Multi Doom: The Dark Ages

[dimmerwit]

...just came out. On Game Pass as well if that's your jazz.

The game was advertised as being slower, or at least not as fast paced. That's not really true though. The Doom Slayer is slower, but it's still a faster game than most and certainly nowhere near a Call of Doomty (or Doom 3 if you prefer to go back that far).

The main change is that you are given a fuck-off shield at the start which you always carry. You block stuff (especially green stuff) and throw it at other stuff (glowing hot shields and armour to break them, big enemies to stun them, environmental barriers to destroy them). You can also shield charge from a fair distance which will get you to the enemy almost instantly and frankly negates any of the slower speed. It's not really defensive, but aggressive. It helps too because the levels are much bigger and contain much bigger combat arenas.

It's...interesting. It's too early for me to judge fully but I'm not sure if it's better, but at the very least I respect the attempt at innovation.

 

[Quagmire]

I have downloaded it but won't play until I finish Expedition 33

 

[Fool's Requiem]

God, I haven't even finished the reboot, and now there's ANOTHER game I have to play?!

 

[dimmerwit]

The reboot is (shudder) 9 years old!

 

[Ben]

I wasn't going to jump on this immediately. I've got Indiana Jones and the Great Circle to play through on PS5 first, and I've no disillusion that my aging PC would run this.

From the minimal gameplay I've seen, it looked like they did more with the locational gibs. It looked like demons were coming apart depending on where/how you hit them, and combat just generally turning into ragdoll times. Didn't really seem to feel visceral, though. Not like good ol' Soldier of Fortune (holy shit I just looked it up and SoF came out in 2000. I feel old.)

My main question is, how's the soundtrack? I honestly only care about playing Doom when I can turn up the bass on my system and blast fuckers to Mick Gordon shredding.

 

[Crazy Jamie]

I'll keep an eye on it. I wanted something a little slower paced. I really, really liked the reboot. But I felt like Eternal went too far and was just far too punishing if you didn't keep moving to the point where I didn't enjoy it. I kind of want to give it another go, but I have too many good games to play and I doubt it gets a look in now.

God, I haven't even finished the reboot, and now there's ANOTHER game I have to play?!

I just listened to a podcast today where they spoke about just how good this year has been for games so far, and last year was far from shoddy. There is a lot to keep up with.

 

[dimmerwit]

I've played a bit more and I'm still not sure about it. Despite the changes it does feel like more of the same and I'm not really getting pulled in.

I'll keep an eye on it. I wanted something a little slower paced. I really, really liked the reboot. But I felt like Eternal went too far and was just far too punishing if you didn't keep moving to the point where I didn't enjoy it. I kind of want to give it another go, but I have too many good games to play and I doubt it gets a look in now.

I just listened to a podcast today where they spoke about just how good this year has been for games so far, and last year was far from shoddy. There is a lot to keep up with.

With the main new thing being able to parry attacks and reflect certain ones, it does make a slower style of play possible. But that's slower, not slow.

People have noticed that the Steam numbers aren't great. Day 1 Game Pass might be responsible for some of that, but I think they've launched at an uncharacteristically busy time targeting a premium price point.

I wasn't going to jump on this immediately. I've got Indiana Jones and the Great Circle to play through on PS5 first, and I've no disillusion that my aging PC would run this.

From the minimal gameplay I've seen, it looked like they did more with the locational gibs. It looked like demons were coming apart depending on where/how you hit them, and combat just generally turning into ragdoll times. Didn't really seem to feel visceral, though. Not like good ol' Soldier of Fortune (holy shit I just looked it up and SoF came out in 2000. I feel old.)

My main question is, how's the soundtrack? I honestly only care about playing Doom when I can turn up the bass on my system and blast fuckers to Mick Gordon shredding.

Warning that this is a RT-only game if you really do have old hardware.

The soundtrack seems appropriately Doom-like, but I'll admit I'm not the biggest expert at this genre.

 

[Ben]

Warning that this is a RT-only game if you really do have old hardware.

The soundtrack seems appropriately Doom-like, but I'll admit I'm not the biggest expert at this genre.

Yeah, I'd heard it was (ironically) hell on PCs.

I'd be getting it on PS5 if anything.

 

[dimmerwit]

Yeah, I'd heard it was (ironically) hell on PCs.

I'd be getting it on PS5 if anything.

It depends. It runs well even on old RT cards, at least desktop and laptop ones (i.e. not Steam Deck!)

RT is really more a simple barrier to entry that didn't exist before but is only going to become more common. If you have an older 10-series card or earlier it probably sucks because you can normally at least run most new games, but this (and some others like Indiana Jones) is a big fat nope.

 

[Ben]

It depends. It runs well even on old RT cards, at least desktop and laptop ones (i.e. not Steam Deck!)

RT is really more a simple barrier to entry that didn't exist before but is only going to become more common. If you have an older 10-series card or earlier it probably sucks because you can normally at least run most new games, but this (and some others like Indiana Jones) is a big fat nope.

I have a GTX 1660 Ti, which I think has software RT but not hardware. I cannot be fucked to either drop the big bucks for a newer card nor go through all the extra bullshit of having to deal with extra cooling. Maybe in the future when the majority of new games aren't running on my system, but for now I can push high settings on most things without noticeable slowdown.

 

[Fool's Requiem]

I really like real time ray tracing and have considered it the true advancement in computer graphics, as opposed to 4K resolutions, but required RT is an odd barrier to impose.

That said, back in the early RT days, I was able to run RTX Quake 2 on dual 1080tis... Sure, I had to heavily reduce the resolution but it worked and was playable. As long as those super low end RTX capable cards NVidia released in response to their 20 series cards being stupid expensive work, it might not be an issue.

 

[dimmerwit]

I have a GTX 1660 Ti, which I think has software RT but not hardware. I cannot be fucked to either drop the big bucks for a newer card nor go through all the extra bullshit of having to deal with extra cooling. Maybe in the future when the majority of new games aren't running on my system, but for now I can push high settings on most things without noticeable slowdown.

Yeah. Technically any GPU can run software RT, it's just without the dedicated hardware acceleration it is far too slow to be practical. I had the similar 1660 Super before my last upgrade and they are both 20-series cards but without the RT (or DLSS).

Your path definitely makes sense if you're happy with using a console for RT-only stuff like Indiana Jones. Just be careful as I think more and more games will go the RT only approach and it's not always advertised as well as it should be.

I would say on the power issue the 4060 and 5060 have pretty similar power draws to your card. I think there will always be a decent option at the ~150W mark for a future upgrade. I'd also say that DLSS and Frame Gen (or FSR4 equivalents on the AMD side) are great features to have as well.

I really like real time ray tracing and have considered it the true advancement in computer graphics, as opposed to 4K resolutions, but required RT is an odd barrier to impose.

It's there because it saves a lot of developer effort. Old lighting techniques are much more time consuming, so since the PS5 and Series consoles can run RT it makes sense to save the effort. Judging by console uptake and the Steam survey on PC there aren't that many people who don't have non-RT cards these days.

 

[dimmerwit]

I'm still plugging through. Overall my thoughts haven't changed - it's a very decent Doom game with some intriguing changes that I respect more than I like, but certainly still one where your opinion of the series as a whole will mostly dictate your opinion of this one. Personally I'm sort of mixed on the new Doom, not really getting into 2016 but enjoying Eternal more.

I do have some more thoughts.

Firstly, I think the technical side is actually really good. Load times are ridiculously short and it's refreshing to play a PC game without stutters and traversal hitches.

Next, the vehicle segments, which exist! It's cool to see parts of a level you saw on foot whilst controlling a massive robot, but these are not really in depth and really don't add a great deal. The dragon in particular is really just a dodge mechanic in disguise.

Finally, I do have to say that watching footage of 2016 and Eternal really drives home how much larger the combat arenas are, but just as consequently how many more enemies there are in them. It can get pretty busy, so better use that shield!

 

[Quagmire]

. Personally I'm sort of mixed on the new Doom, not really getting into 2016 but enjoying Eternal more.

I loved 2016, respected Eternal in that it took a different approach (as does Dark Ages), but didnt love it. Was annoyed at how sparse ammo was and it was more of a puzzle game if you wanted to be efficient. Sure I could kill any enemy with any weapon, but if I wanted to be efficient with my limited ammo, I should do X, Y & Z each time. Also hated the amount of platforming.

Finally, I do have to say that watching footage of 2016 and Eternal really drives home how much larger the combat arenas are, but just as consequently how many more enemies there are in them. It can get pretty busy, so better use that shield!

I have only played for about 30 minutes and I am loving it. It definitely is feeling bigger which is what I love. I guess that is more Serious Sam or Quake, but Im okay with that. I just want to rip and tear and not worry too much about my ammo, but worry about staying alive and killing.

 

[Quagmire]

Played a bit more, having fun, but holy hell way too many different systems and things to keep track of. Just got to the dragon, just let me kill, I dont need to dodge and lock on and all that, just let me kill things

 

[Fool's Requiem]

Based on gameplay I'm watching, the level design seems very Serious Sam where they put you into massive arenas and give you hoards of enemies to deal with.

Noodle did a video on his second channel where he states its his favorite of the 3 because it makes you actually feel like the Doom Slayer.

 

[Quagmire]

Based on gameplay I'm watching, the level design seems very Serious Sam where they put you into massive arenas and give you hoards of enemies to deal with.

Noodle did a video on his second channel where he states its his favorite of the 3 because it makes you actually feel like the Doom Slayer.

Yeah a lot of big combat areas, I do like that, Im finding the setting kind of dull. But still having some fun