DOOM Eternal: A Masterclass in Game Design and Gunplay—But Does It Innovate Enough in 2024? A Review
Updated: Nov 9
DOOM Eternal is a beautifully crafted game with some of the most well-thought-out designed elements in modern FPS.
Stunning Environments, Thrilling Combat, Improved Legacy
The environments, and the music, make it a game oozing with the passion for the world building and game. The gunplay and movement are paced, the weapon and enemy diversity keep nothing stale and the maps they created are just stunning, the story was also great. DOOM Eternal builds on everything Doom 2016 and does it so much better.
The reason I have Doom Eternal not at a 10 is that when I'm looking at games in 2024, I'm looking for new things that blow me away, which move my ratings up higher. What Doom did, though, was not bring anything new but perfect some of the oldest gameplay gaming has seen, and for that, they deserve endless praise.
Enemy and Weapon Diversity Keep Combat Fresh
One of DOOM Eternal’s biggest strengths is its enemy variety. The game constantly challenges players to adapt to different combat situations. The AI is smart, forcing players to stay on their toes and never get too comfortable. Every encounter feels unique and is very skill based.
The weapon and enemy diversity offer a large amount of combat upgrades and collectibles scattered throughout the game. You can customize your "build", unlocking abilities that make your weapons more powerful. The home-base for the Doom Slayer is wonderful, but the thing downstairs... I wanted it so bad... In the next game I hope!
Performance
With max settings + raytracing, I was getting over 85 FPS on a AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D and an RTX 4080. Doom does utilize zones, so it's performance is still great on cards with 3GB or 4GB of VRAM at decent graphic settings.
Conclusion
DOOM Eternal stands as a shining example of how to perfect classic gameplay while maintaining the core intensity that the series is known for. The environments, music, and world-building drip with passion, immersing players in a world that feels as rich as it is chaotic. The gunplay and movement are balanced, while the weapon and enemy variety keeps the combat fresh and exhilarating.
However, despite its many accomplishments, DOOM Eternal falls short of a perfect score simply because it doesn’t offer the kind of innovation I’m looking for in 2024. It doesn’t break new ground but instead refines and perfects gameplay that’s stood the test of time, and that's not a necessarily bad thing. Thanks for reading our Doom Eternal Review!
Main Story | Main + Sides | Completionist | All Styles |
14½ Hours | 20 Hours | 28 Hours | 19 Hours |
Gameplay: 9/10
Story: 8/10
Graphics: 9/10
Enjoyment: 9.5/10
Game Design: 10/10
Music: 9/10
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