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Not many games can make complete destruction this satisfying.
After spending some time with the slower combat from The Dark Ages, returning to the level of speed and aggression we saw in Eternal felt familiar, almost like meeting an old friend. It did take some time to get used to the buttons and movements, as it's been a while since The Dark Ages has been out, but after it all clicked, I was back to pulverising demons left and right, with ease.
The Revelations DLC brings back a faster style of combat, similar to what we had in DOOM Eternal, with the addition of more movement, more aggression, and more tools to be an unstoppable force. However, it also brings us a more personal story and explores memories, pain, and grief.
Seems like even Slayers have their demons.
Facing the demons within
Revelations takes place after the story of the main game. The Slayer has defeated Prince Azhrak and became almost some sort of beacon of hope for The Sentinels. But at the same time, it put a target on his back.
The powers that are controlling Hell, Heaven, and Argent d'Nur don't share the same sentiment as The Sentinels, and they see him as a threat, and what's worse, as someone they can't control. And if we've seen anything, then it's that The Slayer is the most dangerous when he's not shackled down.
The story begins with The Slayer turning his attention towards The Hell Council, preparing to fight directly with those that are the responsible for all the suffering around him. But as it usually goes, things don't really go as planned.
After facing the council and dying (shocker, I know), The Slayer gets thrown into Hell, where he is about to face eternal punishment.
I believe that a lot of us, myself included, were both confused and shocked when they saw The Slayer being defeated. For a moment I thought my game changed the difficulty somehow, but as the cutscene started playing, I knew it was scripted. It reminded me of Sekiro and the first Genichiro fight, although you can beat Genichiro if you're really good. I didn't really care about this scripted scene, I can understand why they included it though, as The Slayer is (usually) unstoppable.
This moment does show that there is more to the story, as we know that The Slayer is this unstoppable killing machine, and now suddenly he is...Defeated? Mmm, don't like that.
The version of Hell where he ends up is not just a regular battlefield, filled with demons and things to kill. It's actually a reflection of the things The Slayer is usually hiding, memories, fears, guilt, and all the pain that he has endured and hidden away. Instead of just killing his way out, he has to confront these things that shaped him into the warrior that we all know him as.
These trials, called Trials of the Soul, end with playable flashbacks, which show you a bit of The Slayers past, before he became what he is today. It gives some insight into his past, and allows the game to introduce lore naturally instead of just dropping it out of nowhere on the player.
After waking up in Hell, he meets The Architect, an unlikely ally that helps The Slayer understand what needs to be done in order to escape. As someone who usually uses his shotgun to solve things, working with someone else - especially someone from Hell - is a challenge in itself for The Slayer.
Revelations spends a lot of time trying to show us who The Slayer is behind all that armour, as we do get some insight into who he was before he became a legendary killing machine. The DLC shows more about his motivations, trauma, and why his hatred for demons became his primary fuel.
What a lot of us forget is that once upon a time, The Slayer wasn't a force of destruction. While he is extremely powerful and a death sentence to every demon he meets, he is - or was - a man like any other, who went through a lot of suffering, loss and pain.
The DLC tells us more about The Sentinels, The Architect, adds new lore around The Slayer as well as expands the lore we had previously. But it also reminds us that our favourite shotgun enjoyer is someone who is carrying the weight of everything he has lost, and even if he wanted to stop, the problem would be that he doesn't know how.
Destruction with style
If I know anything about DOOM, it's that it's one of the games where standing still is not an option (I tried, as this type of play usually sneaks up on you). Revelations takes that philosophy and pushes it even further. Instead of the heavier, and more deliberate combat style of TDA, the DLC brings back more speed and aggression which a lot of us associate with DOOM Eternal, which I loved, even more than DOOM 2016. And if you need to be fast and aggressive, you can't stand still, you need to move.
However, when you do start the game, it might take some time to get used to it, especially if you haven't played any DOOM games recently, jumping back into rooms filled with demons can definitely feel overwhelming and certainly crowded. And you might spend some time just trying to figure out what each button does. I managed to get stuck at one of the first puzzles, because I couldn't remember what to do in similar situations.
But once the memory returns, Revelations turns into fun carnage, albeit a bit tougher than it's older brother.
The biggest addition to the gameplay is definitely the Chain Spear. As much as I loved the shield (which you do get back later on), I have to admit that the spear is also very fun to use, as it opens new ways for the combat as well as traversal. It is fast, versatile, and fun. Even after I got the shield back, I found myself switching back to the spear and only using the shield to do puzzles and get rid of those pesky demons with shields.
The spear is as complex as the shield, as it comes with its own abilities that can be unlocked, such as a powerful swipe that can repel enemy attacks in a similar way to the shield, or a slam that you can do after it's empowered. It brings a new control to the battlefield, instead of simply reacting to what is happening.
As fun as I found it, I can see how it can be overwhelming, especially in combination with the shield. It has many functions, and with the other things you need to manage in DOOM, it can and probably will feel confusing at times. The thing that annoyed me the most with its movement function was the fact that after you latch on an enemy and pull yourself towards it, it's very hard to aim at said enemy and shoot it, but you have to first fall down and then shoot. Or maybe I'm just bad at the game, that's also a possibility.
Movement and traversal in general feels fantastic in the game, as the DLC brings back the long jump which creates even more opportunities to move through arenas, as well as the option to dodge enemy attacks. It's a combination of Eternal's movement and the destruction and weight of TDA.
The combat loop is exactly what you'd expect from DOOM: find enemies, destroy enemies, collect resources, finish a puzzle if there is one, and move on to look for the next thing to destroy. The environments are filled with chaos, and there is something incredibly satisfying about being surrounded by demons and somehow turning the entire situation into your advantage.
As for the weapons, the shotgun is by far my favourite, as there is nothing as satisfying as hearing that familiar blast and watching a demon disappear in front of you. The only thing that annoyed me a bit was running out of shotgun ammunition at the worst possible moment, although thankfully the game is generous enough that you usually find more soon. If there was a setting for infinite shotgun ammo, I would shamelessly toggle it ON.
The DLC also expands exploration. After completing the main campaign, The Slayer gains the Master Key, allowing him to return to the four main levels and discover new paths, secrets, and challenges. These include difficult boss encounters, timed events, classic levels, and even the return of the beloved 1993 shotgun. You can find collectibles, which include lore entries, toys, and skins.
The difficulty is noticeably higher than the base game, but players still have the option to adjust the challenge if things become too punishing. I feel that even on the normal difficulty you can still sense that the demons hit harder, and yes I play on normal, sue me. Revelations expects you to know what you're doing, and what's important is that it does not feel unfair.
It also introduces new enemy variations. You'll get to fight Arch-Viles, Warlocks, Aggadon Hunters, Revenants, and other demons that you'll get to meet on the battlefield. Depending on the player, some of them will be annoying and others will be fine, but in general my feeling was that if I'm meeting an certain type of enemy frequently, you'll get tired of them.
All of that is part of the DOOM charm. The enemies were never comfortable to fight, and you will rarely get a breather on the battlefield. Everything is designed to push you, force you to adapt, and punish your mistakes.
The result? A fun system that is nasty, fast, and incredibly satisfying. There aren't many things that feel as amazing as being The Slayer.
A soundtrack to slaughter
The one thing that DOOM games always had going for themselves is a killer soundtrack (no pun intended). The music that plays while you destroy everything that moves in front of you always makes you feel incredibly powerful. Whether it's a demon being ripped apart or you're traversing around, the soundtrack that kicks in hypes you up so much.
Speaking of the soundtrack, easily a highlight of the game. It brings the intensity we all know, with heavy and aggressive tracks that make you feel like you're the unstoppable force. The music knows when to ramp up and take over and when to slow down, albeit the slowing down part is much more rare.
Visually, the DLC makes sure that something is always happening around you. Environments are filled with details, explosions in the background, destruction literally everywhere. Even when you're not fighting, it gives a sense that the battlefield is very, very close.
The game also brings back the classic 2016-style HUD, which is a small but appreciated detail. It gives the interface a familiar feeling while fitting naturally into the overall design, and it will surely satisfy the nostalgic ones among us.
Playing on the PS5, performance was mostly excellent. Large fights with dozens of enemies on screen remained smooth, and I did not experience any major, game breaking issues. What I did encounter was a few laggy cutscenes, but they're manageable.
The haptic feedback continues to be used perfectly, every weapon, impact, and movement ability feels distinct, adding another layer to the combat. I personally loved it.
One issue that I did encounter - which I believe they have fixed - was a control problem with the Chain Spear, where the controls weren't mapped properly. You can fix it yourself, just by going into the settings and binding the controls, but it was odd that the controls weren't already mapped.
Overall, Revelations looks, sounds, and feels like a proper DOOM expansion. The presentation matches the violence, the soundtrack matches the chaos, and every part of the game works together to make you feel like the most dangerous thing in the room.
Once a slayer, always a slayer
DOOM The Dark Ages - Revelations understood what makes DOOM games so great, and just added on top of it. It is loud, violent, fast, and doesn't waste one moment of letting the player know how dangerous they are.
It might not be for everyone, some might prefer the slower combat of TDA, some might feel that the Chain Spear is overwhelming, which is all okay, but for those that click with it right away, it will be obvious that not a lot of games can bring this level of satisfaction. Running through arenas, constantly moving, hearing the soundtrack explode while demons surround you, and somehow turning chaos into control is something only DOOM can do.
Revelations brings us more carnage, more destruction, but also gives us a new glimpse into Slayer lore, which is a pretty good reason to go to Hell in my book.
I did go into this DLC with a strange feeling, as I heard about the layoffs at id Software shortly before this release, and it is hard to not think about the future of one of the few first-person shooter franchises that still feels truly unique.
Hopefully, we get to see The Slayer again in the future.
The Good
The Chair Spear is a fun weapon addition- Soundtrack is amazing
- Slayer lore is explored in a meaningful way
- Movement is smooth and enjoyable
- Increased enemy variety
The Bad
Few laggy cutscenes and a weird control mapping bug- Spear and shield combo can be overwhelming for some
- The same enemy variety spawning can lead to annoyance
