I'm curious what you guys have to say about this. Are there any games you consider perfect? Can a game even be perfect?
My example of a perfect game is always Portal 1. Portal 2 has more going on, but in 1 there just isn't anything to shave off. From start to end, there is nothing I'd change about the game. It's short, infinitely replayable, great pacing. I like Portal 2 a lot in concept, in concept it should be a perfect sequel, but it just doesn't keep the extreme tightness of the original game.
Doom 2016 felt like the perfect reply to all of the trends that Call of Duty started and everybody else copied. It was so fresh when it came out - Eternal might be a better game in a lot of ways but it didn't floor me the way 2016 did.
Exactly the same experience. Eternal was an exciting and impressive iteration but it started closer to the ceiling.
There was a moment in Eternal though, the greatest one of any of the games:
spoiler
When you finally, finally manage to kill the Doom Hunter - the demon on the hovercraft.
It kills you over and over again, but you manage to eke out a win. The floor opens up and you jump down to the next area. WHERE YOU HAVE TO FIGHT TWO OF THE FUCKING THINGS AT ONCE.
My jaw actually dropped and I said YOU MOTHER FUCKERS. It was so fucking wild. What a boss move. The absolute sense of humor. One of my fondest gaming memories. NOBODY else, NO other studio has the balls to do that.