I’ve been curious about this for some time now. The Dark Ages has been released for a few weeks, and while newer players seem to enjoy its visuals and eerie atmosphere, I’ve noticed that many veteran DOOM fans are not as enthusiastic. These players have been with the series since the 90s and appear somewhat fatigued by the latest installment. Personally, I enjoyed my time with the game and found the enemy designs to be quite unique. However, I’m interested in understanding what specific factors are leading longtime fans to feel disappointed. Is it that DOOM Eternal set such a high standard? Or are there other gameplay aspects that just don’t resonate with long-time players? I’d appreciate hearing various viewpoints on what might be driving this sentiment within the community.
I think it’s partly because they changed the glory kill system. In Eternal you could chain them together seamlessly but now there’s this weird pause that breaks up the rhythm. Plus the levels feel more linear than what we’re used to. The old games let you explore and find secrets naturally, but Dark Ages kind of pushes you down specific paths.
As a long-time DOOM player since the shareware days, I feel it comes down to pacing. The Dark Ages is slower and more methodical compared to the fast pace of Eternal. I appreciate the medieval vibe and the new weapons, but the overall flow just doesn’t hit the same. We got so used to the adrenaline rush from the past games that this feels like a shift.
Maybe it’s the shield mechanic throwing people off? That defensive playstyle feels weird in a DOOM game where you’re supposed to rip and tear everything.
I get that. The weapon switching feels clunky compared to Eternal’s smooth combat dance.