The age of darkness has descended upon the world of DOOM with id Software’s latest chapter in the decades long first person shooter franchise.

With a focus more on combat than the hectic fast paced slaughter we have seen in prior games, DOOM: The Dark Ages is a slower jaunt through hellish planets.

Storywise this is a prequel to 2016’s DOOM and furthers the story of the rise of the Doom Slayer, being the Kingdom’s last hope.

Still retaining the first person play and gore fest that we know and love in this mech-tech / horror crossover you are eqipped with the Gauntlet for some up and close melee, an array of automatic weapons and a few new editions such as the bone firing Skull Crusher and Shield Saw for blocking and long range.

Take downs of larger enemies, especially the ‘Leaders’ offer the opportunity to enact a brutal finisher and the environments (Planets) you find yourself in are mostly free roam.

Kill a ‘Leader’ and reap their essence for vitality upgrades and more.

There’s pick ups everywhere, but to find the real good stuff you need to look out for hidden spots, and most are not easily discovered. But there are secrets everywhere, but nowhere. From Codex, gold, chests through to DOOM collectables and more to be located.

Gold can also be gained from completing Mission Challenges.

Finding Sentinel shrines enable upgrades of armor and weapons. You need gold, rubies or wraithstones to spend

Life sigils are another hidden goodie. These if needed will ressurect you on the spot, without, you’ll restart at the last checkpoint if you’re taken down.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is a solid play, if you don’t spend the time to look around for hidden treasures it can also be a quick playthrough to with 22 chapters in total.

The game also has unlockable cosmetics include unlockable or secret skins for your character and weapons and there’s a Milestones from the main menu where you can track your play.

At the end of each chapter you are given a summary on your exploits. Something Milestones does not do is allow you to warp back to a Planet you have previously finished, to do this, you need to go to Chapter Select so us completists can revisit an area to find hidden secrets that were missed.

In all DOOM: The Dark Ages gives us the demon filled, blood-lust that we love from the DOOM games, but it paces itself without the chaos and plays out like a satisfying mech, tech, hellish gore fest.

The post Doom: The Dark Ages (PlayStation 5) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Did you catch Bethesda’s game reveals and updates during the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase today?

No worries if not, we have all the details here on STG.

Starfield | Bethesda Game Studios Reveals First In-Game Look at Starfield

Announced at the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase, Starfield will arrive on Xbox Series X|S and PC on November 11, 2022 and will be available day one with Xbox Game Pass.

Starfield is the first new universe in 25 years from Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4.

In this next generation role-playing game set amongst the stars, create any character you want and explore with unparalleled freedom as you embark on an epic journey to answer humanity’s greatest mystery. Fans can join Constellation now and be among the first to receive news and updates on Starfield, including developer interviews and behind-the-scenes looks at the game.

Redfall | Fight Back Against the Vampiric Threat, Summer 2022; Take on Vampires in Co-op and Uncover the Mysteries of Redfall

Redfall is an open-world co-op FPS from Arkane Austin, the award-winning team behind Prey and Dishonored. Continuing Arkane’s legacy of carefully crafted worlds and love of creative game mechanics, Redfall brings the studio’s signature gameplay to the co-operative action and FPS genres.

The quaint island town of Redfall, Mass. is under siege by a legion of vampires who have blocked out the sun and cut the island off from the outside world. Trapped with a handful of survivors against a horde of creatures threatening to bleed the town dry, players will choose from a diverse roster of heroes and group up with others to create the perfect team of vampire slayers.

Redfall blends single- and multiplayer options seamlessly, allowing the player to venture into the darkness alone or to squad-up with up to three friends for four-player co-op. Teammates can try different hero loadouts and combine their strengths to overcome the vampire legion and their brood of maniacal followers.

Fallout 76 | Steel Reign Update Arrives for Free. Expeditions: The Pitt Coming 2022

Steel Reign brings the conclusion of the Brotherhood of Steel storyline that launched late last year.

You arrive back at Fort Atlas to find the tensions between Paladin Rahmani and Knight Shin have reached a boiling point. After swarms of Super Mutants start to appear and people are reported missing, how will you guide the Brotherhood?

Will you take the side of justice or will you remain committed to duty? Free for Fallout 76 Players.

Available July 7th, 2021.

The Elder Scrolls Online | Console Enhanced Releases June 15 & Blackwood Chapter Out Now

As part of the epic Gates of Oblivion 2021 adventure for The Elder Scrolls Online, Blackwood joins ZeniMax Online Studios’ award-winning online RPG.

Long before the Oblivion Crisis, the Longhouse Emperors made a deal with a devil – the Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon.

That deal unfolds in a saga of murderous deceit and sinister revelations, leading to the nightmare realm known as the Deadlands, where players will fight to stop the prince. The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood is available now with Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, Mac, PS5 and PS4.

The Elder Scrolls Online: Console Enhanced harnesses the power of the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 to dramatically improve The Elder Scrolls Online’s visuals and performance.

Improvements like Performance and Fidelity modes, increased draw distance, faster loading times and so much more help the world of Tamriel come alive like never before.

These are just some of the many features players can look forward to when the next generation of The Elder Scrolls Online arrives on June 15th, 2021.

And in other news DOOM Eternal gets it’s next-gen free update on June 29th, 2021.

This free update optimises DOOM Eternal for next-gen machines, offering improved visuals, increased performance and support for ray-tracing, or 4K resolution at 60 frames per second, or an optional 120 FPS mode.

The next-gen update is also coming to PC, granting players ray-tracing on compatible machines, and more.

The post First In-Game Look at Bethesda Games Showcase Titles appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Eternal damnation for your Nintendo Switch.

DOOM Eternal follows its predecessor title DOOM released on console in 2016 utilizing an aggressive push forward mechanic throughout the destroyed Earth cities and buildings.

Played in first person the story is set two years after DOOM (2016) where we see an apocalyptic world where Demons rule the the planet and have wiped out over half of the human population.

From the fiery ashes the humans that are still around grouped together and formed ARC (this faction had previously tasked themselves to stop the invasion – but failed).

ARC members are mostly in hiding and Earth is falling further in to evil.

In steps you, the infamous Demon Slayer and you are tasked with finding and destroying three Hell Priests; Deag’s Nilox, Ranak, and Grav.

Right up front in Campaign mode you’re pretty much gifted the first Hell Priest and then it all goes on from there.

Surprisingly DOOM Eternal, being a FPS hack and slash carnage gore infested game, has a solid and deep narrative to it that compels you to play on.

Gameplay is unforgiving at times where select demonic variants can offer up their own unique challenges but also the environment, a crumbling world filled with fire and brimstone and controlled by Demons has it’s own hazards.

New Demon foes feature and a handful of the tried and true from DOOM.

Mods are also back and when you find these scattered throughout the varying Levels are equipped to your primary weapon. You’ll also acquire the Crucible Blade – an energy sword.

Grenades, Sticky and Ice Bombs are a godsend (pun almost deliberate) as that ends up being the best way to weaken or fully take down some Demons.

A mixed bag for ranged weaponry, the rifle that we have seen before which gets better with mods and happy to say, the flame thrower is back.

Chainsaw, my favourite, will end up being your mainstay for melee and the game compels you to use it wherever possible, providing the fuel has replenished. Using the saw will see your enemies drop items that you’ll no doubt need to continue, including health.

Ammo restocks are bountiful and also found throughout environments. These do not respawn when collected – unless you die and retrace your steps.

Dying is not too punishing as you will respawn where you fell – providing you have enough lives to do so.

Battlemode is a 2v1 play of brutality where two player controlled Demons take on one Slayer. IF you try to go to this mode before playing any of the Campaign the game actually warns you to familiarize yourself first in Campaign.

Then there’s the upcoming Invasion where you can join in other players single play games.

You’ll also find ‘Fortress of DOOM’ in your hub – it’s here you can receive upgrades and special in-game items.

The Nintendo Switch version comes with the remastered DOOM 64. THE game that made the N64 (Nintendo 64) the console to own back in the mid 1990s.

All current DLC is also included and the port from home console to Nintendo Switch is flawless.

DOOM Eternal is so far one of the best games for 2020. If you are a DOOM fan then you really need to get yourself in to the Eternal ranks of Demon slaying, at home or on the go.

So, come on Demon Slayer – Earth needs you. Again.

The post DOOM Eternal (Switch) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

All hell has broken loose. Literally.

It’s up to you DOOM Slayer to do what you do best – hack some demons.

DOOM Eternal follows it’s predecessor title DOOM released on console in 2016 utilizing an aggressive push forward mechanic throughout the destroyed Earth cities and buildings.

Played in first person the story is set two years after DOOM (2016) where we see an apocalyptic world where Demons rule the the planet and have wiped out over half of the human population.

From the fiery ashes the humans that are still around grouped together and formed ARC (this faction had previously tasked themselves to stop the invasion – but failed).

ARC members are mostly in hiding and Earth is falling further in to evil.

In steps you, the infamous Demon Slayer and you are tasked with finding and destroying three Hell Priests; Deag’s Nilox, Ranak, and Grav.

Right up front in Campaign mode you’re pretty much gifted the first Hell Priest and then it all goes on from there.

Suprisingly DOOM Eternal, being a FPS hack and slash carnage gore infested game, has a solid and deep narrative to it that compels you to play on.

Gameplay is unforgiving at times where select demonic variants can offer up their own unique challenges but also the environment, a crumbling world filled with fire and brimstone and controlled by Demons has it’s own hazards.

New Demon foes feature and a handful of the tried and true from DOOM.

Mods are also back and when you find these scattered throughout the varying Levels are equipped to your primary weapon. You’ll also acquire the Crucible Blade – an energy sword.

Grenades, Sticky and Ice Bombs are a god send (pun almost deliberate) as that ends up being the best way to weaken or fully take down some Demons.

A mixed bag for ranged weaponry, the rifle that we have seen before which gets better with mods and happy to say, the flame thrower is back.

Chainsaw, my favourite, will end up being your mainstay for melee and the game compels you to use it wherever possible, providing the fuel has replenished. Using the saw will see your enemies drop items that you’ll no doubt need to continue, including health.

Ammo restocks are bountiful and also found throughout environments. These do not respawn when collected – unless you die and retrace your steps.

Dying is not too punishing as you will respawn where you fell – providing you have enough lives to do so.

DOOM Eternal, like the remastered DOOM is one you pick up you can’t stop playing title.

iD and Bethesda have really put alot of love into this one. Even more so with the inclusion of an isometric Battlemode.

This is a 2v1 play of brutality where two player controlled Demons take on one Slayer. IF you try to go to this mode before playing any of the Campaign the game actually warns you to familiarize yourself first in Campaign.

Then there’s the upcoming Invasion where you can join in other players single play games.

You’ll also find ‘Fortress of DOOM’ in your hub – it’s here you can receive upgrades and special in-game items.

Pre-orders of DOOM Eternal were also complimeted with a bonus remastered DOOM 64. THE game that made the N64 (Nintendo 64) the console to own back in the mid 1990s.

While the graphics and mechanics have aged, as expected and is the charm of retro gaming, DOOM 64 is a worthy bonus, still fully playable and character movement is surprisingly fluid.

If you have (somehow) never played a DOOM game before – I do recommend playing the 2016 remaster first, as this will give you some clarity to the complex story and the game’s mechanics.

DOOM Eternal is so far one of the best games for 2020. If you are a DOOM fan then you really need to get yourself in to the Eternal ranks of Demon slaying.

So, come on Demon Slayer – Earth needs you. Again.

The post DOOM Eternal (PlayStation 4) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

E3, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, where major, Triple AAA and indie developers showcase their up and coming titles to eager gamers such as ourselves.

It’s a time of excitement in the video gaming industry and even more so when juggernaut studios such as Bethesda dazzle us with visuals of their soon to be released games.

STG has compiled all of the video game trailers from Bethesda’s E3 2018 presentation here.

2018 Bethesda E3 Showcase

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxGorVTMDIU

DOOM Eternal

 Fallout 76

Prey: Mooncrash

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySVBHI2OeAg

Quake Champions

RAGE 2

Starfield

The Elder Scrolls VI

Wolfenstein: Youngblood

Skyrim: A Very Special Edition

The post Bethesda E3 2018 Announcement Trailers appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

2016’s DOOM was a unexpected, energy packed surprise. It blew away everybody’s expectations, including mine.

On the heels of this release then comes DOOM VFR, a new, virtual reality version featuring a new story, main character and combat arenas. But how does the frenetic, movement-based action from a 2D, flat-screen experience translate to virtual reality? Is this as essential as Skyrim VR, or a nice addition that can ultimately be ignored? Let’s explore.

DOOM VFR (I bet you can work out what the F stands for) starts off in the shoes of a brand new character. Having been quickly disemboweled by demons, he wakes up a cyborg with a mission to protect what’s left of his energy production facility. But DOOM 2016, to its benefit, was purposefully disdainful of the story, and while it does feature a bit more heavily here, its nothing to remember. Instead its all about the shooting. And as in last year’s release, the shooting is all about the movement.

Unlike in most shooters, instead of starting with just the pistol, almost from the get-go you have powerful weapons, to beat powerful demons. A slower ramp up would have been appreciated but it is exciting to see the humongous demons up close so soon after starting. That said, at times there’s a surprising amount of running around not blasting baddies, which felt like a bit of padding. It does however, serve as a hidden tutorial in how to move around.

And DOOM VFR gives you a range of movement options. By default it is set to teleportation, which works as expected. But using the PS Move controllers you can only turn 180 degrees. This makes it difficult to get yourself facing the right direction. Instead you have to rely almost entirely on head tracking. While this can be fine for navigation or smaller fights, the larger arenas were very difficult to traverse without frustratingly crashing up against the control system’s limits, let along causing a decent amount of neck pain. It does include dash buttons but their layout is completely unintuitive and I couldn’t see any way to remap them. It was hard enough remembering where to press during navigation sequences, but in combat teleporting correctly was nearly impossible, and probably lead to me dying more often.

And teleportation is essential. Glory kills make an arresting return, so you need to frequently teleport into enemies. These kills are spectacularly gruesome up close in virtual reality, and the developers have done an impressive job of capturing the scale of enemies. It’s a graphical showcase too, and at least on PS4 Pro looks just like the non-VR game.

DOOM VFR Supports both the PS Move and Dualshock 4 controls. Each had their benefits and drawbacks. The PS Move controllers makes you feel more in control of the two floating arms in front of you. Tracking works very well, especially when tracking your guns. The grenade throw using the left PS Move controller on the other hand, can feel a bit janky in comparison. But it’s hard to move past the lack of turning options on the Move controllers. Conversely, while the Dualshock 4 makes it easier to get around, it feels much more disconnected, with a distinct feeling of being an abstract player rather than a demon-slaying God (the exact feeling Doom 2016 did so well). Movement is also far slower than with either the Move controllers. Slower movement is a boon for generally getting to and fro, but in the midst of combat feels like shackles

DOOM VFR also supports the PS Aim controller that shipped with Farpoint, and I was able to source a rare Aim controller to test it out. With its two joysticks, its undoubtedly the best way to experience the game, especially when free movement and smooth turning are both turned on. The only strange part is that you use two hands to hold the gun, but that equates only to the right hand in VR, leaving your left hand (which holds your grenades) to be directed by your head. It’s a bit bizarre but the benefits far outweigh this strange downside. If only Aim controllers weren’t so hard to find.

I was sad to see no option for lefties like me either, surely a relatively simple change. It wasn’t a huge issue but I did feel like my aiming was a little let down by a relative lack of fine motor controls in that arm. Normally in non-VR games it doesn’t make a difference, but when you’re physically aiming with a controller rather than an analog stick or keyboard and mouse its a different story.

It’s almost cliche now to say a good VR game is let down by poor controls and movement, but it remains the single biggest and fundamental problem in virtual reality game design. Even in small things like how you can’t pick up things with your VR hands, instead relying on a laser-pointer like interface.

But when this game works, it works well. When you are armed with only the beginners pistol and huge demons are towering over you, it’s genuinely frightening. The thrill of glory kills still never gets old. There’s a strong kernel of a good game here, it’s just a shame the best way to play it is found in using a relatively expensive, optional controller. Its also a relatively short game, but at least its price matches its length. It’s been fantastic to see Bethesda’s commitment to virtual reality, and DOOM VFR is a flawed but welcome experiment in bringing the rich, full games that us VR players crave so much.

The post DOOM VFR (PlayStation 4 / PSVR) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

All Hell is breaking out on the Switch!

Proving that we are in a generation of remasters and ports, Bethesda are continuing with their Triple AAA games translating to differing platforms. Along with Skyrim, the top dev studio and publisher have released DOOM over to Nintendo’s Switch.

DOOM is first person horror / SciFi shooter game, a remaster of sorts from the original 1993 release which was debuted on PC as Shareware.

The game is set on Mars, with a UAC facility being invaded by the forces of Hell and it’s up to you to take down the demon onslaught with all manner of guns, big guns including Shotgun, Chainsaw and the BFG 9000.

Initialising a progression system, you will also equip new and better armour items and there is a whole swag of collectibles. Every path you take can have multiple options, so it really pays off to explore a bit and not always run and gun.

You start off the game as an unknown man who is chained to an altar and awakens in a UAC basement on Mars. He releases himself from his imprisonment and gains his Praetor Suit, the man the moniker “Doom Slayer” after singlehandedly bringing hell to it’s knees, and couldn’t be killed, requiring an elaborate plan to capture, and seal him. Making his way across the Martian surface, he enters an industrial building that houses a satellite. After re-aligning the dish array, he hopes to learn the source of the demonic invasion, and preps himself to stop it.

Of course any game needs an ego fuelled baddie and in DOOM this comes in the guise of Dr. Olivia Pierce who is the antagonist of the game, apparently responsible for enabling Hell’s invasion, swayed by the promises of power.

DOOM enables you to roam freely and there’s no shortage of action and rewards for “Glory Kills”.

This version of the game has been adapted to the Nintendo Switch controlling system, whether the controls are attached or detached from the console.

It’s a heavy game as far as the data footprint goes, DOOM upon first instal will require around 22GB of space for a digital purchase.

Running at 30 FPS, on the handheld it looks fabulous. Surprisingly, it does not lose any of it’s visual quality when the Switch is connected to a 4K capable screen either.

There are 13 Maps to explore and cause heated metal carnage in and each Map consisting of a multitude of Levels. Multiplayer for switch is also included aswell, where players can pit off against online DOOMers in Team Deathmatch, Soul Harvest, Freeze Tag, Warpath, Domination and Clan Arena. In Multiplayer you can even play as a Demon, but your accessibility to pick ups is limited.

But having been ported on to a lesser spec’d console is not without it’s exclusions. The DOOM SnapMap is not included. Unfortunately.

Once again though, proving that game cartridges can really pack some might, Bethesda have done amazingly at porting the solid FPS over to the Switch.

The game gets a full recommend from me, who is still a fan of the very original. If you have played the 2016 console release and finished it (or are still playing it) this might be a title to hold off on, however, if you are the ultimate DOOM fan and have a Switch then you need it.

Slay demons and close the gates of Hell on the go. DOOM for Switch.

The post Doom (Switch) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Don’t just play the game, be IN the game with Thrustmaster’s newest and most powerful headset on the block, the Doom Y-350X.

Designed for both PC (Windows 7 or higher) and Xbox One the Y-350X will have your ear drums vibrating to the realistic bass as you take in all manner of audio detail around you. With 60mm drivers powering the rumbles and your adrenaline for gaming and accented with comfort due to the 100% memory foam cushions.

The Y-350X gives excellent clarity and one of the best that we have experienced at StG with it’s 7.1 Virtual Surround.

The Y-350X has also been designed with the latest adaption of DOOM in mind. Not only is it Officially licensed for the mother of all FPS’ it is also emblazoned with a DOOM skin. Both the killer audio and the looks ticks all the boxes for us.

There is a built in on-cord Y Sound Commander control panel which is a unique instrument panel that plugs into your Xbox One Gamepad. For darker rooms (or playing in the dark) it also offers backlighted volume status, adjustable master volume, adjustable bass volume and adjustable game/chat balance. This is also doubled with a Y-Power Pack which aims to extend the life of a wireless Xbox One Gamepad.

Fine tuning the audio to your liking doesn’t take terribly long and we found that we needed to adjust it depending on what type of game we were playing. Naturally we tried the headset’s namesake, DOOM with bass-ey loudness and feeling every bullet firing, then we went to something a little less carnage fueled; Unravel. By slightly adjusting the audio settings we were experiencing Unravel’s symphonic soundtrack as it was meant to be heard. Also during our use of the Y-350X we didn’t really experience a significant amount of extended Gamepad life – but considering that the Y-350X does draw it’s juice from the Gamepad, our length of use was pretty much on par with the usual battery stamina of the gamepad.

Thrustmaster have given consideration to the rough life that a Arm Boom Mic may experience on a Chat equipped Gaming Headset. While the mic is detachable (so you can use this headset for just audio / music via the 3.5mm cable) the twisty design of the Arm will ensure that there is a reduced cabling tension when the mic is positioned.

Light weight, a little bulky, but not too obtrusive the Y-350X we feel is tailored for home use – however I have seen folk walking the streets, bobbing their heads to music with bigger and bulkier units strapped to their ears. It would be up to you, but for myself, a definite at home accessory.

Thrustmaster’s Y-350X is totally top shelf. And top shelf goodness does come with a price tag. While it is not the cheapest Gaming Headset on the shelves, the Y-350X is one of the most elite and a non-regrettable purchase.

The Y-350X is pure gaming for your senses.

The post Thrustmaster DOOM Y-350X Gaming Headset (Xbox | PC) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

More than anything, Doom is about the (re)creation of a feeling. Its crowning achievement is that it feels both thoroughly modern, and completely orthodox to what made the original two games so iconic. A long time coming and a kind of make up for Doom 3, Doom is a brutal homage to the past, but an homage which looks forward just as much as it looks backwards.

Publisher Bethesda and developer id Software have once again proven that old I.P.’s (such as Wolfenstein: The New Order) are fertile grounds for revisiting. Although personally I have not had a history with the storied franchise, and I’m coming in fresh, there is a palpable sense of history in the game, particularly in the single player. More a reboot than a Doom 4, the game is at once a domineering achievement in contemporary gameplay creation and a throwback to 90’s shooters.

Speaking of, the latest Doom contains three tent-pole features of the Single Player, Multiplayer and user-generated content in SnapMap (akin to Halo’s Forge modes). And they really are three separate modes. To get to one while in the other the game literally has to restart and load up a new instance.

But why are you shooting demons at all? Well there’s no real story. You’re just an angry man with a gun doing what you do best. While I wasn’t expecting the height of narrative exposition from a Doom game, the fall-back to stereotypes and repeated tropes was a bit of a disappointment. The upside is that from nearly the very beginning the game focuses on what it does best.

The disregard for any character development or serious story arc lets the developers Focus on the gameplay itself. In a large sense it’s freeing, and gives the game scope and room to breathe.

For example, not having a serious story means that replaying levels to get a better score, or to find the remaining hidden secrets isn’t hindered by repeated dialogue or other such things. It also means that theredoesn’t have to be justification for any particular thing, something is there simply because it was designed to be there not because of any lore concerns.

What is this all adds up to is ridiculousness on a grand and hugely entertaining gameplay on a perfectly crafted arena scale. No online instances, no concern about lag or anything but the moment-to-moment experience. In its historical approach it manages to feel fresh.

Even on console hardware the game runs at a silky smooth 60FPS – occasionally interrupted when something drastic is going on, but I don’t feel that it impacted my playstyle. Doom uses a variable resolution a laHalo 5 apparently but it wasn’t noticeable to me during my time with the game. The game looks fantastic, if a bit too orange, and there is an obvious care taken with putting each level together.

id Software have included a FOV slider in the PS4 version too, which I greatly appreciated. Considering how many smallish rooms there are in Doom, being able to see more around me at once was a distinct advantage.

Weapons mods make what could be standard weapons fun and interesting. Of course it can be difficult to remember what mods you have equipped to which gun during each fight, but I soon grew to appreciate some favourites and stuck with them throughout my time with the game.

And you are encouraged to use them all, constantly switching back and forth in your arsenal depending on what is required. You have to make split second decisions about what guns suits each situation the best. It is a constant high wire act of juggling weapons and bouncing towards enemies who can provide much needed relief with a shower of health from a glory kill. You are encouraged to get in close and if you play too cautiously enemies aren’t afraid to seek you out. This keeps the tempo up and the adrenaline flowing.

But it’s not the same as being hunted down in say a Bioshock game. Doom gives you a sense of empowerment that has been deliberately downplayed or absent from shooters for many years. id Software understand perfectly the hierarchy of important in perfecting compelling, smart and engaging gameplay.

That said, I could have used a bit more variety in the way that you encounter enemies. I quickly grew tired of being locked in a combat arena. You rarely encounter enemies “in the wild” as you are travelling below. This means levels are a bit stop and start. Run along corridors, be locked in a room, shoot enemies. Rinse and repeat. Levels are long – perhaps a bit too long although almost constant checkpointing helps relieve that somewhat. Long levels also serve to hide sometimes amusing secrets on every level, such as dolls and even old Doom Levels.

The audio deserves special mention. id software has done an amazing job in creating great sound design. The soundtrack reminds me of the old school Descent II soundtrack and perfectly fits the game.

I did have some small issues. The on screen text is too small, even on a 50” television screen. For example, it is almost impossible to see whether it says L3 or R3, leading to mashing of buttons. This made understanding the relatively complex upgrade systems even more difficult than they needed to be as well, as it is hard to read what each one does. The game was obviously designed for the PC and moved to consoles without too much consideration of the viewing environment.

I could have done without the unfortunately prevalent first person platforming sections. My only hint here is that you can jump much further than you would think, and so falling to your death is thankfully rare.

There are also long loading times (PS4), which break up the flow of moving onto the next Level.

But what about the multiplayer? Unfortunately, the multiplayer is relatively forgettable.

Some of the speed present in the campaign is negated in the multiplayer as everyone is going that fast. Working in teams with complementary skills is also essential, but for some reason teammates rarely stuck together when I was online.

A great annoyance was the restriction to two weapons. Much of the fun of Doom’s combat is in selecting exactly the right weapon for the job, and having only two weapons at a time was a great source of frustration.

It’s not without its moments however. Demon Runes allow someone to become a monster for a minute or two which is always fun to see. There’s a huge variety of customisation – no two marines need look alike. But that’s par for the course these days.

Bethesda wants you to believe that SnapMap, the third tentpole of Doom 2016 is the equal to both the multiplayer and the campaign. Try as they might, at the moment it is not. SnapMap is a way for users to create their own levels and content for the game, which is a fantastic addition. But I think overall that this game will be remembered for its single player, not anything else.

Relying so heavily on user-generated content is nevertheless risky – see Project Spark for example – and only time will tell whether players take up SnapMap as a popular tool, or whether it languishes in obscurity. To be sure, Bethesda will need to continue updating the creation tools beyond what is available at launch. I am excited about the possibilities of what may be created however.

Doom does not try to be anything than what it is, to its very great benefit. I wish many more games would look to Doom and take heed of its focus and ability to double down on what makes it great and deprioritise everything else.

For those looking for a recreation of the multiplayer experiences and world of the 1990s, then Doom may be a disappointment. But in my opinion the campaign is strong enough to make up for the weaknesses of the other two parts of the game. And at about 12-15 hours long it will keep you entranced for a good amount of time.

Doom is an unexpected but very welcome success. In a crowded marketplace it stands out for all the right reasons and is more than worthy of your time.

The post DOOM (PlayStation 4) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

For those of you unaware, Besthesda had its first ever conference at E3 this year.

Fortunately, they started with quite some flare. As many fans have been waiting for it, Bethesda finally showcased some serious Doom gameplay and it was spectacular.

The gameplay looked very solid with many weapons shown off resulting in a great amount of gore and disembowelment of a large array of enemies. The visuals were stunning and the world shown was just as impressive blending an interesting combination of science fiction and supernatural themes.

There were also a few other aspects showcased including the arena style multiplayer, similar to Halo. The bigger and more unique idea they were putting forward in this regards was SnapMap which is a game and Level editor. In SnapMap players can easily create and modify their own playing fields and game modes. The small section shown appeared easy to use while allowing a good amount of modification.

Bethesda announced this bad boy to be released early 2016 world wide. Their overall showing of Doom was impressive and somewhat surprisingly for me was easily the highlight of their event.

BattleCry Studios showcased their first ever game, named, would you believe, BATTLECRY.

This third person team based multiplayer action game is a new IP for Bethesda. Unfortunately the small snippet of the game shown off did not exactly leave us blown away. The combat looked lacking and there was nothing else about the game that looked particularly exciting. The game is still in development however so there is still time for that to change. If you are interested in giving the game a go, a worldwide Beta will take place this year.

One prediction I had for Bethesda’s E3 was Dishonoured 2 and as luck would have it, it was officially announced. (Win for Jude).

An intriguing cut-scene introduced the game showing events fifteen years on from the first Dishonoured. The world is thrown back into chaos by troublesome men. One new aspect was the choice of playing as one of two characters. Each character has their own unique gadgets, abilities and weapons.

Staying on a similar note Dishonoured Definitive Edition was also announced including all current DLC for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game is set for release in August 2015 and if you haven’t played the game previously, I would definitely recommend you pick it up this time around.

Another prediction I had going was new content for The Elder Scrolls Online, which was shown, to my excitement. With the launch of The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 it only made sense to be providing more content for new players.

Some DLC mentioned included ‘Fallen Tamriel Capital’ and a ‘Realm of Orcs’. While we didn’t get to see too much of this upcoming content, as a fan of ESO, I’m excited to get my hands on it.

While we were hoping for a slightly bigger title release from the Elder Scrolls series we were happily surprised with a strategy card game instead, The Elder Scrolls: Legends. Not much was shown but the idea is welcomed. The Elder Scrolls: Legends will available on PC and iOS although hopefully more platforms will be announced soon.

Lastly, Bethesda’s most well covered title of the conference, Fallout 4. The initial showcase revealed a lot of concept art displaying the large amount of work and detail that went into the planning of this game and also offered glimpses of what to expect.

They also showed off parts of the intro sequence which showcased some interesting features of the game including the ability to choose a male or female character, a detailed character customisation screen, your dog companion, Pip-Boy (the in-game gadget that basically acts as the Menu) and the combat system.

While I wasn’t the biggest fan of the combat system in Fallout 3, I was somewhat optimistic about what they showed off. It also gave some glimpses about the story.

Bethesda also showcased more detailed sections of the game focusing on customisation and crafting.

Throughout the world there are several areas featured where you are able to build and customise your own town. This was involved building, demolishing and customising house’s rooms as well as providing food and protection for your people.

The level of detail of this aspect of the game seemed very extensive while remaining simple. The feature will not be mandatory but it is something that Bethesda seemed quite proud of and definitely something that appeals to me. Likewise the customisation of weaponary as well was another focus showing the almost ridiculous number of combinations and level of customisation available in game.

Fallout 4 is due for release on the 10th of November, 2015 which should have many fans already clearing out their current Christmas plans.

Another Fallout game was also announce called Fallout Shelter.

While the game is a free to play mobile game, something that would normally lose my attention immediately, it actually looked very interesting. The game revolves around looking after a group of people in a vault, drawing on influences from many games, most notably for me XCOM. The game launched at the end of the conference for iOS. No word was given about an Android or Windows Phone release.

Bethesda managed to show us some really impressive games, unfortunately not too many surprises as such, but an exciting line up all the same. From Doom to Fallout 4 we have good amount of things to look forward to from Bethesda in the near future.

Stay with us while we have more exclusive E3 2015 coverage coming!

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