‘Doom II’ has received its first true expansion since the '90s with the release of ‘Legacy of Rust’, an expansion pack that is part of Nightdive and id Software’s newly released “definitive” bundle, ‘Doom + Doom II’. Said expansion contains two new, 8-level episodes, named ‘The Vulcan Abyss’ and ‘Counterfeit Eden’ respectively, that are designed to deliver an exhilarating experience as players once again step into the shoes of Doomguy in order to battle through yet another UAC facility (an industry facility this time) overrun by hellish forces.
‘Legacy of Rust’ has been developed by a team of veteran modders, now working at id Software, Nightdive, and MachineGames, for the purpose of revitalising ‘Doom II’ for a new generation and showing old veterans just how far game designing and modding has come in the last 30 years. And it seems to do just that as it stands out as a stellar addition to the classic FPS.
Firstly, the expansion introduces new enemies and weapons that challenge players in fresh ways. New monsters like the ‘Ghoul’, ‘Shocktrooper’, and ‘Vassago’ add variety and intensity to combat encounters, while new weapons like the flamethrower and ‘Calamity Blade’ offer new strategies and tactics for tackling said encounters. The level designs of the expansion are similarly well done, with a dedicated designing team spearheaded by longtime modder Xaser Acheron blending the old-school feel of Doom with modern encounter design, thus ensuring that each fight feels dynamic and engaging. Each level seems to flow seamlessly as industrial settings are combined with surreal, fleshy hellscapes, with all of it coming together to create a coherent and immersive journey.
And besides the well made and exciting new campaign, ‘Legacy of Rust’ also offers new resources, including monsters and weapons, for the general modding community, as well as a new official map format, ID24, which enhances visual fidelity. So, not only will this expansion breathe new life into ‘Doom II’ (not that it needs it with all the mods) and put it on the radar for a new generation, it’ll also sets a new standard for future mods and expansions, thus promising a bright future for the game's enduring community.
