It won't be long before players will be ripping and tearing through the demonic forces of Hell in the upcoming Doom Eternal. To sate players who need a fix of action before March 20th, the first 10 minutes of gameplay are out for all to see.
The game, which has been delayed from its original November 2019 release date, continues in the tradition of previous iterations of the series. The action is fast-paced, gory, and returning composer Mick Gordon will be sure to keep the adrenaline pumping with a killer soundtrack. When "At Doom's Gate" blasts through the speakers in the introduction, players know what they are in for: Doom Eternal is going to be a thrill ride.
Speaking of the introduction, the brief snippet of story players see features Earth overrun by minions from Hell. Giant demonic sigils are imprinted on the surface of the Earth, with panicked radio transmissions describing the terror being experienced. It also features the previously announced hub area, the Fortress of Doom, where Doom Slayer gears up before heading for Earth's surface.
The game wastes no time getting into the action, only pausing as players are introduced to a number of mini-tutorials while working their way through the first area. Tutorials explained to the player include glory kills to take out staggered enemies for extra health drops, and a quick tutorial arena segment that explains how the chainsaw works. One thing these first 10 minutes don't show off is the centered weapon feature, a little nod to the history of the series, and something that fans are surely looking forward to toying with.
Doom Eternal tosses players into the deep end immediately, with the on-the-fly tutorials acting as the only way to catch one's breath. Players learn quickly how to build up Doom Slayer's weaponry and skill set. Modding the combat shotgun with sticky bombs gives the weapon more explosive power, while turning it full auto allows for rapid-fire blasts laying waste to enemies in short order.
These first few minutes show a game that knows what it is, and despite the mad-cap frenetic action, it looks clean and crisp. The extra time it is taking for the game to hit store shelves has allowed for more polish and cleanup work, according to id Software's Marty Stratton, with the executive producer calling Doom Eternal "the best game we've ever made."
As the hype builds for the game in the lead up to release, Bethesda is giving players an outlet for their demon bloodlust by offering the Doom Slayers collection at a cut rate. For many, March 20th can't come soon enough, but 10 minutes of zombie slicing and cacodemon blasting will surely help fans with the wait.
Doom Eternal will be released on PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One on March 20th with a Switch release to come at a later date.