Finally finished it, and this is seriously one of the most taxing but rewarding games I've ever played.
There's a certain point in the game where I finally really started "getting it" with the combat and platforming. There are moments where you can use cover or strafe an enemy, but it's not a strat you want to rely on for long. I think what really clicked for me was resource management and once you sort of master that, and of course, upgrade your weapons, the game gets much easier. Playing the multiplayer "battlemode" really helped understand that and boy, that concept is so much harder to pull off against two humans than any AI. I found myself really enjoying the platforming personally. Felt like a welcome breath of air from all the combat, and I kind of have my fingers crossed for platforming only levels as future DLC. Benefits of Doom 2016's snapmap is that you'd get levels like this custom made to scratch the itch, where since Id nicked the snapmap, you have to wait and see if the modding community or developers develop that little niche.
Overall, once you figure how to play, it really is one of the most balance games out there. If you're not keeping some kind of track on the fodder demons, you're not playing the game right. You need those fodder demons during boss fights to replenish armor/health/ammo. Same if you're not using a weapons special abilities for at least both shotguns, both machine guns, and ballista. I did find detonation with the rockets to be very useful against big demons and crowds of small demons. Very easy to get some multikill health points. Also, monkey bars and jump pads are life savers.
I want to complain about the games campaign, but I honestly can't find in myself to do so. The games adds so much to explore, find, and accomplish.
As for Battlemode, it's nice, but Doom 2016 MP was more fun. I'd say what they needed was basic deathmatch with less demons involved, or make a deathmatch exclusive to demons. My biggest complaint about Doom 2016 was that there were too many power-ups with the demons, weapons, special attachments, and runes. Battlemode does address this, and while it does have it's moments, I don't see Battlemode being embraced by the gaming community for multiple reasons. The biggest being that the learning curve is so much different. Resource management really does feel more difficult against AI opponents, and the fact we only get the BFG until after the third round is a disappointment. Plus, the demons themselves each have their own abilities that need to be learned. The tutorials take forever, when what we need are bots to play against. It's how I learned how to handle demons in Doom 2016 and use their abilities. You need that practice mode, especially for what is a much more intimate MP experience. Almost more akin to a fighting game than anything else.
On complain about the game, the bosses should have died a more gorier ending. Particularly the last one. Using the BFG to kill the Mastermind is one of the best ends to a boss fight ever. Shame they couldn't do something like that.
