Developers from id Software responded to player feedback and released a special hotfix for DOOM: The Dark Ages , aimed at increasing the difficulty of the game. Particular attention was paid to the level "Nightmare".
The main changes in the patch concern balance: the developers increased the damage from key opponents (Agaddon Hunter, Cosmic Baron, Hell Knight, Komodo and Pink Knight), reduced the frequency of healing and armor drops, and weakened the effectiveness of weapons against some bosses. In the Nightmare mode, penalties for parrying errors have been increased, and the mechanics of some bosses, including the final one, have been rebalanced.
According to the developers, these changes should reduce player survivability and encourage the use of a tactical approach, making the gameplay more demanding in terms of skill.
It's important to note that the hotfix only addresses balance and difficulty issues, leaving behind larger issues such as the Berserker trophy issues that continue to plague players.
The developers emphasize that the changes will become more noticeable as the difficulty level increases, encouraging players to rely on tactics rather than just brute force.