DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods Part Two

Bloody, brutal and varied: The Ancient Gods Part 2 is a great expansion, yet with a an end fight that is a bit too easy.

id Software delivers a memorable conclusion to the Doom Slayer epic. By erasing the flaws of the previous expansion, Doom Eternal: The Ancient Gods, Part II offers the most complete games of the series. The new enemies are integrated very well and create new well thought out challenges. Apart from its lifespan, which can be explained by its release model, this new content has nothing to envy to the base game and closes the saga of the Doom Slayer with panache.

It’s a worthy finale to Slayer’s gory odyssey, but I must admit that while Part One left me hungry for more, I was a bit tired by the end of Part Two. Still, you should definitely play it if you’re a fan of Doom. [05/2021, p.53]

Thanks to its continued evolution of Doom Eternal’s already-brilliant formula, I enjoyed The Ancient Gods Part 2 a bit more than Part 1. While it is a bummer that you only get to ride that sweet dragon in cutscenes, the new enemies prove to be more fun to fight, the Sentinel Hammer is a blast, and the final boss fight isn’t quite as sadistic. You’ll still need mastery of every skill Doom has taught you over the past half-decade to make it through this gauntlet, and if this is the end of Eternal’s story, it’s been a hell of a ride.

All things considered, Part Two offers a satisfying conclusion to the Doom saga, with amazing combat, beautiful levels, a new weapon to play with and one epic set piece towards the end. It's also more balanced and manageable than the first DLC. The final boss fight is my only real complaint: What should have been a pulse-pounding battle for the ages, is essentially an overlong dodgefest that just drags on and on without challenge or excitement.

DOOM Eternal The Ancient Gods Part Two is a great finale story-wise, but when it comes to gameplay it is rather disappointing. The few new enemies and mechanics feel shallow and the actual final boss fight is a flop compared to what we've gotten in Eternal and the previous installment of DOOM. So just like Doomguy, we'll patiently have to wait until we can get going again because there's an itch that needs scratching.

DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods - Part 2 concludes the DOOM Slayer saga reiterating the concepts expressed with the previous expansion.

With the complete picture now available, The Ancient Gods Part 2 can only be considered a small misstep by id Software. Short and lacking interesting enemies, the second DLC of DOOM Eternal doesn't offer enough to justify its price. If you are interested in learning what happens to the Slayer after the end of the base game’s campaign, you’re better off waiting for a nice discount.

The overall quality of the package still stands at more than good levels, just enough to deliver to the players an epilogue worthy of the legend of the Doom Slayer.

The Ancient Gods - Part Two is very good… or, more precisely, just very good. Compared to the near flawless core game, and the slightly rough around the edges, but still great Part One, this feels kind of rushed, with the new additions once again following the tired formula of gimmicky enemies. As for the story, and most importantly, the presentation, it's a blatant mess. A disappointing one at that, as this isn't just a simple expansion, but the culmination of what was basically the resurrection of the venerable franchise that 2016's DOOM initiated.