2016’s rebooted Doom saw the infamous Doom Slayer destroy thousands of murderous demons across both Mars and Hell itself, temporarily saving humanity for a cataclysmic event that would have resulted in total annihilation. Though his mission was a success, that doesn’t mean the fight is over, as Hellspawn have made their way to Earth for another round in Doom Eternal. Much like in Doom II: Hell on Earth, the fight gets more personal as the demons threaten to destroy your home, but your skills and array of weapons will prove you’re up to the challenge. Here is everything we know about Doom Eternal.
Hell on Earth, and elsewhere
The primary setting for Doom Eternal will be Earth itself, overrun by demons after the events of the original game. In teaser trailers for the story, we have heard a voice — possibly the A.I. Samuel Hayden — warning the Doom Slayer that continued meddling in his affairs will have dire consequences. Obviously, this is a Doom game, so that warning is ignored and we’re left to murder every demon we come across.
Doom Eternal’s version of Earth looks just a little different from what you see out the window. Skyscrapers are crumbling, and towers filled with lava have sprouted up around them. The sky has turned to a sickly orange, and demons roam around every corner. During a gameplay demonstration at E3 2018, we got to see how the Doom Slayer will traverse this environment, and that includes a new grappling device called the meat hook — which also doubles as a powerful weapon attached to the super shotgun. Using this tool, you can quickly zip from one part of the map to the other.
Doom Eternal includes plenty of the demons you remember from the previous game and includes twice as many types compared to last time. These include the Cyberdemon and Marauder, as well as the Archvile, Pain Elemental, and Arachnotron. The latter three were all introduced in Doom II, making their inclusion in Doom Eternal quite fitting.
For classic space station action similar to the last game, you will also head to the world of Phobos. Set on a research facility where some humans have not died yet, it’s a nonetheless intense area filled with demons to eradicate. Several types of demons will be designed to mess you up in close quarters, charging at you or mixing in a projectile attack to force you to keep moving.
More locations will be included in the final game, and we’re almost certain we’ll be making a return to Hell itself, as well. One way the Doom Slayer will be able to travel is via the BFG-10000, an enormous version of the classic weapon that he can launch himself out of. The classic BFG-9000 is back, as well, and if it’s anything like the previous game, one shot will be powerful enough to destroy nearly every demon in a given room.
Rip and tear
Doom Eternal packs in several of the weapons you remember from Doom, including the super shotgun, plasma rifle, rocket launcher, chainsaw, as well as slightly adjusted guns such as the heavy cannon. All of these are effective at taking out demons and use a variety of ammunition types, making it essential to switch between them on the fly in the heat of combat. Like in Doom, getting a kill with the chainsaw will reward you with a plethora of ammunition, and knowing when to utilize it is crucial to your success.
New weapons include an extendable arm blade, which is located on the Doom Slayer’s left arm. A shoulder-mounted equipment launcher can be fitted with explosives or fire, destroying the armor on demons before you switch to another weapon. The ballista is a powerful crossbow device that inflicts huge damage with each shot, and the crucible item that played a central role in Doom’s story now acts as a melee weapon.
The Doom Slayer has new moves to help him in combat and traversal, as well. You can punch through walls or scale them like an armored monkey in order to reach new locations, and there are also monkey bars in certain areas that can be scaled. The double dash move sounds like it belongs in a Mario Kart game, but it will actually let you close the distance on demons in a hurry.
Of course, the Glory Kill system introduced in 2016’s game is back. When an enemy has been sufficiently damaged, it will freeze in place and begin flashing. Pressing the melee button nearby will result in a gruesome finishing blow, and you’ll get some health back for your troubles. When used in conjunction with the meat hook, you’ll be able to get around and deliver plenty of Glory Kills in a hurry.
Multiplayer made just for Doom
The competitive multiplayer mode included in 2016’s Doom didn’t live up to the rest of the game, as it failed to capitalize on what made the campaign so special. Id Software is not making that same mistake with Doom Eternal, with the studio developing the new Battlemode multiplayer component in-house.
Battlemode is a two-versus-one asymmetrical multiplayer mode that pits one player as the Doom Slayer against two players as demons. There are five types of demons to choose from, including the famous Revenant, complete with a jetpack. The mode is a best-of-five round-based affair, with the simple goal of killing your enemy to move on.
Two demons are nothing for the Doom Slayer, so his enemies can also summon their own army of lesser demons to fight him during each round, though this will also give him the chance to earn back health. Demons can counter this with an ability that briefly shuts off the Slayer’s item-collecting capability.
The Doom Slayer is outfitted with all of his most advanced weapons and abilities in Battlemode, including mods. This means the demons will need to be creative to avoid getting killed right away. The Revenant can unleash a rocket barrage as its special ability, while the Pain Elemental can get the drop on its enemy from above. Alongside the five demons at launch, more will be released later for free, along with new free maps.
One casualty of Doom Eternal is the user-created-content SnapMap mode. Resources used for the mode will be devoted to other areas of the game, including post-launch campaign content. There will, however, be a cool new feature to scratch another multiplayer itch from within the campaign. Called “Invasions,” the feature allows players to control demons in others’ single-player games, and almost every level in the game can be invaded. Players must opt into this feature, which is designed primarily for those who have already beaten Doom Eternal once.
No microtransactions
In keeping with its old-school design philosophies, Doom Eternal will not feature any microtransactions. This applies even to cosmetic items, which can instead be acquired through normal gameplay. There will be expansion packs, but these will be larger-scale purchases that add single-player content.
When can we play it, and on what?
Doom Eternal will release on March 20 for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Google Stadia, and PC. A Nintendo Switch version will launch at a later date. Those who pre-order the game will get the “Rip and Tear Pack,” which includes a Battlemode Revenant skin, remixed version of the “Cultist Base” campaign level, and a throwback skin for the shotgun.
The Deluxe Edition of the game includes the Year One Pass, which will give you access to two campaign expansions, as well as special Slayer skin and Classic Weapons Sound Pack.
If you want to show your support for the franchise even more, you can get the Collector’s Edition. Available on all platforms except for Switch, this version includes the Deluxe Edition as well as a full-sized, wearable Doom helmet, playable cassette tape plus uncompressed files for the music in both Doom and Doom Eternal, a lithograph, and a lore book filled with custom artwork.
