Doom Eternal replaces shooting with resource juggling — and makes it exhilarating.
Doom Eternal is a first-person shooter where players control the Doom Slayer to battle demonic forces of Hell. Combat is fast-paced and requires constant movement. Players must manage health, armor, and ammo — restoring health via Glory Kills after staggering enemies, refilling armor by igniting enemies with a flamethrower, and obtaining ammo by using the chainsaw on enemies (except for BFG and Crucible Blade ammo and charges, which are only available in combat arenas). Glory Kills recharge the Blood Punch melee attack, which destroys enemy armor. The Destructible Demons system causes enemies' bodies to deteriorate progressively as they take damage. The Slayer is highly agile, capable of double-jumping, wall-climbing, and using an omnidirectional dash to evade enemies.
Destructible Demons make damage visible and legible
Slayer’s agility turns evasion into a rhythmic, repeatable skill
What does not
exploration
narrative pacing
non-combat agency
Play it if
players who treat movement as a weapon
players who see combat arenas as puzzles of timing, positioning, and priority
Skip it if
players who seek breathing room
players who seek world-building depth
players who seek mechanical experimentation beyond the loop
The written brief1 min read
What the game is
A first-person shooter where players control the Doom Slayer to battle demonic forces of Hell.
How it actually plays
Players move constantly in first-person combat. They stagger enemies to trigger Glory Kills for health. They ignite enemies with a flamethrower to restore armor. They chainsaw enemies to drop ammo — except for BFG and Crucible Blade ammo and charges, which only appear in combat arenas. Glory Kills recharge the Blood Punch, a melee attack that destroys enemy armor. Enemies’ bodies deteriorate progressively as they take damage. The Slayer double-jumps, climbs walls, and uses an omnidirectional dash to evade.
What works
The tripartite resource loop — health via Glory Kills, armor via flamethrower ignition, ammo via chainsaw — forces constant tactical switching. Destructible Demons make damage visible and legible. The Slayer’s agility turns evasion into a rhythmic, repeatable skill.
What does not
It does not sustain variety outside its core loop. It withholds environmental storytelling, player-driven pacing, and meaningful non-combat agency. It offers no tools to disengage from combat once it begins.
Who it is for, and who it is not
It is for players who treat movement as a weapon and see combat arenas as puzzles of timing, positioning, and priority. It is not for players who seek breathing room, world-building depth, or mechanical experimentation beyond the loop.
Is it worth your time
Yes — if you want a tightly wound combat loop that demands constant resource juggling and spatial awareness. No — if you prefer exploration, narrative pacing, or systems that reward stillness.