DOOM: The Dark Ages Update 2 Unleashes the Ripatorium: An Endless Arena of Carnage and Customization
At Gaming News, we are thrilled to bring you the definitive breakdown of DOOM: The Dark Ages Update 2, a substantial free content drop that injects a fresh wave of brutal challenges and intricate refinements into the already legendary DOOM experience. This update not only addresses numerous quality-of-life improvements and bug fixes but, most excitingly, introduces the Ripatorium, an innovative and highly replayable endless arena mode that promises to test the mettle of even the most seasoned DOOM Slayer. Prepare yourselves, for the crucible of eternal combat has arrived.
The Ripatorium: A New Dawn for Endless DOOM Slayer Combat
The centerpiece of DOOM: The Dark Ages Update 2 is undoubtedly the Ripatorium. This isn’t just another arena; it’s a meticulously crafted sandbox for pure, unadulterated demon-slaying. The Ripatorium challenges players to survive and conquer customizable waves of demonic adversaries, all while racing against the clock. This mode introduces a dynamic and engaging loop where strategic planning and immediate tactical execution are paramount to survival.
We’ve delved deep into the mechanics of the Ripatorium, and the level of control offered to the player is truly impressive. You are not merely a passive participant; you are the architect of your own impending doom, or perhaps, your glorious victory. The Ripatorium features three distinct arenas, each offering a unique environmental backdrop for the carnage. More importantly, the true innovation lies in the player’s ability to heavily influence the types of enemies they will face and the overall nature of the encounter. This granular control over the demonic hordes ensures that no two sessions will ever feel precisely the same, offering an almost infinite spectrum of combat scenarios to master. Whether you wish to hone your skills against relentless waves of Imps, test your mastery of the chainsaw against hordes of Pinkies, or strategize against the more formidable Maykr variants, the Ripatorium empowers you to curate your ultimate combat test.
Rewards and Recognition for Ripatorium Mastery
Beyond the sheer thrill of survival, the Ripatorium offers tangible rewards for your valor. Successfully navigating its brutal challenges will unlock exclusive cosmetic items, further personalizing your DOOM Slayer’s appearance and showcasing your dedication. For those who participated in DOOM: The Dark Ages prior to September 1st, a special QuakeCon skin awaits, a testament to your early commitment to the Slayer’s mission. Furthermore, the ultimate test of skill, completing all three arenas within the Ripatorium, will grant you the coveted Perfection skin, a badge of honor for those who have conquered every facet of this demanding new mode.
A Deeper Dive into Game Updates and Core Improvements
The Ripatorium may be the headline act, but DOOM: The Dark Ages Update 2 is a comprehensive package that enhances the entire gameplay experience. The developers have meticulously addressed a wide array of game mechanics, difficulty settings, and player options, ensuring a more refined and accessible, yet still ferociously challenging, adventure for all.
Evolving Difficulty: The Power of Customization
Recognizing that the DOOM Slayer’s journey can be tailored to individual preferences, this update introduces several impactful difficulty settings that grant players unprecedented control over the campaign’s challenge.
Max Life Sigils: Curating Your Survivability
A significant addition is the new difficulty slider for Max Life Sigils. This allows players to set a Life Sigil capacity for their campaign run. For those unfamiliar, Life Sigils are crucial resources that can turn the tide of battle, offering a chance at survival when all health is depleted. By adjusting the maximum number of Life Sigils you can hold, you can directly influence the risk-reward dynamic of your playthrough. Will you embrace a more precarious existence with fewer Sigils, pushing your skills to the absolute limit? Or will you opt for a more forgiving experience, granting yourself a larger buffer against the onslaught? The choice is now yours, empowering you to fine-tune the intensity of your campaign.
Atlan Perfect Dodge Window: Mastering the Art of Evasion
In a move that rewards precise movement and anticipation, a new difficulty slider for Atlan Perfect Dodge Window has been implemented. This slider allows players to adjust how long the Perfect Dodge window is active when Dashing as the Atlan. The Atlan’s defensive capabilities are intrinsically linked to its ability to execute perfect dodges, and this new control offers a way to either make this crucial mechanic more forgiving or more demanding. A longer window can aid players still learning the intricacies of the Atlan’s combat, while a shorter window will truly separate the masters from the apprentices.
Life Sigil Activation: Enhanced Feedback and Flow
The developers have also refined the timing of the Life Sigil activation flow, aiming to smooth out the experience and provide clearer feedback. This includes adding a specific line to the Life Sigil activation screen that informs the player which enemy type delivered the killing blow. This seemingly small detail adds a layer of informational richness, allowing players to better understand the circumstances surrounding their Sigil activation and potentially learn from their encounters. Furthermore, new sounds have been introduced for when the player receives a killing blow to activate a Life Sigil, as well as a new sound when a Life Sigil is successfully activated. These auditory cues provide vital feedback, ensuring players are always aware of their status and the activation of these life-saving resources.
Expanded Gameplay Settings: Tailoring Your Combat Style
Beyond difficulty, DOOM: The Dark Ages Update 2 introduces new gameplay settings designed to further personalize the combat experience.
Parry & Melee Slow Motion: Controlling the Flow of Battle
A highly anticipated addition is the new gameplay slider for Parry & Melee Slow Motion. This allows players to adjust the duration of the slow-motion feedback that occurs on a successful Shield parry or Melee strike when playing as the Slayer. This setting directly impacts the visual and temporal feedback you receive when executing these high-impact maneuvers. Whether you prefer a prolonged, cinematic slow-motion to savor your perfect parries and devastating melee strikes, or a more rapid, impactful burst of feedback, this slider gives you the power to dictate the pacing of these critical combat moments.
Weapon Class Switch Style: A New Dimension to Arsenal Management
Revolutionizing the way players manage their arsenal, a new Game Setting for “Weapon Class Switch Style” has been introduced. This offers two distinct options:
Standard: This option maintains the current weapon swap behavior. In essence, pressing a Weapon Class input in rapid succession will now consistently switch to the currently equipped weapon within a given Class. This provides a familiar and predictable experience for those accustomed to the existing system.
Double Tap [NEW]: This exciting new option fundamentally alters weapon switching. Pressing a Weapon Class input twice in quick succession at the beginning of a weapon switch will now automatically equip the other weapon in that class if available. This allows for faster, more fluid transitions between complementary weapon pairings, enabling players to chain attacks and adapt to evolving combat scenarios with unprecedented speed. Imagine seamlessly switching between the Rail Spike Impaler and the Super Shotgun with a quick double tap, keeping the pressure relentlessly on your foes.
Audio Enhancements: Amplifying the Battlefield Cacophony
The update includes a global pass on combat music, ensuring the dynamic soundtrack is being triggered correctly for each encounter. This means the music will now more seamlessly and appropriately adapt to the intensity and nature of the combat you’re engaged in, further immersing you in the visceral action.
Gameplay Flow and Weapon Handling: Finer Tuning for Precision
Several key gameplay elements have been refined to improve the overall fluidity and responsiveness of combat:
The ability to interrupt weapon bring-up and Shield Charge recovery animations sooner to perform a block or parry has been implemented. This allows for more reactive defense and precise counter-attacks, reducing moments of vulnerability.
The loading tip for melee being used to refill ammo will now appear more frequently, ensuring players are constantly reminded of this crucial ammo regeneration technique.
Weapon Swap animations have been increased in speed, leading to a more immediate and satisfying transition between your arsenal.
Weapon Balancing: Fine-Tuning the Instruments of Destruction
The developers have undertaken a thorough review of the weapon sandbox, implementing a series of adjustments to ensure a balanced and engaging combat experience.
Rail Spike Impaler: Precision and Power Realigned
The Rail Spike Impaler has received several critical balance adjustments:
Impaler damage versus Hellknight and Vagary demons has been reduced. This recalibration aims to prevent certain enemy types from being overly susceptible to this weapon.
Impaler damage versus armored demons has also been reduced. This encourages players to diversify their approach when facing heavily protected foes.
Further emphasis has been placed on Impaler headshots by increasing headshot damage, while reducing non-headshot damage versus various demons. This rewards precise aiming and skillful execution, making headshots the definitive way to maximize the Impaler’s effectiveness.
Shield Throws that deflect off of larger demons no longer drop Impaler ammo when the Stalwart upgrade is equipped. This adjustment prevents an unintended exploit for ammo regeneration.
The amount of Mace charge received from headshots with the Lobotomy upgrade has been reduced. This ensures a more balanced distribution of Mace charge generation.
Plasma Rifle Class: Ammo and Capacity Adjustments
The Plasma Rifle Class has seen the following adjustments:
Lowered base ammo on the Plasma Rifle Cycler. This encourages more strategic use of this weapon’s ammunition.
The value of ammo capacity increase earned through Demonic Essence upgrades has been adjusted. This ensures these upgrades provide a more balanced benefit.
Lowered maximum ammo capacity of the Plasma Rifle Cycler. This reinforces the need for careful ammo management.
Super Shotgun: Impact and Reload Flexibility
The iconic Super Shotgun has received a few key tweaks:
Reduced Super Shotgun damage versus Hellknight, Mancubus, Pinky Rider, and Cosmic Baron. This ensures these formidable enemies present a more appropriate challenge.
Reduced Super Shotgun damage versus armored demons. Similar to the Impaler, this encourages a more varied approach to armored threats.
Crucially, the player can now interrupt the Super Shotgun reload to perform executions. This adds a new layer of tactical depth, allowing players to seamlessly transition from reloading to a brutal finishing move, keeping the pressure on.
Dreadmace: AOE, Direct Hits, and Charge Mechanics
The Dreadmace has undergone several modifications to its damage output and charge generation:
Executions performed with the Dreadmace equipped now drop the same amount of ammo as executions performed with other melee weapons. This standardizes the ammo rewards for melee finishers. The amount of ammo dropped as a result of other Mace attacks has not changed.
Reduced Dreadmace AOE damage, with increased Dreadmace direct-hit damage to compensate for AOE damage reduction. This shifts the weapon’s focus towards more precise, focused strikes rather than widespread collateral damage.
Parrying a Hell Surge attack drops less Dreadmace charge, and drops triggered as a result of Impaler headshots with the Lobotomy upgrade equipped drop less Dreadmace charge. These changes aim to rebalance the rate at which Mace charge can be generated through specific attack patterns.
Gauntlet: Duelist Upgrade Re-evaluation
The Gauntlet has seen a specific adjustment:
- Lowered the amount of charge received via the Duelist upgrade. This ensures the charge generation from this upgrade is more in line with other mechanics.
Shield Saw: Refined Mechanics for Enhanced Utility
The Shield Saw has been streamlined for better performance:
Removed the slight cooldown on Shield Throw after catching it from a previous throw action. This allows for more rapid and fluid Shield Saw deployments.
Refined Shield Saw parry detection, ensuring more consistent and responsive parry inputs.
Atlan Stomp: Electrifying New Capabilities
The Atlan’s signature Stomp attack has been significantly enhanced:
Adjusted Stomp behavior to apply an electrical stun and shock state to enemies. This introduces a powerful crowd-control and damage-over-time element to the Atlan’s arsenal.
VFX and audio adjustments have been made to accompany this change, providing clear visual and auditory feedback for the new electrical effects.
When attacking shocked enemies, the Atlan will punch faster, creating a synergistic combat loop where shocking enemies directly enhances the Atlan’s offensive capabilities.
Updated the tutorials to cover the new behavior, ensuring players understand how to effectively utilize this revitalized Stomp.
Encounters: Dynamic Adjustments for Greater Challenge
Several encounter designs have been tweaked to provide a more engaging and varied experience:
Updated Atlan encounters to account for new Stomp behavior, ensuring these encounters are balanced with the Atlan’s enhanced capabilities.
The Dragon’s empowered shot time has been extended, providing a more impactful window for engaging this formidable foe.
Anti-Dragon AI’s projectile attacks in the tutorial section have been updated to include line attacks and remove the hourglass projectile, offering a clearer and more predictable learning experience.
Improved tutorial messaging for assault mode dash directions, and added new HUD elements to indicate when the player should initiate assault mode and dodge actions. These visual cues will significantly aid players in mastering the Atlan’s movement mechanics.
Shortened the delay time for AI firing projectiles after lock-on, making enemy attacks feel more immediate and reactive.
Players will now skip straight to the Holy City of Aratum if tutorials are turned off, streamlining the experience for those who prefer to dive straight into the action.
Enemy AI: Sharpening the Fangs of the Demonic Hordes
The intelligence and threat posed by the enemy AI have been significantly refined:
The Kreed Maykr fight has been made more challenging, demanding greater strategic adaptation from the player.
The range on Prince Ahzrak’s spear has been extended, increasing his threat from a distance.
The Old One’s Aerial Slam damage radius now covers the entire arena, making its devastating attack even more impactful. FX and SFX have been added to clearly telegraph this powerful maneuver.
The AOE of the waveblast from the Komodo’s Graviton arm attack has been increased, making its area of effect more potent.
A completed pass on AI logic events ensures they are stopping correctly when AI pain reactions are triggered, preventing instances of unnatural AI behavior.
The Pinky bite attack has been updated with new animations, FX and audio to help the attack read better, providing clearer telegraphing for this dangerous close-range assault.
HP buffs have been added to the Cacodemon, Mancubus, and Armored Mancubus, increasing their survivability and demanding more sustained engagement.
The Chaingunner Soldier’s target acquisition, fire rate, and overall player responsiveness have been addressed, making this enemy a more consistent and formidable threat.
The Pinky Rider leader now fires shield projectiles at the start of the flame wall attack instead of basic fire projectiles, altering its attack pattern and introducing a new threat.
Mancubus Flamethrower damage has been increased, and Mancubus Fireball speed and size have been increased, making these fiery assaults more impactful and harder to evade.
Level Design and Combat Encounter Updates: A Reimagined Battlefield
The update also brings significant changes to various levels and their combat encounters, ensuring a fresh and challenging experience across the entire game.
Checkpoint and Encounter Reworks Across Key Locations
Hebeth: A checkpoint now appears after reaching where the Accelerator would be picked up when playing the level through Mission Select, improving progression flow.
Sentinel Barracks: A checkpoint now appears after reaching where the Pulverizer would be picked up, providing a better save point within the level.
Reckoning: A checkpoint has been added after the intro sync animation for the Prince Ahzrak and Witch fight, ensuring players don’t have to rewatch the lengthy introduction if they fall in battle.
Sentinel Barracks Tomb Arena: The number of spawns in the Stone Imp wave has been reduced, offering a slight respite in this section.
Vagary Champion Encounter: The Mancubus maintain has been reduced from 2 to 1, adjusting the support forces in this encounter.
Holy City of Aratum Secret Gore Nest Encounter: A Nightmare Imp Stalker has been replaced with a Chaingunner, altering the enemy composition. Mancubus maintain for Pinky Rider Leader support and Imp maintain for Pinky Rider Leader support have been added, increasing the threat of the Pinky Rider.
Siege – Part 1 Southside Gore Nest: This full encounter has been reworked, promising a fresh challenge.
Abyssal Forest Overgrowth Mid Encounter: 2 mortar Mancubus have been added, increasing the ranged threat.
Overgrowth Tree: Hellknight ruins arena has been added, and 2 Hellknights have been placed within it.
Canyon Fight: Additional fodder has been added along the path, and an armored Mancubus with phalanx has been introduced, increasing the density of enemies and the threat of shielded foes.
Agaddon Boss Fight: 2 Mancubus and Imps have been added as support, enhancing the boss encounter.
Ancestral Forge Mines switch encounter: A Chaingunner reinforcement and 2 Mancubus have been added, creating more dynamic combat around the switches.
Ancestral Final: all 3 switches to activate: Nightmare Imp Stalkers, Arachnotrons, and Imps have been added to the initial waves. The final fight now includes an Arachnotron on morale shield break and a Hellknight on morale shield break, significantly increasing the difficulty of this climactic encounter.
The Forsaken Plains Left Tower Combat: An Arachnotron maintain has been added after morale shield break.
Right Tower Combat: An Arachnotron and Battleknight have been added after morale shield break, creating a more dangerous post-shield break scenario.
Hellbreaker Castle Interior Ambush: A Nightmare Imp Stalker spawn and Revenant maintain have been added, increasing the threat of this ambush.
Sentinel Command Station Maintenance Hallway Encounter: Imp Stalker maintain has been added, creating more persistent threats.
Tank Hangar: Arachnotron maintain for leader support and Mancubus maintain for leader support have been added, bolstering the defenses around the hangar.
Final Atrium Encounter: Mancubus maintain for Cyberdemon support and Arachnotron maintain for Cyberdemon support have been added, creating a formidable challenge around the Cyberdemon.
From Beyond Machine Space Encounter: A mortar Mancubus maintain and reduced soldiers have been implemented, adjusting the enemy composition in this section.
Summit Encounter: A Revenant maintain has been added, increasing the threat of this high-altitude battle.
Spire of Nerathul Komodo Boss Fight: Arachnotrons have been added to the encounter.
Cliffside Extra Life: Cacodemon and Battleknights have been added, creating a more challenging path to the extra life.
Gore Nest: Whiplash has been removed, and Pinky Rider, Nightmare Imp Stalker, and Revenant have been added before morale break, with Whiplashes after morale break, significantly altering the enemy flow and difficulty curve.
Hanging Ship Path, Stasis Emitter: Arachnotrons have been added.
Cathedral Path Stasis Emitter: Arachnotrons have been added.
Mountaintop Wraith Steel: Battleknights have been added.
Pre-BFC Gauntlet: Whiplash has been added.
City of Ry’uul Undercity Tunnel Arena: Imp Stalker support for Vagary and Arachnotron support for Agaddon leader have been added, increasing the difficulty of these encounters.
Floating Island Gore Nest: Barriers have been added around the floating arena while in combat, and the timing of some enemy spawns has been adjusted, creating a more contained and dynamic combat space.
The Kar’thul Marshes Northside Monolith Arena: Mancubus maintain has been added after morale shield break, increasing the post-break challenge.
Southside Monolith Arena: The area in which enemies can engage the player has been increased, making flanking and positioning more critical.
Temple of Lomarith Shipyard Arena: An Arachnotron has been added on maintain around Vagary, and a change roll command has been added if the player ignores the first Arachnotron and Revenant, creating a more dynamic engagement with the Vagary. Force charge is now triggered once the morale shield is broken, adding an immediate threat.
Belly of the Beast Belly Formation Encounter: Revenant has been removed, and a maintain group with Mancubus and Armored Arachnotron around Vagary has been added, adjusting the enemy composition.
Temple Return Encounter: An Armored Arachnotron around Agaddon has been added.
Hunter Harbor of Souls Courtyard Encounter: Revenant maintain to Vagary wave leader has been added, bolstering the Vagary’s defenses.
Leader Komodo Encounter: Arachnotron maintain to Leader Komodo wave has been added, increasing the threat around the Komodo.
Barge Deck Encounter: Mancubus have been added to the Komodo wave, and two Mancubus and two Lost Souls on morale shield break have been added, along with Arachnotron maintain for Pinky Rider Leader support, escalating the intensity of these encounters.
Resurrection Farm Leader Encounter: Whiplash has been added to the enforcer group, an Armored Arachnotron maintain around Cyberdemon has been added, and change morale break spawns from 2 Whiplashes to Acolyte and Arachnotron, maintaining an Armored Arachnotron after shield break, significantly increasing the threat of this encounter.
Graveyard Leader Encounter: The Cyberdemon has been added to the front portion of the encounter, and the Pinky Rider has been changed to an enforcer with enforced heavies in that pod. A Battleknight has been added near the Pinky Rider Enforcer, and a Chaingunner has been added near the Arachnotron spawn. Mancubus have been spawned once the leader spawns in, and Arachnotrons have been spawned around half leader health, creating a multi-faceted and challenging engagement.
Village Leader Encounter: Mancubus have been added around the leader, and an Acolyte has been added.
Acolyte Cave Gore Nest Encounter: This full encounter has been reworked.
Outside Gore Nest Encounter: Cacodemon maintain has been added after the first superheavy death.
Blue Key artillery Berserk Encounter: Armored Pinky Rider, Armored Arachnotron, Mancubus, and 2 Whiplashes have been added, creating a highly challenging combat scenario.
Final Battle All Encounters: 1-2 additional Titans per area have been added, significantly increasing the challenge of the game’s final encounters.
Reckoning Final morale fight: Battleknight maintain has been added after morale shield break, and in the Boss Vagary rematch, Mancubus spawns and Armored Arachnotron maintain have been added, escalating the difficulty of these final confrontations.
Lighting, Bug Fixes, and Engine Enhancements: Polishing the Slayer’s Experience
Beyond the major content additions and balance changes, DOOM: The Dark Ages Update 2 also includes a suite of essential improvements to lighting, bug fixes, and engine functionality.
Lighting Optimizations for Enhanced Visual Clarity
Hebeth: Optimized some shadows for potential issues with wide FOV, ensuring a consistent visual experience across different field-of-view settings.
Minor lighting adjustments to Ancestral Forge and Reckoning to improve readability in combat spaces, making it easier to track enemies and navigate the battlefield.
Comprehensive Bug Fixes: Squashing the Demonic Annoyances
A substantial list of bug fixes has been implemented to ensure a smoother and more stable experience:
Crashes: Fortifying Stability
Fixed a rare crash in Harbor of Souls when approaching the Fortress Gate near the Armored Mancubus on PC.
Fixed a crash when attempting to load Pandemonium save data from Update 1.
Fixed a crash during the Spire of Nerathul water drain cinematic.
Resolved a rare crash on the map loading screen when transitioning to Spire of Nerathul.
Gameplay: Refining Core Mechanics
Checkpoints: Players who die or reload a checkpoint after receiving a Demonic Essence upgrade no longer need to kill the leader again to receive the upgrade. This also fixes the map completion being stuck at 99% for some players. Addressed an issue with reloading the checkpoint or dying during the Armored Titan arena that caused new demons to spawn and progression to be blocked.
Traversal Jump Pads: Several jump pads now correctly trigger the launching SFX and launch the player.
Visual: Fixed a bug where small variations of the camera’s FOV (e.g. 90 to 91 or 92) could cause some grass instances to be culled incorrectly and disappear, preventing the ground from appearing to flicker when firing weapons in certain locations.
PlayStation 5: Fixed a rare crash on PlayStation 5 while in combat in the final demonic portal Slayer arena.
Milestones: Fixed an issue that could cause the Berserker Milestone to complete early.
Enemy AI: Improving Demonic Behavior
Made an adjustment to AI melee attacks to prevent damage from going around the player’s shield.
Lowered the idle time for the Battleknight between spawning and attacking.
Battle Knight: Fixed a bug where axe swings wouldn’t consistently collide with the player when other AI were nearby.
Agaddon Hunter now plays death animations and does not go straight into ragdoll.
Cacodemon shield now visually appears without any invulnerability window.
Fixed an issue with the Komodo, where it could still take damage from a parry AOE when surrounded by the leader shield.
Mancubus: The Mancubus and Armored Mancubus now correctly stop firing projectiles from a severed right arm.
Armored Mancubus: Parried projectile no longer hovers in air if the AI dies mid-flight.
The Old One: The Mace no longer disappears during attacks after using Atlan Siege Breaker.
Fixed an issue where Hell Carrier projectiles hitting the Dragon might not cause pain reaction SFX if the target lock was delayed.
Addressed a bug where the Whiplash was not immediately stunned by the embedded Shield Saw attack after slithering.
Enforcer Buff VFX now correctly display on Cosmic Barons and Imps.
Weapons: Addressing Weapon-Specific Issues
Resolved a rare issue where the player could get control locked after fully upgrading a weapon.
Shield Saw: Shield Charge impact no longer triggers a Glory Kill on nearby dazed enemies. Shield Throw is no longer briefly inhibited after swapping to certain weapons and immediately firing that weapon. Fixed a bug that allowed for multiple parries in instances where it was unintended.
Super Shotgun: Fixed a bug where the Super Shotgun reload would prevent Shield Throw.
Accelerator: Overload impact VFX of the projectiles is now red instead of blue. Pulse firing the weapon no longer allows the player to charge the weapon for half the ammo cost.
Gauntlet: Addressed an issue where the Encore upgrade was affecting standard charges of the Gauntlet, increasing its refill rate beyond what is intended.
Mace: Fixed an issue where the Mace would no longer cause Heavy Falters after purchasing certain upgrades.
Atlan: Fixed an issue where the Atlan was invincible when dodging left. Fixed an issue where the Atlan’s Perfect Dodge window was extending beyond the Dodge action.
Levels: Resolving Environmental Anomalies
Hebeth: The Zombie fodder AI is no longer placed inside the wall behind the plasma accelerator weapon pickup.
The Holy City of Aratum: Fixed a rare bug where the tanks on the assault mode tutorial tower would split in half and fire at the player. The Slayer can no longer become stuck in scaffold wreckage collision near the Cycler pickup arena on the undercity landing zone.
Siege – Part 2: The Titan no longer disappears after restarting the checkpoint. The player can no longer respawn behind the demonic barrier by jumping into fade volume near the beginning of the bridge to the elevator room. The Revenant near the turret courtyard no longer becomes idle when pathing through the doorway.
Abyssal Forest: The user can no longer become trapped between rocks and fall out of the world.
Hellbreaker: Fixed a bug where the Crushinator Mission Challenge was counting Hell Tanks towards its completion.
From Beyond: The checkpoint in the machine space now functions correctly and no longer places the player at the pre-summit checkpoint.
Spire of Nerathul: The Slayer can now traverse on water in multiple places in the sunken path secret area. The wall scrambles in the BFC temple area are now reflected on the Automap. The Imp no longer spawns stuck against the wall in the sunken path secret area.
The Kar’thul Marshes: The minor arena north of the Sentinel shrine will now correctly complete on the Automap.
Temple of Lomarith: The Automap now includes the leader encounter Icon in shipwreck arena. The player can no longer hit the metal target node from the ground floor to bypass the Cosmic Eye water tunnel in shipwreck arena.
Resurrection: The cave hazards on the path to the Kreed Maykr ship now move correctly after checkpoint reload. Added a delay before the Kreed Maykr can use a laser attack after being interrupted by a falter or daze.
Reckoning: The Cosmic Baron in the berserk pickup room encounter before Prince Ahzrak fight can now fit through arched doorways. The Witch now has the daze ring after being dazed.
Engine and UI Enhancements: A Smoother, More Responsive Experience
Engine: VRS/VRCS has been implemented for PC, matching the functionality already present on consoles. This can lead to improved performance and visual fidelity. Corrected an issue in which there was visible banding on water surfaces in some cases.
Cinematics:
- Village of Khalim: The intro text no longer appears in gameplay briefly if the Player skips the cinematic.
- Barrier Core: Skipping the power core interactive no longer results in vessel door and light/smoke VFX remaining in the game.
- The Holy City of Aratum: The explosion SFX during the transition between cinematics is no longer cut off with tutorials turned off. Fixed an issue where press hold to skip cinematic is happening before you see the prompt to press hold to skip.
- Siege – Part 1: Holding down the space bar on the wall climb at the end of the level will no longer cause the player to accidentally skip the cinematic.
UI:
- Bethesda.net: The 20-character password limit no longer blocks players from linking their Bethesda.net account.
- The Holy City of Aratum: The active Dragon dodge tutorial window no longer overlaps the passive Dragon assault mode tutorial window.
- Adjusting the *“Empowered Attacks” modifier now correctly applies the [M] tag to a save file.
- Benchmark Mode: Updated The Abyssal Forest screenshot.
- Accelerator: Overload: Both charge bars no longer rubber band and drop to lower charge amounts before returning to normal.
- Settings – Parry & Melee Slow Motion: Removed the extra impulse being applied to a corpse’s ragdoll after executing a demon when this setting is turned off.
Audio:
- Grenade Launcher: The Grenade Launcher explosion SFX no longer sounds distorted when firing multiple times in succession.
- Atlan low health audio no longer plays while around 350 health.
- Updated Stone Imp immolation sound effects.
This comprehensive update to DOOM: The Dark Ages delivers an exhilarating new game mode, significant balance refinements, and a wealth of quality-of-life improvements. The introduction of the Ripatorium alone provides a compelling reason for both new and returning players to dive back into the demonic fray, offering endless replayability and a true test of skill. Coupled with the expanded difficulty options, refined weapon mechanics, and extensive bug fixes, this update solidifies DOOM: The Dark Ages as a must-play title for fans of intense, challenging, and deeply satisfying first-person shooter gameplay. Prepare to enter the Ripatorium and unleash your fury.