Style, which to me felt like the best of all his styles with a little extra thrown in. My two favorite moves were; Kiryu's recovery flying headbutt & Majima's triple take down finisher using Demon Fire Dagger to stab the third enemy.


Making money is a big part of the game, you use it not only to buy items but also to unlock abilities. Kiryu's money making game is real estate; buy properties, upgrade them, protect them & take out the King of each area.  The money is slow to come in at first but after a while it flows nicely, there are also there a few sub stories attached to it that are quite fun.  Majima's money making game is a helping a failing hostess bar take over the town; find hostesses, upgrade the club, train the girls, get support from the local businesses & keep the customers happy.  I found the hostess bar to be more rewarding from a story point of view but financially Kiryu's I think was more rewarding.


There are so many mini games available, here are just some that are available:


Karaoke - which works alright & can be quite funny
Baseball - I found this to be fun enough but got bored of it quickly
Space Harrier/Outrun - getting to play the original classics was great & also reminded me how tough they were
UFO Catcher - a game I really like playing in real life as well as in the game
Pool/Darts - a lot of fun & many options for both
Bowling - great fun & good mechanics
Fishing - fairly straight forward, quite fun & it's crazy what some people through in the water
Telephone Club - the 1980's version of Tinder which had some hilarious endings


One of the past parts of the gameplay were the sub stories, they actually provided you with stories rather than just being a set of side missions.  There were so many characters I got to like & learn about.  Some of the stories were really funny & many offered real emotions & depth.  I finished more than 80% of both characters sub stories, half the reason I did not go for 100% was because I wanted to leave some for the next time I played it.


The game offered so much & each time I thought I had discovered everything it had to offer something new popped up.  The gameplay was really good & while on occasion I found Kiryu's fighting styles to be a little stiff overall I had very little to complain about.  There is a healthy amount of Japanese comedy which I really enjoyed.  All in all some great gameplay & I look forward to playing it again in the future.





I knew finishing the game that I had been playing it for a while but I never realised I have been playing for 70 hours. To me this is a testament to how good the game was - time flies when you are having fun.  While there were a couple of things that I was not as pushed on gameplay/visually/story wise as a whole the game was really really good.  I am looking for to playing Yakuza Kiwami (remastered version of the original Yakuza with a bit more thrown on top). I would like to give this game a big monkey thumbs up or 4 out 5 (the conversion rate is about the same).