Doom Eternal (PS4) Review

Hell on Earth.

 Doom Eternal is the hotly anticipated sequel to 2016's Doom reboot from developer id Software with Bethesda publishing the game. Picking up the events of Doom 2016, the Doom Slayer is back and for another demon-killing adventure. After slight delays and months of excitement, the game is finally here. It's been one of my most anticipated releases of the year and I'm happy to say that it was worth the wait!

 Following the events of the previous game, Doom Eternal sees the Doom Slayer or "Doomguy" facing another demon threat, this time on Earth. Obviously, he won't stand for this and takes the fight directly to them, chopping and mauling countless hordes of demons. Aside from seeing Doomguy's origins, the story is straightforward as it can be, and that's a good thing since it takes a backseat to the gameplay.

Prepare to rip and tear!

 Doom Eternal retains the same fast-paced action gameplay that everyone's come to know and love from the series. You control Doomguy from the first-person view as you navigate through huge levels and battling lots of demons. Right off the bat, the game is ball-bustingly hard, as in it won't show any mercy. Eternal demands quick reflexes as enemies are plentiful and hit like a brick. Honestly, it's the most challenging FPS I've played in a while. Still, that's not to say you won't be getting beefy weapons like shotguns and rocket launchers to defend yourself with. There's also health and armor pick ups to keep you going in case you're in a pinch too. As you shoot through enemies, you'll often see them stunned, giving you a brief window to execute them in the form of a Glory Kill, basically a gory finisher.

The gameplay is fast and gratifyingly good.

 There's loads of enemy variety as you progress through the levels, with each demon requiring its own strategy to beat. Tough pushovers like the Marauder will definitely give you a hard time if you're not focused on dodging as well as the damn Archville, who'll keep summoning buffed up versions of demons unless you quickly kill it. In short, the enemies will demand you making use of your weapons, abilities, and strategy as they won't go down without a fight.

 The game's map is detailed and fully 3D, showing the entire level layout and its secrets. Speaking of that, hidden across the levels are neat little secrets like story-related Codex entries, toy models of demons, and music tracks from id Software's previous games. That's not all as there are plenty of suit and weapon upgrades that are neatly tucked in some of the levels, so it's worth going out of your way to explore a little. Admittedly, one aspect that I didn't enjoy was the platforming. Sure it breaks up the tension from the constant fights, but it has its own frustrations. You'll be doing lots of finnicky jumping and leaps of faith, which will often lead to your death and lose a ton of health.

The game has a great balance of combat

and exploration.

 The game took around 12 hours to beat, which included me getting most of the collectables and hunting for the Easter eggs. The game features a multiplayer mode that you can check out where you either play as a maxed out Doomguy or a demon as you desperately try to kill each other. I wasn't that invested, but it's a nice addition if you're looking for extra content.

 Doom Eternal is highly polished in the visuals department and looks leagues better than Doom 2016, which itself was a great looking game. The backgrounds and colors are way more pronounced and vibrant. Also, the enemy and weapon designs felt distinctive and were fitting of the apocalyptical setting. I liked the performances from the voice cast and hearing Doomguy talk for the first time was a welcome surprise for sure. The heavy-metal soundtrack is just awesome, as it gets your blood boiling to kill some demons. Definitely fitted the intense feeling of the battles and was a blast to hear throughout the blood-soaked adventure.

Red is probably the only color you'll see

from all the chaos.

 Doom Eternal was a fun, challenging sequel from the gory start all the way to brutal end. The story is decent, as gameplay is king here. Honestly, I never felt bored killing demons as the game progressively gets harder and push you to new limits. The presentation is no doubt great, with the visuals and soundtrack being exceptional. Overall, Doom Eternal is a no-brainer for action fans and one of the most fun experiences of the year. It's a must-play for sure!