Doom: The Dark Ages is definitely one of my favourite games from this year, even if it didn't quite match the dizzying heights of Doom Eternal. But with its latest update, id Software's action-packed prequel may have taken two thundering steps toward the quality of its predecessor. Update 2 brings one massive new mode to the game, joined by an array of small but significant adjustments to the prequel's combat system.
That big new feature is named the "Ripatorium", and it's basically an arena mode that allows you to build your own encounters. The mode comes with a detailed 'encounter manager' that lets you adjust the number and type of demons that spawn and the amount of waves those demons will spawn in. You can also specify a time limit for the encounter, or toggle endless mode to keep the fight going until you run out of interest/energy/blood.
For its initial release, the Ripatorium has three different arenas to choose from, and includes a jukebox feature where you can pick which growling metal track you want playing in the background while you run around tearing out hearts. Id also says it would like to "expand upon the Ripatorium more in future updates," so expect more arenas and features to be added over time.
The Ripatorium is accompanied by a substantial combat overhaul that attacks The Dark Ages slower, heavier fighting style at both high and low levels, affecting everything from how major systems work to individual combat scenarios. There's a vast number of changes here. But one that immediately stood out to me was that the Slayer can now interrupt any weapon-swap animation to block incoming attacks. While by no means a deal-breaker, being swiped at by demons while switching weapons was definitely a nuisance when I played The Dark Ages back in May, so I'm glad this has been addressed.
Other improvements include faster weapon-swap speed, a new slider to adjust the slow motion effect of parries & melee attacks, and improvements to the dragon and mech sequences of the campaign. As for those combat encounter tweaks, these primarily affect acts two and three of the game, mainly adding more enemies to late-game fights. Since The Dark Ages' combat plateaued a little early, adding extra spice to those later levels certainly won't go amiss.
The Ripatorium is open for business now. If you haven't picked up The Dark Ages yet (or played it via Game Pass), it's currently available for 25% off on Steam, bringing the price down from a hefty $/£70 to a more reasonable $/£52.
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