I had fun but the game feels more like a battle arena shooter most of the time than a typical FPS. Most enemies are fought in waves in a big area that locks you out so you can't leave until you kill then all. It becomes predictable after the first couple instances, and repetitive after dozens.
I actually came to post the same impression after finally managing to spend some time on the game.
Compared to the old Doom games, this game might have a similar fast pacing, intricate levels and quick gun play, but what it lacks is a more seamless blend of exploration and combat. I feel these are too strictly separated here, with quiet moments of exploring the map after and before battles being interrupted by being ambushed from all sides in easy to spot combat arena's.
I'm not sure if this will start to bother me but it might lead to some tedium and predictability.
As for some other negative things, based on my early impressions:
- I wish the (starter) weapons sounded more meaty, especially the shotgun. They are barely audible on my tv;
- I often get hit without noticing it and only register I'm taking damage after glancing at my lower armor and health counters while being surprised I lost so much again. The game needs a more clear way to communicate this;
- I often get hit without feeling like I could have avoided it, like the enemies fire faster or from further way than I could possibly have avoided or predicted, especially in the more narrow parts of levels and with enemies like the zombie soldiers who fire very sporadically. Maybe I simply need to get better at this;
- While the fast movement feels good, so far I have seen little opportunity to really make use of it for defensive purposes due to the many height differences (and narrow corridors) compared to the old games where you mostly stayed on a flat terrain that made sprinting and strafing easier. This might improve as I get better at the game though;
- While the game looks quite good (on PS4), it also suffers from feeling a bit basic/unpolished(?) in terms of some textures and some of the special effects and such, which isn't helped by the low volume sound effects that make it seem like some things are not really happening;
- I would have liked to see my marine's feet and hear his footsteps so that he felt more like a solid powerhouse and less like a floating gun that glides through the levels. This might have been enough in the old games but for this one I would have appreciated it.
As for positives:
- I like the overall look of the game;
- Same goes for the game's tone;
- Despite sound complaints I do like firing the weapons at enemies, which I guess is vital in this genre;
- The glory kills have not started to bother me yet though I do sometimes feel that the benefit of getting life and being invulnerable during the animation does not weigh up to the disadvantage of losing control of the camera and having to quickly look around afterwards to see where other threats are coming from;
- The enemies seem varied and well designed, and they move in interesting patterns;
- The levels also seem well designed with their hidden paths and such;
- The map and upgrade system also seem cool.
I'll keep at it when I can because I do like most of what I played. That said, some of the things mentioned above as negatives might end up ruining part of my experience in the long run.