Doom Eternal is one of the most unique first-person shooters out there. Even though the Nintendo Switch version fails to keep up with other console releases such as cutscene graphics and the platforming feels a little buggy, using gyro controls to take down enemies, the multiplayer battle mode, and overall gameplay make playing Doom Eternal on the Nintendo Switch an awesome experience!
I’m kind of embarrassed to say this but I have never played a Doom game. I had heard many great things about the series but never attempted to play because I didn’t enjoy first-person shooters or think I was good at them. But, here I am now, reviewing Doom Eternal on the Nintendo Switch. I figured that I would give it a try after seeing all the hype about the game releasing, even back when people were crossing the series over with the upcoming Animal Crossing: New Horizons game. Those memes will always be embedded in my memory as one of the funniest crossovers I’ve ever seen. Doom’s hellishly violent Slayer and clashing with Animal Crossing’s innocent and sweet Isabelle probably pushed many people to play Doom Eternal for the Switch just like me! So, how does Doom Eternal hold up on the Nintendo Switch, and is it worth trying out even if you’re new to the series like me?
The first thing you should know about Doom Eternal published by Bethesda and developed by id Software is that the series is considered one of the best action first-person shooters of all time. Doom Eternal is also the sequel to the original Doom so if you are looking to go in chronological order, I would suggest playing the original Doom first so you aren’t as lost as I am. Even if you’ve never played a Doom game, like me, you’ve still probably heard of it since it was also up for a game of the year at the Game Awards this year. You play as the Slayer and you must fight to try and save Earth as Hell’s army as they invade Earth and try to destroy all of humanity. The Earth’s only hope is you… the Slayer! During your battle, you face crazy looking and tough monsters and rip their limbs right off their bodies while trying to save what is left of humanity.
Doom Eternal’s world is brutal. The way the Slayer tears his enemies apart was an awesome experience. Instead of just gunning them down you can hack at them with a chainsaw if you’d prefer. The world also looks like… well Hell. The designs of the Demons are unique, especially the Priest and other enemies you face during your charge to save humanity. As you play as the Slayer, it’s like you become the Slayer. Everything feels fast-paced and you have no time to think because if you hesitate for too long you’ll have about 10 enemies on you trying to rip you apart. It feels like you are at war with Hell more than just playing a first-person shooter.
Time to Raise some Hell and Slay some Monsters!
I know I keep mentioning it, but even though I’ve never played a Doom game before and was lost in what was going on plot-wise, I had a lot of fun. I had heard that Doom was a little much when it comes to slaying your enemies but it was so cool shoving grenades down my enemy’s throats and watching their heads explode or punching them until they were a pile of goop. What makes the Nintendo Switch version so great is not only the portability but the motion control options as well! You can use the joystick to aim and shoot at monsters, but the Switch version also allows you to use gyro controls to aim and destroy anything in your path. I thought at first it would be a mess, but it was fun and different compared to your average first-person shooter. You are also able to mod your weapons like turn your ammo into grenades and stun your enemies. It makes modding your weapon fun and makes every battle feel different and unique and let’s not forget that if you run out of ammo you have the opportunity to punch your enemies into mush or even hack them away with your chainsaw. The possibilities of slaughtering your enemies are endless!
Doom Eternal is great for all players because it has many difficult modes. I played on the easiest difficulty because I wanted to enjoy the story and knew I sucked at shooters and still found it a little challenging but fun to play. On the easiest mode, enemies drop more health recovery items and ammo to help you so that you. Sometimes it isn’t as easy as just hacking and slashing your enemies. Some enemies require you to hit weak spots or think of strategies to defeat them so whether you’re playing on easy or the hardest difficulty, you can still experience a little bit of a challenge while playing how you want to play.
Speaking of modes, the multiplayer for Doom is pretty fun! You can play online in 2v1 with Battle Mode! Bethesda.net also rewards players with different items, making the game even better. Slayer can also be customized and has different skins and weapons to choose from based on level and online activity, giving the player a reason to play online and do things outside of the campaign. This is the first time I’ve wanted to play a first-person shooter with others and enjoyed it without stressing out about how hard it is or if I’m any good at it.
Ah! The Frame Rate! It Burns!
My first problem with the game happened when I started up the game. I had to create a Bethesda account and had not used it in years. It was pretty hard to regain access to my account just so I could start up the game. But, after recovering my lost password I was able to begin playing! The next thing I noticed was the frame rate. The cutscenes weren’t great as far as looks go, so if you’re concerned about how the game looks then I would recommend playing on the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. This isn’t id Software’s fault because the Switch can only handle so much, but it didn’t bother me too much because the gameplay still ran pretty smooth for it being on the Nintendo Switch.
I also found myself struggling with the platforming in the game. Although I think it makes exploring fun, at the beginning of the game you are tasked with jumping, grabbing onto a pole, and double jumping again while trying to grab onto the ledge of a broken building to climb in and kill more monsters. There were other parts in the game where I struggled to platform even though I felt like I was doing everything right. But, I believe 90% of the time it was because the platforming was a little buggy. This could easily be fixed with a patch, since it also looks like id Software has many updates coming in the near future. Other than a few minor details, I really enjoyed what Doom Eternal had to offer.
Conclusion
Doom Eternal is one of the most unique first-person shooters out there. Even though the Nintendo Switch version fails to keep up with other console releases such as cutscene graphics and the platforming feels a little buggy, using gyro controls to take down enemies, the multiplayer battle mode, and overall gameplay make playing Doom Eternal on the Nintendo Switch an awesome experience!
The violent and gory world of Doom Eternal is just amazing and playing as the Slayer makes you feel powerful when faced up against terrifying Demons. Being able to play under my comfy blanket made me feel immersed in the world, something that the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions wouldn’t be able to make me feel. Usually, Nintendo Switch versions of games feel like lesser versions of games released on other consoles, but id Software did an amazing job at making Doom Eternal on the Switch feel just as good. If you’re a longtime Doom fan looking to give it a try on the Nintendo Switch I highly doubt that you’ll be disappointed and I would also highly recommend giving Doom Eternal a shot even if you’ve never played any other game in the series, because you are missing out if you haven’t.
