Video Games
Use The Force in This ‘Star Wars’ Meets ‘DOOM II’ Mod
Mixing Star Wars and DOOM is kind of a no-brainer. Sure, there was the excellent Star Wars: Dark Forces back in the day, but I’m talking about mods. Luckily, Xim’s Star Wars Doom mod for DOOM II does more than just bring over weapons and enemies from Dark Forces. The mod also gives us something that was lacking in Dark Forces: Force powers like Push, Pull, Heal, and Choke.
Originally released last year, the mod has been updated with a few new fixes. The mod eliminates the DOOM II hitscan weapons (which was almost all of them) in favour of the projectile-based mechanics of Dark Forces. Also, enemy infighting has been removed. Imperials, aliens, and bounty hunters will fight the other side, but not amongst themselves. So, you can’t provoke Stormtrooper into taking each other out, but you can get them to take out bounty hunters. The mod includes 25 weapons (many from Dark Forces), more than 40 enemies, and new music and sounds. There are also optional add-on packs will replace props, add more new music, and fix compatibility issues with some mega WADs.
Oh yeah, and those Force powers. Finding two lightsabers in the mod will unlock Force abilities, and with each new one you come across, a new power unlocks. Along with the Push, Pull, Heal, and Choke, you also have the Mind Trick, which causes confuses enemies and causes them to wander around temporarily, Lightning (which does extra damage to mechanical enemies), and the always enjoyable Saber Throw.
To play the mod, you’ll need a copy of DOOM II, along with GZDoom, which you can snag here.
Released way back in 2021 onto Steam, Milkbar Lads’ gory, fast-paced, roguelike shooter Dead Estate has finally arrived on the PlayStation 5 and the Nintendo Switch, with Switch 2 compatibility. The console releases contain all of the previously-released expansions, including the entirely separate campaign inspired by classic survival horror games, “Assignment Anya”.
There isn’t much to the story of Dead Estate, which is probably for the best. All you need to know is that you’re stuck in a monster-filled mansion, from which you’ve obviously got to escape. Your only way out is to ascend the floors of the mansion with one of 10 unique characters, collect loads of items and weapons, and tackle the grueling challenges within. Along the way, you will discover secrets and the many unlockables.
And yes, there are loads of weapons and items for the game’s close-quarters combat. 150 weapons and 300 items, to be exact, making each run unique. Adding to that uniqueness are the many alternate floors and floor variants of the mansion. There are also modifiers and difficulty levels available to further maximize replayability.
And as mentioned, Dead Estate also includes a nod to Resident Evil 4 with Assignment Anya, an obvious play on Assignment: Ada. With this expansion, which is set prior to the events of the main game, you play as Anya, a fledgling actress who finds herself helplessly lost in the mansion after her film crew is attacked by the undead. Abandoned by her leading man and left alone with nothing but a mask with which to disguise herself, Anya must escape the increasingly warped and deadly estate all on her own.