I legit think Doom Eternal is the game of the last generation, and that’s saying a lot from me.
This generation had SO many good games God of War, Dark Souls 3, Bloodborne, Last of Us Part II, Ghost of Tsushima, Spider-Man, Resident Evil 2, DMC5, Resident Evil VII, Monster Hunter World, I could go on and on. All those games pushed boundaries. Boundaries for world building, for storytelling, for characterization.They did wonders. Doom Eternal looked at them, then looked at itself and said “Nah, **** that. We’re a game. Let’s be a ****ing video-game”. So, that’s what they did. They made a game where you feel like the Final Boss. You’re the most powerful being in the universe and you’re one super power is that you are ****ING PISSED. The game challenges you with demon after demon after demon, some incredibly big, some incredibly annoying, some nearly indestructible and says “kick it’s ass” it doesn’t shy away from challenging you. It’ll throw you down and force you to fight your way to a bloody pulp using every Blood Punch, Flamethrower, Chainsaw, Ice Grenade, Shotgun, Rifle, Rocket Launchers, and all the assortments of big-****ing-guns. It tells you everything you have to work with and says “have fun”. It challenges you to the max...
If you want it to. Unlike the souls games that receive criticism for no easy mode, Doom Eternal doesn’t care. If you’re having fun it doesn’t matter. Play on the easiest difficulty and mow over demons with the simple pleasures of smashing them to bits with your arsenal, as long as you’re having fun.
Eternal puts the most video-gamey bull**** in the game. Poles to swing off of, chains to latch onto and pull you towards demons, 1-Up helmets, gravity lifts, wall climbing, and even some excellent First Person Platforming sections.
Doom Eternal isn’t devoid of Story though. While it does take a back seat it is very much a good damn story. Sure you can rush through and get the gist of the story and kinda just feel eh about it. But if you really want to you can dig in and read about the Maykr, their betrayal of humanity, the demons and the dark lords folly that caused the invasion of earth, the betrayer and his connection to the final boss, and even the origins and godlike deeds of the Slayer himself. And that stuff is SO GOOD. But if you don’t want the gameplay to be slogged down by it? Then hell, don’t read it, it’s not going to spitball you to death with stuff you don’t care about.
Doom Eternal is a video game through and through. It doesn’t try to be anymore than a demon slaying romp of power and yet it still is a textbook example of how to do excellent world building and characterization through story but without the need for dialogue. And that’s exactly why it’s so good.
This generation had SO many good games God of War, Dark Souls 3, Bloodborne, Last of Us Part II, Ghost of Tsushima, Spider-Man, Resident Evil 2, DMC5, Resident Evil VII, Monster Hunter World, I could go on and on. All those games pushed boundaries. Boundaries for world building, for storytelling, for characterization.They did wonders. Doom Eternal looked at them, then looked at itself and said “Nah, **** that. We’re a game. Let’s be a ****ing video-game”. So, that’s what they did. They made a game where you feel like the Final Boss. You’re the most powerful being in the universe and you’re one super power is that you are ****ING PISSED. The game challenges you with demon after demon after demon, some incredibly big, some incredibly annoying, some nearly indestructible and says “kick it’s ass” it doesn’t shy away from challenging you. It’ll throw you down and force you to fight your way to a bloody pulp using every Blood Punch, Flamethrower, Chainsaw, Ice Grenade, Shotgun, Rifle, Rocket Launchers, and all the assortments of big-****ing-guns. It tells you everything you have to work with and says “have fun”. It challenges you to the max...
If you want it to. Unlike the souls games that receive criticism for no easy mode, Doom Eternal doesn’t care. If you’re having fun it doesn’t matter. Play on the easiest difficulty and mow over demons with the simple pleasures of smashing them to bits with your arsenal, as long as you’re having fun.
Eternal puts the most video-gamey bull**** in the game. Poles to swing off of, chains to latch onto and pull you towards demons, 1-Up helmets, gravity lifts, wall climbing, and even some excellent First Person Platforming sections.
Doom Eternal isn’t devoid of Story though. While it does take a back seat it is very much a good damn story. Sure you can rush through and get the gist of the story and kinda just feel eh about it. But if you really want to you can dig in and read about the Maykr, their betrayal of humanity, the demons and the dark lords folly that caused the invasion of earth, the betrayer and his connection to the final boss, and even the origins and godlike deeds of the Slayer himself. And that stuff is SO GOOD. But if you don’t want the gameplay to be slogged down by it? Then hell, don’t read it, it’s not going to spitball you to death with stuff you don’t care about.
Doom Eternal is a video game through and through. It doesn’t try to be anymore than a demon slaying romp of power and yet it still is a textbook example of how to do excellent world building and characterization through story but without the need for dialogue. And that’s exactly why it’s so good.