An unstoppable force is invading planet earth, sweeping across each continent with frightening speed and efficiency. The governments of the world are powerless to stop this sudden attack and civilisation as we know it has ground to a stop. Also, this week I have been reviewing DOOM Eternal.

My tendency for dark humour aside, it has been an awful sight to see so many of the things we love in the world shutting down. Somebody joked on Discord this week that they have been in training for this social isolation their entire gaming life, in all seriousness - it’s not a bad hobby to have right now. In perfect timing I have also had a cold, so have been self-isolating for seven days. It was probably fortuitous that my review code for DOOM Eternal arrived at the start of this week and as such, I’ve spent a good deal of time in hell.

We have a History

The existence of ‘Doom 4’ was officially being kicked around as far back as 2007 by John Carmack but with many delays and nothing to show off, the game’s future was looking bleak. Then in 2013, the project was rebooted with a team reshuffle and I suspect it was here that the games radical take on Doom lore was implemented. While some think the 2016 DOOM was a continuation of Doom 64 this has never been confirmed and how all the various version tie-up is tenuous at best. So, for now, let’s forget all the older Doom titles and focus on what most have called a reboot. There’s a decent video I will link below that explains the history of this more complicated Doom Slayer.

In DOOM Eternal we get a far deeper look at many of the themes touched on in the first game. Where does Argent Energy come from, how is it processed and even a deeper understanding of (this) Doom Slayer himself. As I will talk about, while I was disappointed at the lack of earth-based levels, this game does show us some amazing locations that connect right to the core of Doom.

Heavy Metal

Killing demons is, of course, the meat/potatoes of any Doom game and on this level, we have been well looked after. The old gang is back for sure, from Imps, Cyberdemons, Cacodemons and many we have come to love (shooting). New demons include the Whiplash, Carcass, Marauder and Doom Hunter. That last one is an absolute bugger to fight and I would personally take on two Cyber Demons in its stead any day.

Most of the weapons we saw in the last game make a return with a few changes here and there. Each boom stick comes with various alternative fire modes that can be themselves upgraded in certain ways. What is really cool about this system is that it doesn’t just add damage but actually changes the way the weapon behaves. There is even a mastery mode which requires you to fulfil a certain objective to then receive another ability for that firing mode. The double shotgun for example now has a chain hook which yeets you towards your target and allows you to give them a double-barrelled kiss. When you have completed your mastery quest attaching the chain will also set enemies on fire: not bad. Like before, once you have an enemy near death they will start to flash and you can then perform a gore kill. These have been improved for Eternal, with even more ludicrously grotesque ways to dispatch your demonic foes. A nice improvement to combat is also the damage models on most demons, so you will literally see chunks of flesh being blown off as they attempt to do the same to you.

As for melee attacks, the aforementioned chainsaw will take down any small to medium demons as long as you have the fuel. When I first started the game I immediately noticed that my punches didn't seem to be doing any damage. Very soon the game introduces the blood punch, a powerful melee attack that charges up with each gore takedown. So I guess they made the normal punch dish out love taps in order to make the blood punch seem more powerful. The most deadly (and impressive looking) melee weapon and one featured in a lot of the advertising is the Cipher. This sword is the only weapon capable of nobbling a Titan and you get to use it on garden variety demons. Like the chainsaw, it requires energy (or pips) that you will find around each level. While your BFG will clear most rooms in one shot, hacking a Cyberdemon into three pieces is quite a sight to behold. The only downside is that this weapon appears quite late in the campaign which is a shame.

I was also sad to see my old trusty pistol missing this time around which was always good to fall back on when getting low on ammo - which leads me to my next point. Unlike the prior game, Eternal will often leave you really scratching around for ammo, so much so that I was often actually left absolutely dry while still facing a room full of guests. Taking a chainsaw to demons face will pop them like Spanish Piñata, showering you with health and ammo; but this temporary reprieve relies on you having chainsaw fuel. It is fortunate that as the last game, grenades are unlimited and you can even pitch a new cryogenic nade to slow enemies down. 

Hop Skip and Grapple

When the Doom Marine was discovered before the commencement of the first (2016) game a number of artefacts were found with him including an ancient armour suit. The Praetor suit was seemingly custom-designed and missing only one component: The Doom Marine himself. The Slayers awesome physical abilities combined with this suit made him more than a match for the armies of hell in DOOM 2016. Now having the ability to jump and double jump also gave the levels a bit more verticality. 

In Eternal we now see this taken even further with the inclusion of monkey bars and climbable walls. Once you make contact with the various monkey bars (they are very obvious) you will be catapulted in that direction. You will then still have a second jump and both of your dashes to reach your destination. There are even power-ups that replenish your dash midair allowing for a greater distance. Once near a climbable wall, you can either manually grab it or it will be automatic if you dash into it. I’ll be honest, I’m not a fan of the climbing as it feels stiff and the animation isn’t the best, with that said it does the job.

Secret areas and collectables have always been a thing in Doom games and this one is no exception. What makes map exploration even more fun this time around is how much more limber our Doom guy is. Yes, most of the aerial shenanigans feel very gameified but hey, they are mostly fun and let you see those impressive levels from a different perspective. As with the prior game there are also a tonne of upgrades to ponder including crystals which add abilities and a core stat upgrades. Then there’s the suit itself which can have various new improvements and abilities unlocked, there is a lot to take in for sure.

Great Expectations 

When I first start playing Eternal didn’t know a great deal other than this time Hell was invading Earth and we had a choppy sword to play with. At the end of the 2016 game, you had just been betrayed (and imprisoned) by Haden, the powerful cyborg who helps you reach your goal. In the opening hour of the game it seems Haden is now fucked in a repair pod and you are up in orbit on some kind of ancient space castle. The Fortress of Doom is an ancient vessel used by the Sentinels and will be your hub for this game. All your collectibles including Vinyl albums, your weapons and Doom toys are all shown off here. The castle also has a number of unlockable rooms using power cores you pick up out in the field. This home away from home is actually a nice touch, even if it also feels a bit random.

Given this is meant to be an attack on earth it is disappointing not to see any recognisable landmarks or indications of where you are on the planet. Just some token generic skyscrapers on fire in the distance. Also, humans gadding around escaping the depots of hell would have been a nice touch but alas, not a one. You do come across humans in a later part of the game and the manner in which you do is very cool. As you walk through a science facility people are almost scattering in awe at the sight of you. There are some absolutely fantastic missions, my favourite being the one centred around the BFG 10,000. I just think it was such a wasted opportunity that most of the game’s missions are not on earth and those that are don't feel like it. 

Is it PC? 

The id Tech Engines are the Rolls Royce of game engines because they are just so solid you can throw anything at them. Now on id Tech 7, DOOM Eternal shows off bigger levels with lots more going on than the previous games. In terms of overall performance, this title is flawless and even running on an old 980GTX the framerate is slicker than snot. The demons themselves also look better than ever and of course have that new damage system I already mentioned. I do think environments can be a little low detail in places, like the human souls trapped in cages for example - look very last gen. However, for most people, they will be so busy fighting they won’t even notice these small inconsistencies. As for controls, well you could play with a controller but on PC there is only one real way to play DOOM Eternal. Mouse and Keyboard is fully utilised with key mapping and every other option you could wish for.

My only real criticism for the game is that there is too much fluff appearing around the core single-player campaign. The Battle Mode which lets players fight with demons just feels tacked on and uninspired. There is a whole slew of cosmetic upgrades such as badges, stances and so on to unlock. This is my personal preference but I just want to play the single-player game, I guess if that’s your thing you are covered.

The music, oh Lordy the music in this game rocks nuclear bells. Right from the off, there is a metal soundtrack that plays to the beat of your bullets. Each conflict feels more intense as the various guitar and drum effects ripple through your ears, pushing you on to the next demon. I watched a short documentary about how the music for DOOM Eternal was recorded which I will link below for your viewing pleasure. 

Conclusion 

The original Doom games were a constant sight in any shop selling computers in the 1990s, most managers would set up copies on each system and leave the gameplay demo running. In those days the concept of Doom was as simple as it gets: a pissed-off Marine blasting his way through hell. I always loved that sense you were starting off in relatively human environments like offices and industrial areas. Then as you got deeper, the influence of hell became more obvious, like in the 80’s classic Big Trouble in Little China. 

This new rebooted DOOM is made of deeper stuff and there is lore galore for those who like that kind of thing. As I have covered, apart from the amazing Mars mission (you will see why) the large cathedral-like levels became a bit overdone. I would have far rather seen us spending more time on Earth this time around, which is itself a goldmine of amazing locations. Imagine fighting across the Golden Gate Bridge or seeing Big Ben being pulled down by a Titan.  Regardless of my own personal feelings there is no denying that this is a fantastic sequel to what was already the best Shooter we’ve seen in a long time. This is a must-own title for anyone who loves the series or just likes shooters.

Thank you for reading my review of DOOM Eternal on PC. I would also like to thanks the UK Bethesda office for sending us a review code which really helps get the review in place for when you need it. If you enjoyed the review please come back and follow me on Twitter @riggedforepic