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Introduction

DOOM Eternal was my most anticipated game of this year, which managed to exceed my expectations due to its amazing singleplayer, of which I loved every moment. So, I was naturally thrilled to hear that we will get two additional campaign expansions. And I am delighted to say that The Ancient Gods – Part One is a fantastic expansion, which I loved playing as much as the original campaign, and I cannot wait for the upcoming Part Two.
Even though this expansion is playable without owning the original game, I would still recommend getting the original DOOM Eternal first because the expansion throws you right into the action without explaining the basics.
This review is intended for people who are already a bit familiar with DOOM Eternal’s gameplay mechanics. If you are interested, you can read my review for DOOM Eternal by clicking on this box.
Gameplay
Well, I finished this expansion in five hours, on the Nightmare difficulty, with completing all the collectables and challenges, and I simply want more. It is much harder than the base game, as there are more crazy demon combinations as well as new enemy types, while encounters last much longer now. And I love it. While I died a few times here and there, I never felt that the game was unfair. I rather tried to be faster and more precise, as stopping even for one second might be a death sentence.
The level design continues in the main game’s tradition, with all the arena encounters, platforming parts, and secrets to find. What I truly enjoyed is that each level plays and feels a bit differently. The first one reminds of DOOM 2016’s UAC base, this time in the ocean, combining narrow corridors and large open areas. The second one, on the other hand, brings a few unique mechanics that change the pace of the gameplay, such as a deadly fog you need to avoid as you happen to be in deadly swamps. The third one throws you into full chaos in the familiar ruins of Urdak’s realm, with a dark twist at the end.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2269386829
The new enemy types even actually force you into constant movement and using hit and run tactics. How? For example, Spirits possess any other demon, making them stronger, faster, and more resistant. A possessed enemy, like Dread Knight, who pursues you persistently, can obliterate you within a few seconds. If you kill a possessed enemy, the Spirit will try to possess another one, so you have to kill it quickly before doing so. Blood Maykr angels require a different tactic. Their shield protects them from damage unless they start attacking you, which gives you a short amount of time to strike.
Boss battles are present, but they are not near the level of the original campaign. If there is something to improve for the upcoming second expansion, it is definitely this part. The problem is that in the main campaign, boss battles gave me the feeling of a unique and memorable encounter, in which the new ones failed. That does not mean they are bad by any means, as I still enjoyed those fights a lot.
Overall, I found the new gameplay additions very enjoyable, as the constant pressure to keep moving and choosing your targets requires a decent amount of skill. I love that developers decided to go even wilder with the combination of demon types. It tests everything you have learned so far, and you either adapt to it or die.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2269387647
Story
The Ancient Gods – Part One continues right after the main game’s storyline. The legions of Hell are still a threat as they expand through the realms of Urdak, which Doomguy left in ruins. Naturally, you must get back and show them where they belong. However, a way bigger threat awaits you.
As in the main game, there are only a few cutscenes, and the rest of the story is told via codex pages you find throughout the level. There is not much more to say, as we have to wait for the second part, but I enjoyed how it expanded upon the main game. The very best part about it is definitely the ending, which is surprising, and it gave me high expectations for the second part.
Audiovisuals & Performance
First and foremost, about the topic that DOOM fans were concerned about, the soundtrack. While I do not think that this expansion’s compositions will become my favourites, I would still say that Andrew Hulshult and David Levy did a great job, as their style fits DOOM a lot, and I am curious to see more of their work in the future. A lot of people apparently have problems with the music being too quiet, which did not occur in my case, so I am not sure whether it is a bug or due to different sound settings.
The graphics are on par with the main game, with new beautiful locations and effects, making the levels as varies as in the original campaign. They are all unique and gorgeous to look at with an immersive atmosphere. It is clearly visible that they put a lot of work into it, despite it being just an expansion.
The expansion was tested with an i5 8300H, GTX 1060 6GB, and 16GB RAM, running at high settings, at 70-85 frames per second, at 1920x1080 resolution. There were performance problems during the release of the original game if you had Steam Overlay enabled. I have not experienced such issues during my recent playthrough, so I consider it fixed.

Conclusion

The Ancient Gods – Part One is an amazing expansion, which is totally worth it for anyone who loved DOOM Eternal’s campaign and lusted for more content. I am absolutely satisfied with what I got, and I will definitely replay it soon. There is, after all, never enough of a good old-fashioned demon-slaying.
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