10 Video Game Sequels That DRASTICALLY Missed The Point

4. Doom Eternal

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iD Software

Doom Eternal may not be a bad game, but there's no doubt that it lost a lot of its predecessor's spark.

Doom Eternal was a sequel to the 2016 Doom reboot, and while it was an improvement in many ways - better graphics, new weapons, a sweet grappling hook - Eternal sadly jettisoned the sense of playfulness that made the reboot such a joy to play.

One of the defining features of Doom 2016 was its defiant middle-finger to its own plot. Doom Guy - the protagonist of the series - tore through the game like a chainsaw through demon flesh, making his intentions clear in the opening minutes when he punches through a terminal before it can finish its exposition dump. Action first, plot almost never.

The sequel, unfortunately, shifted the balance too far in favour of the latter. Eternal saw the series become infatuated with its pointlessly dense lore, casting Doom Guy as some quasi-messianic entity locked in an eternal battle with the forces of hell.

The shift in tone really didn't work, and ensured Eternal felt markedly less fun than Doom 2016.

 
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Hello! My name's Iain Tayor. I write about video games, wrestling and comic books, and I apparently can't figure out how to set my profile picture correctly.