DOOM Eternal

DOOM Eternal is the direct sequel to DOOM (2016) from id Software, released in March 2020 on PC, PS4 and Xbox One. The game takes the 2016 reboot formula to its limit: the pace is faster, the arsenal is wider, and the systems are far deeper. It sold 3 million digital copies in the first month (SuperData), $450 million in the first 9 months, and 700K+ on PC in the first week.

Scores: Metacritic 88, Steam "Very Positive" at about 91% from about 215K reviews. The rating did not reach "Overwhelmingly Positive" because of a wave of reviews in May 2021, when Denuvo Anti-Cheat was added. The community rebelled and it was removed a week later, but the rating stayed below 95%.

Story: Earth is devastated by a hellish invasion. You are the DOOM Slayer, a half-divine warrior based on the orbital fortress Fortress of Doom. The campaign has 13 levels across the ruins of Earth's cities, infernal dimensions and Urdak, the world of the angel-like Maykr race. The main antagonists are Khan Maykr and the giant demon Icon of Sin. The narrative continues the DOOM 2016 mythology: fans of the series will find many more details, but a newcomer can follow the story without prior knowledge.

Gameplay is a system, not just reflexes. DOOM Eternal is built on a triad of resource management: health comes from glory kills (close-range finishers), armor from setting enemies on fire with flame belch and then finishing off small enemies, and ammo from cutting an enemy with the chainsaw. Staying behind cover means dying from a lack of resources. The community aptly calls it "chess at 200 BPM". Every enemy has a weak point: the Cacodemon is opened up by a grenade in the mouth, and the Arachnotron loses its turret to a Ballista shot. This makes every fight a tactical puzzle in motion.

Arsenal: Shotgun (Full Auto and Sticky Bomb), Heavy Cannon, Plasma Rifle, Rocket Launcher, Ballista (a sniper one-shot weapon for weak points), Super Shotgun with Meathook (a grappling hook that pulls you to the target), BFG 9000, Crucible (a blade that instantly destroys elite enemies). Every weapon has a purpose: the shotgun finishes enemies at close range, and the Ballista takes out Arachnotron turrets from a distance.

Ultra-Nightmare is permanent death for the whole campaign (about 15-20 hours): die once and you start over. About 0.5-1% of Steam players earned the achievement for finishing on Ultra-Nightmare. To be honest: the normal difficulty Hurt me Plenty is within reach of an experienced FPS player, Nightmare is a serious challenge, and Ultra-Nightmare is a multi-week marathon of attempts.

Battlemode: asymmetric PvP with 1 live Slayer against 2 live demon players (6 to choose from). The mode is active but niche: matchmaking takes 5+ minutes, and opponents are mostly veterans. The main value of the game is the single-player campaign, and Battlemode is a pleasant bonus, not the main course. DLC: The Ancient Gods Part 1 (Metacritic 75) and Part 2 (Metacritic 78) are the continuation and finale of the Slayer's story, about 4-6 hours each. Deluxe Edition includes the base game, both DLC parts, the Demonic Slayer skin and a set of classic weapon sounds. DOOM 64 is not included in the bundle: it was a pre-order bonus until March 2020.

On localization: the official full Russian voice-over is included in the Steam version out of the box. You switch the language in the game settings in Steam. Note that setting audio and subtitles to different languages inside the game is inconvenient and requires a launch parameter. The game is included in Xbox Game Pass for PC and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, so if you already have a subscription, no extra purchase is needed. The Steam version works without a Bethesda.net account (Bethesda Launcher was closed in May 2022) and without DRM (Denuvo was removed on September 5, 2023).

If you are new to the series, it is better to start with DOOM (2016): the pace is more straightforward and there is less systems load. DOOM Eternal is the next level of difficulty on all fronts. The next entry in the series, DOOM: The Dark Ages (2025), changed the approach: it focuses on the shield and parrying instead of aerial mobility, and the design became more accessible. Eternal remains the peak of the series in depth of mechanics for those ready to invest time in learning it.

DOOM Eternal (2020) is the direct sequel to DOOM 2016 from id Software: DOOM Slayer against legions of demons. It has an intense resource system: health comes from glory kills, armor from setting enemies on fire, and ammo from the chainsaw. A powerful arsenal (Super Shotgun with a hook, BFG 9000, Ballista) and the asymmetric PvP Battlemode. Official full Russian voice-over (Bethesda). Metacritic 88, Steam "Very Positive" 91% / 215K reviews. No DRM: Denuvo was removed in 2023.