Doom Eternal is still in a league of its own, as soon as you get the dash (and arguably Super Shotgun for the hookshot) you have the most important ability for the game, increased movement. But if we're talking abilities this game fucking exploded after 2016, not only is the Chainsaw now a recurring feature you MUST remember to use or run out of ammo, you also get a flamethrower on cooldown that makes enemies drop armour, a frag/ice grenade on another cooldown on another seperate button and now enemies all have 'weaknesses' like the Arachno turrets or Mancubus arms. Between the cooldown abilities, the synergistic element to them all, the alt fires on your guns and tracking your double jumps and double dashes, you have to now think really rather quickly or get destroyed, I don't think you're going to force the 2016 playstyle here…at least on higher difficulties.
I have to say there is a bit more downtime than I remember, but it doesn't lose a point over it (although his ship is way too big innit'?) and this is the game where the story started to miss the point of what made Doom Guy/Slayer cool IMO, it wasn't because he was a chosen warrior imbued with godly power or whatever bollocks it is in this game, I liked that he was just a really angry space marine driven by pure rage.
Some of the areas aren't linear at all, which is good imo but they made a conscious decision to not give a map (which was absolutely criminal in the gestral village), presumably because of the Expedition somewhat feeling their way forwards but they could have easily had it fill in on the fly. I don't really mind it too much though.
Ninja Gaiden Black 2 > Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
Baldur's Gate 3
Shadow Hearts > Atelier Sophie: the Alchemist of the Mysterious Book
Gunstar Heroes
Koudelka
The Punisher
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Final Fantasy VII (PS1)
Doom: The Dark Ages
Doom (2016) - Pleasently surprised to announce that this still absolutely kicks ass, I don't think the quality dips at all the entire game from the amazing intro on the elevator to the very end, it spikes but it's just a game that never gets boring at all. If anything you'll need to take a break because some of these combat scenarios are fucking intense, lacking the defense of TDA or mobility of Eternal you basically need to be aware of where things are at all times, by the end my brain felt like Spider Mastermind's after Doom Slayer fired the BFG inside it's mouth.
Not sure if I wanna' jump into Doom Eternal or asap or not, I want to but man
I don't wanna' make it sound like Metaphor is a slouch or anything, Press Turn System is still the best turn based combat system I think, Archetypes are really good and narratively I think Metaphor is good at throwing curveballs so you're always surprised every now and then, but I had such a good time with E33 from start to end.
Metaphor Re:Fantazio is coming to Game Pass too, it's probably had its moment and we have Expedition 33 now (which is a better game) but this was still my GOTY last year.
Alastor