Doom Eternal is building on the success of the 2016 Doom rebooot and breaking that throwback formula wide-open in some serious ways. Adding even more weapons, enemies, traversal mechanics, and story, Doom Eternal is looking like it will be an expansive sequel with tons of ambition. In recent preview coverage, it was announced that the game will make another departure from Doom 2016 in the form of a hub area called The Fortress of Doom.
The Fortress of Doom will act as a home for the Doom Slayer when he is not ripping and tearing his way through the demon hordes of hell. Players will visit the space fortress in-between missions where they can train and unlock upgrades and items. The inclusion of this hub fortress is one of the biggest ways Doom Eternal is breaking from the structure of previous games in the series.
In the Fortress of Doom, players will unlock rooms that hold upgrades and gear. Through the course of playing the missions, players will collect Sentinel Batteries, which they can then bring back to the Fortress and use to open the doors to these rooms. They must choose which doors to open wisely. Some of the possible unlocks aboard the Fortress include Praetor tokens, used in the first game to upgrade armor, and mod bots. And that's not all. When players completing tough Slayer Gate challenges within missions they unlock Empyrean keys. Get enough of these bad boys and players will unlock a special powerful weapon.
In the the basement of the Fortress of Doom, there is a training grounds area named, in classic Doom fashion, the Riptorium. Players can practice fighting enemies here and test their skills. This area is another way Doom Eternal is adding content to make the game last longer than the 2016 Doom, boasting a completion time that will clock in around 18-22 hours according to Executive Producer Marty Stratton.
Doom Eternal is one of the most anticipated games coming out in 2020 and it honestly can't be here soon enough. The game seems to be making radical departures from the traditional Doom formula that will keep it fresh while also expanding upon the extremely satisfying combat that made the last game such a refreshing take on the FPS genre.
Doom Eternal is set to release on March 20, 2020 for the PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.