There is a transcendent bliss that comes with the gameplay of Doom 2016. It has the most enthralling gameplay loop of any FPS I've played, and there is a wonderful sense of depth to its combat. The diverse hordes of enemies and their unique attributes, combined with an equally diverse arsenal at the players disposal leads to fast paced bloodbaths that are as strategic as they are action oriented. On higher difficulties players are asked to consider the attack patterns of multiple different enemy types, prioritize targets, watch their backs, stay mobile, choose the right weapon for any given moment, choose the right weapon MOD for any given moment, be cognizant of their ammo and health, be cognizant of the locations of powerups, health, armor, and ammo around the arena and choose when to grab them, choose when to pursue glory kills to recover health, choose when to chainsaw enemies to replenish ammo or just eliminate a problem, and choose when to use the BFG to avoid being overwhelmed. All of it feels incredible.

A story exists, but it is clearly a barebones backdrop for the action, which is fair enough. Environments are more visually appealing than I expected, but players may still feel some amount of visual fatigue by the end of the game. The soundtrack is... certainly fit for purpose. I confess that there were definitely times when it started to grate on me, but it suits Doom, and I greatly appreciated the occasional choral pieces in later areas as a refreshing break from all of the hard metal.

Doom is immortal. Its vision is fulfilled here in a way that the original game would have done if only it could. It is crystalized adrenaline, pure and brilliant.