DOOM came back earlier this year with a bang and it was great to see such a legendary franchise make such an impressive return. The single player mode was fantastic and we’re all looking forward to the additional content that should come with the second of three DLC packs in the season pass. For now though, we have Unto the Evil, which focuses solely on the less-awesome multiplayer component, but it brings with it some significant content. Specifically, you get three new maps, a new weapon, a new item, new hacks modules, new armor, a new demon, and new taunts. This content costs $15 by itself or $40 for the complete season pass, and it’s worth noting that multiplayer matches are split up into those that have the maps and those that don’t. This doesn’t really help a multiplayer community that’s not terribly large to begin with.
Anyway, once enough players joined up, playing through the three maps was a lot of fun. These include Ritual, Cataclysm, and Offering. The maps offer diverse environments but all have a familiar feel as far as plenty of twisting hallways and arenas with multiple entrances and lots of weapon, health, and armor pick ups with goodies like Demon’s Runes, power weapons, and big health packs spreadout. There are also design elements that cater to the jumping and climbing ability of your space marine. Pacing is frenetic as the game is known for and whether I was playing Soul Harvester, Deathmatch, CTF, the game ran perfectly smooth and was enjoyable.
Of the group, my favorite is Ritual as I thought it’s polar theme was interesting. This map has a demonic artifact that can be triggered to unleash a wall of fire against the opposing team. Jump pads and a cool frozen environment backdrop embellish it. In Cataclysm, the biggest map of the three, the action takes place equally in Hell and in a UAC facility. The mode I played most on this map was CTF. Two permanent portals near each base acted as the path into and back from Hell. Without at least four players on both teams, this map feels a little too large. Finally, in Offering, the dangers of falling into lava is real in this very Hell-themed stage. I would rank it my second favorite after Ritual.
New armor, with a robotic, sort of Halo-looking theme if you ask me, are cool, nothing game-changing of course but welcome nonetheless. The new taunts are similar in that it’s a nice touch, but honestly I couldn’t tell you specifically what the new taunts are. The new item, the kinetic mine, can be shot by other players to cause a safe detonation, but otherwise it’s kind of a sneaky weapon that does really clash with the otherwise in-your-face attitude I get from DOOM, so I’m not a big fan of it, but perhaps it will grow on me. The pistol is fairly standard stuff, actually pulled from the campaign, offering a modified mod that blasts a heavy duty charge shot, but in my experience, getting a successful charge shot is challenging given the speed and frenzy of a typical enemy encounter. Last, but not least, the Harvester demon is a fearsome site whose lightning attacks are impressive to look at (from a distance of course, unless you’re the Harvester).
Overall, Unto the Evil provides some good new content, but I think the second DLC with single player content will be far more interesting and provide a better value. If you’re enjoying DOOM multiplayer however, Unto the Evil is worth picking up despite a pretty high cost of admission if you buy it individually.
