Very good game, especially with its dlc.
-Base game-
Story in Doom games is usually never the main focus, although within the last trilogy it has gotten its pace up and deepened its lore. This game in particular has a heavier focus on story compared to the prior "do x things then kill the big bad guy to stop the demons" with some story elements sparkled here and there (the dlc from doom eternal is where the narrative started to take bigger stakes).
The "stand and fight" gameplay is based around using your shield for parrying (or stunning enemies with the shield saw) and then countering with a melee attack or your weapon. Ranged enemies you usually parry their green projectiles and stun them with the shield saw, while melee type demons you chain parries until they get stunned and then counter. While you don't have the double jump or dash from previous games, you still have a shield charge to compensate (while the game lacks in verticality, you are by no means "slow" as some might say, just lacking omni-movement capabilities). Gun utility is back to being like in 2016 where damage takes priority (guns aren't so much "tools" to counter specific demons from eternal), albeit you still have somewhat limited ammo (higher than eternal but nowhere close to 2016), which is where melee attacks (outside executions/glory kills) comes in handy as it will be your main source to replenish ammo (after a few upgrades from the shield, they will regain charge very quickly on parries, which opens up the loop of "parry-counter"). towards the mid game you should have enough upgrades where you can consistently rely on one gun only (while some guns are better than others, they can all help you from start to finish by themselves).
While most missions still are classic doom levels, there are a couple where they are "open field" type missions (one wide map where you can beat objectives in any order you want, kind of like a arena battle sandbox). Boss fights are also really good, taking a big leap forwards compared to prior games. There are a couple missions where you ride your dragon or your mech, and those are more gimmick missions.
For completionist, I had a lot of fun collecting all the items and levelling up/mastering my guns. Compared to eternal you have a bit of "overspill" with gold and rubies once you 100% the campaign, which lets you upgrade your gear without having to be extremely thorough. However for guns' last upgrade you will need to collect every single wraithstone you can if you want to have all your guns maxed out by the end of the campaign, else you're gonna have to go and replay missions. I found a few UI bugs when replaying missions to 100% as they will sometimes not count secrets you had previously explored, which may make it misleading when trying to 100% (as a rule of thumb, if you have collected every single resource/item, you most likely have done all the secrets).
Soundtrack is also pretty good. We sadly don't have Mick Gordon anymore, and it shows. The music isn't near the levels of 2016 or eternal, but it is quite good (some are kinda generic, others do stand out).
I really liked the game, and while underwhelming at first, the shield (the core aspect of the game) becomes really addictive, and becomes even more fun once you unlock a few upgrades. 9.5/10 (not a lot I could have said aside from a few nitpicks).
-DLC (Revelations)-
This is the definitive DoomTDA experience.
As the name implies, we have a fair few developments in the story, revealing the catalyst for the doomslayer's will to protect the innocent after the guilt of failing to save them (as well as the prelude to the events of DOOM 1), the origins of the eventual fall of the sentinels, and the creation of the praetor suit from 2016.
With the introduction of the spear, we have a massively enhanced system to the omni movement from doom eternal. You can use the spear as the meathook from the super shotgun from eternal, albeit you have more directional control and you can hold onto a demon on a rotatory axis while you shoot it. You have spear charges that allow for special attacks, such as a javelin throw, a stab, and a spear slam, all with unique uses and powerups. You can gain spear charges by using dodges (reintroduced dashes from doom eternal) or a spear slash against hell surge attacks (green attacks), the dodge being very forgiving (and spammable) while the slash needs more precise timing (but offering high stun damage and being able to return surge projectiles). All this in conjunction with the shield charge offers massive mobility, potentially higher than that of eternal (all with the option to stick with the shield's gameplay if you don't like omni movement or the gameplay of the spear).
While much smaller in scale to the base game, the missions feel more curated, and you have a lot of endgame content, encouraging you to replay through them with an extra incentive outside maxing out your gear (old doom levels, challenges, arenas). Once you finish exploring the levels on the endgame, you also get the possibility to fight a challenging boss, and then unlock arena battles.
While still not Mick Gordon levels, I felt the music was far more memorable in the dlc this time around.
The dlc brings back omni movement with the spear and fuses itself with the core gameplay making a beautiful blend, bringing out the best from TDA and Eternal. 10/10 (must do if you own the base game).
