Doom 4 Review

"He cannot be allowed to leave this place!  He will ruin everything!"

Let's get this out the way...if you were expecting innovative gameplay and sappy romantic in-depth storylines, then you are playing the wrong game.  If you're all about killing demons, and going berserk in chaotic world that wants you died, then you found you're calling.  Well let's say Doom 4 is a demon of its own instead a reboot of a loved video game series.

Revival of the Franchise

The trick to rebooting a great video game series is to rediscover its context. Bringing back specific mechanics or systems is pointless in itself, like applying lipstick and blusher to rotten flesh; instead, designers must treat on the old title in broader terms, looking at what made it special for the era and seeking to replicate those emotions, that sensibility, with today's tools and in today's climate. 

Doom 4 is a catch 22 in many aspects.  It wants to sample all aspects of the boxes associated with a modern story-heavy shooter campaign in the Bioshock vein - holographic echoes of now-butchered people fiddling around with ancient artifacts, upgradeable gear, weapon select wheels and a lore database intent on sapping all enthusiasm for the gorgeous weapons by explaining them to death.  On the other hand, it disappoints from what I expected to see and experience.  The game play is really dated and seems like a Halo 4 on Xbox 360 more than and new-gen game. 

The core components of the 1993 game's appeal are its maps, or rather, dungeons - shifting Stygian warrens of flesh and bulkhead, in which no chamber is without its fair share of false walls, trick floors, mysterious switches, teleport pads and out-of-reach power-ups.

The 2016 version clearly gets this, though it has yet to really surprise me. While compact by current genre standards, the first few campaign maps are agreeably knotty, with all sorts of secrets visible on walkways or dropped invitingly behind malfunctioning doors. 

Innovations

The demons have more spring in their step, too.  Another new addition is the possessed sentry, a former human elite who rocks a handheld energy shield and shotgun - distressing indeed when you're backed into a corner. In general, there's a nice sense of layering to the encounter design, with bog-standard zombies who shamble towards you slowly but steadily while you're preoccupied with more eye-catching threats.

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The game's "Glory Kills" melee execution system has attracted the ire of purists - this lets you polish off a weakened, flashing foe in spectacular style with a single button press, showering you in Stimpacks to boot. It certainly sounds like a banal cosmetic flourish, but actually serves a function similar to Bloodborne's rallying, whereby you'll often need to risk close quarters combat if you want to heal up. There's a similar touch of risk-and-reward to managing ammo reserves - you can masticate opponents with a chainsaw to refill your weapons, which again entails putting yourself in harm's way. Later levels will really force you to dig into these systems, in addition to each weapon's alternate fire and the environment.

Overall

I have not played the multiplayer that much because it's not my thing, but I would say the campaign is worth a playthrough or rental if possible.  Honestly, it's not going to win game of the year, but Doom 4 has it's moment.  I must say with Bethesda reputation for quality and innovation, I was really disappointment with the results of Doom 4.  It's 7 out of 10 for me.  I might change my mind in increase the score if the multiplayer turns out to be good and competitive.