The embargo for reviews of DOOM Eternal has finally lifted, and many websites are now reporting their tests. We show you how the international press rates the first major shooter of 2020.
The biggest plus point – excitement every second: The press reviews almost unanimously praise DOOM Eternal for being packed with excitement from start to finish. Players must constantly fend off attacking demons without biting the dust while making crucial decisions.
It is important to choose how each enemy is killed to replenish health, ammunition, or shields.
The long-term motivation is also often praised. DOOM Eternal is full of content that ensures it remains exciting over the long term.
What rating is there? DOOM Eternal will be released on March 20 for PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One, and Google Stadia. Accordingly, various versions have been rated with different scores:
- Metascore for PC (via Metacritic): 90/100
- Metascore for PS4 (via Metacritic): 87/100
- Metascore for Xbox One (via Metacritic): 90/100
- No Metascore available for Stadia yet
The ratings at a glance
Since there are over 50 ratings in total, we have only listed the ratings for PC here, as it has the most reviews. However, the scores do not vary widely. Here are the currently available ratings (as of March 17 at 4 PM):
- Cubed3: 100 points
- Cultured Vultures: 100 points
- Atomix: 95 points
- AusGamers: 95 points
- 3DJuegos: 95 points
- Vandal: 95 points
- PC Gamer: 94 points
- Everyeye.it: 92 points
- 4Players.de: 91 points
- Gamer.nl: 90 points
- PCGamesN: 90 points
- Jeuxvideo.com: 90 points
- XGN: 90 points
- Gamer.no: 90 points
- GameStar: 88 points
- Multiplayer.it: 88 points
- GameWatcher: 85 points
- Millenium: 84 points
- GameSpot: 80 points
- Shacknews: 80 points
- GAMINGbible: 80 points
What the first reviews say
Let’s take a quick look at what the international press thinks of DOOM Eternal. We have briefly summarized the opinions for you:
“It makes everything else look dull in comparison” – Cubed3
One of the best ratings has been given by the website Cubed3 with 100 points. It mainly emphasizes that DOOM Eternal is not just another installment in a series:
This is not just a sequel. The demons are much more aggressive, their legions have been reinforced with new villains, and the Slayer has become an even more dangerous adversary with even more ways to destroy anything in his path.
Source: Cubed3
“One of the most intense shooters of all time” – PC Gamer
PC Gamer is a well-known representative for gaming reviews on PC and praises DOOM Eternal for its challenging difficulty, which has also been noted by our author Benedict Grothaus during the preview:
DOOM Eternal is one of the most challenging arena shooters I have ever played. A game that demands all the muscle memory in my right forearm and my left fingertips […] It’s bright and loud, super brutal, yet tastefully refined.
Source: PCGamer
“A shooter like champagne” – GameStar
For the colleagues at GameStar, DOOM Eternal is clearly an excellent game, where the action is at the forefront, but surprisingly much story plays a role, which has already delighted fans:
While Doom (2016) merely hints at the backgrounds of the demon invasion and the Doom Slayer, Eternal delves deeply into them. Like in Dark Souls, you come across a huge wealth of names, places, history, and stories, bombarded with terms like Argent D’Nur, Night Sentinels, Icon of Sin, Khan Maykr, and more. You even find very, very cool connections to the original DOOMs from the 90s!
Read the full review of GameStar on DOOM Eternal here. To illustrate, you will also find a video from GameStar with the review:
“More brutal, bloody, better” – GamePro (PS4)
DOOM Eternal is also very well received by the colleagues at GamePro. It is particularly praised for offering depth and long-term motivation:
Even after thousands of demons I have sent to the afterlife during my time with Doom Eternal, the fun of the clever shooting never waned. The thought of ramping up the difficulty and getting better constantly motivates immensely. Feeling that it becomes increasingly easier to dominate even the largest horde of enemies is incredibly rewarding. Combined with the outstanding presentation, Doom Eternal is already a contender for the best shooter of the year.
Read the full review of GamePro on DOOM Eternal here.
“A feast of ultra-brutality” – Gamesradar (Xbox One)
The only review so far that is not rated as “positive” with a score of 70, comes from Gamesradar. Although many of the good aspects are also highlighted, Gamesradar points out issues with gameplay flow:
There are a handful of enemy types that bring the game to a screeching halt. For DOOM Eternal to work, it needs to give you time between managing multiple enemy types and the edge of being overwhelmed […] And then comes the Marauder (a brand new demon in Eternal) or an Archvile, super-heavy enemies that are simply not fun to fight against.
Source: Gamesradar
“One of the best FPS campaigns in years” – IGN
The review from the largest gaming website in the world, IGN is not yet included in the Metascore. Nevertheless, IGN rates it with 9/10 points and praises the complexity of the game:
Some great games are tricky challenges in careful detail, while others are just mindless fun, but DOOM Eternal is the best of both. […]
If you can’t keep up with it, it will keep up with you. It continuously teaches you to play faster, smarter, and more efficiently, with plenty of options along the way to tailor your personal battle style. And it’s just an absolute blast.
Even though you have to wait a few more days, you already know: You definitely want DOOM Eternal.
