The story is indeed puzzlingly bad, but I think in terms of gameplay it’s overall better than Doom 2016…once you have all the upgrades. Tearing through the levels with a maxed out Slayer is significantly different and better, every tool in your arsenal serving a distinct purpose, like a breakneck version of Dishonored. Ammo ceases to be an issue when you understand the role of the chainsaw, but unlike in Doom 2016 it is limited enough that you won’t be ignoring entire weapons for basically the entire game (like Doom 2016′s piddly plasma rifle). Having said that, I played the game on PS4, and I wonder if the control differences make it more manageable.

On the subject of the gameyness of Doom Eternal, I think people are forgetting the rapturous reception to Doom 2016′s post-launch arcade mode. The levels have been designed to be much more arcade-like, certainly, and the life system is artificial as hell. Similarly, the bizarre but engaging Battlemode is a direct response to the wholesale rejection of Doom 2016′s bog-standard deathmatch mode. Doom Eternal is the game that id thinks people wanted based on what they said about the last game. I think it makes a bad first impression but mostly delivers on that goal, but it seems a lot of people disagree.

Your idea that Doom 2016 came out so good because they didn’t have time to insert more dramatic exposition is great, even if I still hope that it was just better directed – Doomguy’s disrespect to people telling him plot is a running joke and that 5 minute sentence is forced by a robot CEO magical technology after repeated appeals didn’t work.