DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods - Part One is a single-player action FPS expansion that continues the story of the Doom Slayer after the events of the base game. Players return to battle the forces of Hell across new environments while managing upgraded combat tools against tougher opposition. The experience emphasizes fast movement, precise shooting, and resource management in large-scale encounters.
Gameplay
The core loop revolves around arena-style combat where the player chains together weapon attacks, movement abilities, and environmental interactions to clear waves of demons. Health, armor, and ammo are recovered through glory kills and environmental pickups, encouraging aggressive play. New enemy types force adjustments to standard tactics. The Spirit possesses other demons to grant them increased speed, damage resistance, and immunity to certain crowd control effects like the ice bomb. Destroying the host releases the Spirit, which must then be eliminated using the plasma rifle's microwave beam before it possesses another target. The Blood Maykr appears as a ranged threat that requires focused fire or specific positioning to handle safely. Combat arenas grow larger and more complex, incorporating verticality and multiple enemy types simultaneously.
Exploration sections lead to collectibles and upgrades that enhance the Slayer's capabilities. Movement remains fluid with dashes, double jumps, and the super shotgun's meat hook for traversal and positioning. All base game weapons return, though the Crucible is unavailable. Difficulty scales noticeably higher than the original campaign, with denser enemy placements and fewer safe moments between fights.
Game Modes
The expansion delivers its content exclusively through a linear single-player campaign consisting of three new missions. There are no separate multiplayer modes or competitive options. Players progress through story-driven levels that mix combat arenas with light platforming and exploration. Extra Life Mode provides a checkpoint-based challenge variant within the same missions, where limited lives add tension to the encounters. Secret encounters and collectible hunts appear as optional objectives that reward thorough exploration but do not alter the main progression path.
New Locations and Enemies
Three distinct areas expand the battlefield. The UAC Atlantica facility on Earth features industrial platforms and water elements. The Blood Swamps introduce hazardous terrain filled with demonic flora and corrupted ground. Urdak returns in a corrupted state with floating structures and heavenly architecture twisted by invasion. These settings host the new threats alongside familiar demons, creating mixed encounters that test adaptability. Boss fights against Samur Maykr and the Trial of Maligog cap key sections with multi-phase patterns that demand pattern recognition and sustained pressure.
Is It Worth Playing?
This expansion suits players who completed the base DOOM Eternal campaign and want more of its intense, skill-based combat without shifting to multiplayer. The increased difficulty and new enemy behaviors extend the challenge for veterans, while the new missions provide additional hours of focused single-player action. Reception highlights the satisfying combat depth alongside complaints that some encounters feel overly punishing. The game remains available as a paid add-on on Xbox platforms with no further seasonal updates or live service elements. Those who enjoy precise, high-mobility FPS gameplay in a single-player format will find the most value here, particularly if they appreciate mastering new mechanics against escalating threats.
