Is Doom Eternal Worth it? That is the question now that the game is out. Doom Eternal like all other Doom games, is a combat-oriented game. Every aspect of the game is there to provide the best combat experience possible. The faster you can move your finger on a controller or a keyboard the better are results. Combat is so fast-paced that you would need Sharingan to be in par with it (At least on high frame rate). Doom Eternal is a game that is meant to be played on high frame rates. The game is also offering some insight into the Doom universe. Some questions regarding the Doom Slayer and the world, in general, have also be cleared.
There are some flaws in the game. Platforming and finding upgrades can get extremely annoying to the point of giving up on the game. Once you get the hang of game mechanics then it won’t be that big of a deal but it will be there. Combat of Doom Eternal is the real shining star. The moment you shot, you feel the rush of combat. Combat of the game is extremely immersive, entertaining, and heart pumping. The adrenal rush that you feel with fast pace combat of Doom is on the Next level with Doom Eternal. All of the combat mechanics of Doom Eternal have complete integration which provides exceptional combat that will let you crave for more.
Story and World is Not the Focus of Doom Eternal
Doom Eternal takes place on Earth as Doom Slayer tries to save the planet from demons. Is Doom Eternal worth it? Based on the story of the game. After knowing it you can decide it is or not. The game takes place two years after the events of Doom 2016. Doom Slayer goes on the quest to annihilate demons from Earth and save the planet from destruction. Before Doom Slayer could arrive on earth, 60% of humanity has been wiped out. He starts hunting priests to stop the invasion of Hell.
The game also shows the back story of Doom Slayer. There are some plot holes in the game but its story is an improvement over the previous game. It’s still not the best but it does serve its purpose to propel the player forward. There are some plot holes in the story in the beginning. For instance, you won’t know what happened during two years between Doom 2016 and Doom Eternal. Eventually, you will get the full idea of the present plot of the game. The game does not have a story-driven narrative so the plot is there as a means to an end.
Is Doom Eternal worth it? Well, when you buy a Doom game you don’t focus on its plot but rather the aggressive combat. Even though Doom Eternal is a combat-oriented game it still does a great job of providing a good premise.
Environmental Storytelling is Good but the World Seem Empty
The game does a great job in environmental storytelling by showing the perfect version of Earth invaded by otherworldly beings. Buildings are full of demonic stuff and every other thing shares a type of resemblance with demons. There is gross looking meat encompassing everything which makes sense but the world is empty. The only beings you see are demons. Where are the 40% remaining humans? Throughout the game, you only meet humans in two missions. In both these missions, they are in cuts scenes. The lack of NPCs is similar to Bethesda’s Fallout 76. I get it, Doom Eternal has a different type of premise but there are supposed to be some humans. Death Space has humans, even though it’s in a space ship.
General Gameplay of Doom Eternal offers Change of Pace
There are some new gameplay mechanics and there are also some improvements over old mechanics. The most prominent addition is wall climbing. Doom Slayer can now climb on specific types of surfaces. These surfaces are different and they are easy to identify. However, sometimes these surfaces are small or unclear which can get annoying. There is some platforming in the game and not knowing the limit of platforming can turn out to be a real pain. The game won’t give you much information so finding a way can get really frustrating sometimes. Is Doom Eternal Worth it? There is more to this question then meets the eye.
The map of Doom Eternal is not close-ended because there is some freedom of movement. It’s not a liberating experience but it’s not a completely linear experience too. The levels are not big but it does give you the freedom to explore a little bit without stopping you dead in tracks. Most of the sideways that you find lead to collectibles or rewards. Nearly all the time there is only one way to reach collectibles or objectives so just follow green lights.
In the beginning, finding your way around can get frustrating to the point when you will want to abandon all collectibles and upgrades. There is no XP system so you can only upgrade your weapons, abilities, and suit through collectibles. Luckily, most of the collectibles are easy to find but not all. In the beginning, even finding the most obvious thing can get frustrating because you won’t know what to look for. The point is that collectibles can distract you from the glory of combat. Now what you think, Is Doom Eternal Worth it?
Main Missions are Straightforward but Side Activities can get Extremely Annoying
Sometimes even simplest missions get so frustrating that you would want to give up. Finding main objectives is not that big of an issue but finding collectibles and upgrades can get really annoying. Sometimes even the most obvious path to an objective might be distracting. Green lighting is usually the clue that this is the way but some obvious paths are not even marked with green lights. Can you imagine searching for a way only to realize that it was right in front of you the whole time? As you play the game you will begin to familiarize yourself with it and finding a way will become easier. You can also see a video on YouTube but if you are a completionist and want to do everything on your own then keep your eyes open.
Most of the weapon parts and runes are easy to find. You will find most of them laying around on the path to your main objective. There are tombs in the game that serve as side missions. Finding key for tombs is not that complicated and they are not that hard to complete. Challenges, however, are a different story that can get out of hand. In challenges, you have to kill a certain number of enemies or some time a boss before the time runs out. Sometimes completing these quests can get frustrating because superweapon doesn’t work on major bosses. Doom Eternal is difficult, not as difficult as souls like games but it is difficult in its own way. The difficulty of the game can sometimes compromise the aggressive combat of Doom Eternal. So, Is Doom Eternal worth it? Don’t decide yet let’s find out some more.
Saying that Combat of Doom Eternal is Amazing Would Be An Understatement.
Combat of Doom Eternal is the real shining star. From the beginning of the game, you will know that the combat of the game means business. Every weapon in Doom Eternal is amazing and adds a sense of rush to the combat. To reach the full potential of combat you have to use every ability and weapon in your arsenal. The combat of the game is designed to be fast. You can be as effective as the movement of your fingers. The faster you move your finger the more effective the combat is. At high FPS on a PC, the combat of Doom Eternal is a sight to behold. Sure the difficulty can bottleneck combat effectiveness but the rush is still there.
There are so many weapons to select even while in the middle of an aggressive battle or hurling in the air. Changing multiple weapons in the middle of combat is what makes it all the more fun. The game will force you to get aggressive for the precious health drops and armor because you can only find it by taking down enemies. The music of the game motivates you to push harder and tear down all the demons. Music is a motivational speech in Doom Eternal.
Killing enemies will drop health while burning them will drop armor. You need to use a chainsaw to kill enemies for ammo drops. There are armor, health, and ammo lying around on different levels but you will quickly end them due to the aggressive combat of Doom Eternal. Glory kills can make the job easier because it gives you a chance to kill enemies quickly and drop more health points from them.
Each Weapon and Ability will Provide More Versatility in Combat
Weapons in Doom Eternal include Combat Shotgun, Super Shotgun, Heavy Cannon, Rocket Launcher, Plasma Rifle, BFG 9000, and Ballista. The super shotgun is now equipped with a meat hook which serves as a grappling hook. You can use the hook as alternate fire mode and it will propel you toward enemies. The meat hook is an amazing addition that gets you up close to the enemies for a massive amount of damage. It can only be attached to enemies. The fully upgraded version of Super shotgun will even do fire damage which will result in armor drop.
There are two types of melee weapons energy sword (crucible blade) and chain saw. Killing with chainsaw results in ammo and health drop while attacks with crucible blade can take down enemies with a single blow. Each weapon has different animations which adds a sense variety even to weapon mods.
Pros and Cons of Gameplay
The game rewards you for aggressive gameplay but you have to be quick to survive. You won’t see any NPCs but you will see demons attacking each other without any damage. Doom Slayer is the only one that can inflict any type of damage on them. You can use prison for practice in the Doom Fortress which will serve as the base of operation.
Sometimes finding a way through platforming and jumping can break the flow of your combat. If you want to buy Doom Eternal for combat then these side activities might annoy you. The game is difficult in the beginning on medium difficulty but it can better once you upgrade weapons, abilities, and suit. For the upgrades, you will need side activities, collectibles and weapon parts which can get frustrating.
The loading time and fast travel time is low, so you can die as much as you want because enemies won’t respawn. You can also replay levels on the master difficulty which will test the limit of your skills. Doom Eternal has a nightmarish difficulty in Nightmare mode. Regardless of the general gameplay, the extraordinary combat of Doom Eternal can’t be denied. Is Doom Eternal worth it? For the combat.
Battle Mode is the Multiplayer Mode of Doom Eternal
Battle Mode pits two player-controlled demons against a fully equipped player-controlled Doom Slayer. The multiplayer offers a new type of PVP experience that is supposed to provide a little more Doom experience after you finish the combat. The multiplayer is not as big as battle royale but it servers its purpose. Demons can summon other minions while Doom Slayer has the firepower to pack a mean punch.
To win the game Doom Slayer need to kill both demons but there is a catch. Doom Slayer has to kill both players before either of them could respawn. As the Doom Slayer, you will need to kill both opponents subsequently to gain victory. As Demons all you need to kill Doom Slayer, while you can outnumber him you cannot outgun him. Doom Slayer can kill the minions that you summon to drop armor, health, and ammo from them. There is a balance in the game, providing an equal chance to both teams.
The multiplayer is not that extraordinary because as Doom Slayer you can’t use your full potential as you could in the campaign. There is no slow motion while changing a weapon or using bullet time ability. It is still a fun play because it gives you a chance to experience gameplay from different perceptive. There are five different types of demons at launch which include Arch-Vile, Marauder, Revenant, Mancubus, and Pain Elemental. Each demon offers a different type of gameplay that players can use for their advantage.
Is it Your Type of Game?
Doom Eternal is the second fast pace and aggressive combat game by id Software. While Rage 2 was disappointment Doom Eternal excels in every aspect of a fast-paced combat-oriented shooting game. The rush that you feel while slaying demons is something unique to only Doom Slayer. Some of the gameplay elements can distract you from combat but the combat can make you forget these distracting elements. Side activities can get annoying and avoiding them could put you at a disadvantage. Most of the side activities are easy and you can leave some of them but if you are a completionist like me then it can get annoying. All that being said, Doom Eternal makes you feel like a true Doom Slayer.
Now let’s answer the question “Is Doom Eternal worth it?” If you are a fan of fast pace combat and want to feel the rush then it is defiantly the game for you. It is also the game for all the Doom franchise fans because it puts you in the shoes of Doom Slayer. If you have like Doom 2016 then this is a must-play form you. However, if you are expecting traditional FPS shooting mechanics from the game then you are in for a disappointment. It is also might not be the game for players who don’t want to play games with a strange setting and aggressive combat. In short, it is the game for all fast-paced sci-fi FPS lovers.
