In a world where demons prevail and the spawn of hell has control of Earth, there is only one force that stands in the way of the alien race of Maykrs. This is the game where the demons may have caused endless suffering, but for them, the doom is eternal. 

Most video games involve defeating a dangerous threat and often being greatly outnumbered. This game follows such a theme with a twist, which is that you, the player, are the one to be feared. While others may run from demons, in this game they are the ones running from you!

“Doom Eternal” is the latest installment of the Doom series, originally released in March 2020, right before the dreaded quarantine. This means that players, though locked at home, were able to traverse the apocalyptic planet Earth as the brave protagonist known as the Slayer or Doomguy. The Slayer is said to be so terrifying that people have attempted to animate an alien’s perspective of the game, and it was scarier than playing the game. 

The game, like its prequels, is an action-packed first-person shooter where the protagonist is a brave marine-turned-space warrior who has only one mission: to stop the invasion on Earth and rid his home planet of the monsters for good. Why would a man risk his life to jump straight into hell and complete such a daunting, seemingly impossible task? Well, it’s because the aliens beheaded his pet rabbit, Daisy.

The term “first-person shooter” might make someone think of “CSGO” or “Call of Duty.” One thing that you should make note of is that these games wouldn’t exist if it were not for the original “Doom” in 1993. The title of today is a large extension of the original game. The player has the option to switch between loadouts with the flick of the controls, ranging from big rifles, shotguns and explosives. There are unique attachments for each gun that give it a special ability. “Doom Eternal” takes the shoot-em-up to the next level with abilities and charges that make you feel like a champion. 

One of the best things about the game is just how violent it gets. Players can train themselves to optimally punish the big, bad monsters with the unique defense mechanics. For example, the Arachnotron is a brain-like alien with two metal limbs. The Doomguy can take them down by ripping off one of the limbs and impaling the Arachnotron’s skull straight through the eyes. For some people, such an experience may not be so settling. For others, it’s the rush of adrenaline and the ability to feel unstoppable that makes it so amusing. To top it off, the Doomguy unlocks more weapons with each defeated boss, some of which are melee. You can start the game by literally punching your way through monsters, then acquiring a chainsaw which can be used to slice demons into shreds. The bigger the arsenal gets, the more creative a player can be.

Finally, the best part of this hell-cleaning experience is the soundtrack. Without a good soundtrack, it’s hard to drive forth the idea that the player is the final boss themself. Thus, the talented composer Mick Gordon composed almost seven hours of heavy metal and rock music that perfectly captures the setting and theme of “Doom.” Legend has it that the real reason Earth is on fire is because Gordon lives there. Many fans agree that the unnamed protagonist must be Gordon himself. 

I would recommend watching his documentary regarding the research he put into his music. You may have heard of some of the most iconic songs from this game, such as “The Only Thing They Fear Is You” and “Rip and Tear”. There is even a theme, “Meathook,” that is for a weapon unlocked later in the game. If you check out the Beacon Bops for this issue, you will see my personal favorite.

Unfortunately, Gordon was not treated well by Bethesda studios, the company that hosts the “Doom” franchise. In November 2022, he opened up about how the company executives did not pay him for his work and mandated an aggressive workload and deadline. Many fans were unsure how to feel about his statement until more truths came to light. Since then, there have not been any significant updates about this situation. Thus, a true “Doom” fan will say: “Justice for Mick Gordon, aka the Doom Slayer!”