Doom Eternal + Ghostrunner
Pretty cool game, though somewhat short and the writing could use more work. I still don't really understand the story after finishing the game.
The combat is really good. Fluid, the guns are very different and each one feels fun to use. Movement is good, but there is a missed opportunity once again (as in many FPS games like this), where momentum does not accumulate. This means that even if you maintain good fluidity as you navigate the arena's parkour paths, your speed and thus - ability to dodge does not improve and it interferes with the flow.
Some must-have mechanics are hidden behind upgrades, which I disagree with. For example weapon autoreload, increased movement speed and damage after core consume are all essential to fully enjoy the game IMO, as all three are required to close the gameplay loop, but you have to grind upgrades for them. Other upgrades are good - not just small stat boosts, but meaningful enriching upgrades.
Environments are awesome. I really liked the art style. It also does a great job hiding compromises that had to be made to fit the budget.
Enemies are relatively varied and difficulty scales spawn compositions, instead of HP, which is excellent. I played on Hard and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Enemy movement is IMHO, the worse part of the game. While I appreciate that enemies are mobile and don't just sit in one spot waiting to be shot, the AI and pathfinding are really atrocious. Enemies constantly get stuck (somtimes in midair), run into walls, constantly jump up and down the same ledge, and generally their movement feels like brownian movement, rather than anything deliberate and smooth.
Overall I recommend the game. It's a successful blend of modern and retro FPS. If you liked both Doom Eternal and Ghostrunner, you are pretty much guaranteed to like this one.
3 gamers found this review helpful