Doom Eternal can be an exceptionally punishing shooter, especially on higher difficulties, but utilizing these tips and tricks will help you stay alive as you combat the hordes of Hell throughout the game’s lengthy campaign. Doom Eternal’s combat mechanics are incredibly deep, and there’s typically a lot going on at once, but learning how to juggle each of the game’s systems while zooming around arenas is key to surviving the demonic onslaught. These are six beginner tips that will help you out in the early hours of Doom Eternal, and they’re fundamental parts of the gameplay loop that you should not forget anytime soon.
Never Stop Moving
If there’s one thing that you take away from this list, let it be this: never, ever stop moving in Doom Eternal. Enemy attacks do massive damage, but they’re all avoidable if you stay on the move. The left analog stick should almost never return to its resting position, lest you take a stray fireball to the face and meet your demise. On top of constantly moving, try to stay in the air as much as possible. Don’t be afraid to use your double jump and your dashes to stay above your foes and maintain a positional advantage. Movement is the strongest weapon in your arsenal, not the Super Shotgun or BFG, so be sure to use it to your advantage.
Swap Weapons Frequently
You’re given a weapon wheel for a reason. Use absolutely every weapon in your arsenal, even the ones you don’t necessarily like. Weapon variety in Doom Eternal is paramount to your survival, even more so than in Doom 2016. Every weapon serves a distinct purpose. Think of your guns as more like tools than weapons. The Plasma Rifle excels at melting shields, while the Heavy Cannon’s Precision Bolt mod can one-shot just about any weak point. The Super Shotgun’s Meat Hook can propel you toward an unsuspecting demon for a devastating point-blank blast. Each weapon is suited for taking down a specific type of demon, and once the game starts throwing everything at you, you’re going to have to use everything you’ve got to emerge victorious.
Take Advantage of Verticality
None of Doom Eternal’s combat arenas are flat. Each of them has multiple layers, including both high and low ground. In addition to constantly moving around, make sure you’re constantly adjusting your elevation to best suit the situation. Ranged demons love to find high ground and pelt you with projectiles from afar. Use long-range weapons to harass them while you use your mobility to get in close for the final blow. If you’re getting swarmed by enemies and need a way out, look around for a platform to jump onto or a lower level to jump down to in order to find some breathing room. Just keep an eye on what’s above and below you at all times to prevent demons from getting the drop on you.
Use Flame Belch Effectively
Flame belch is a new ability in Doom Eternal, and it’s meant to complement the glory kill mechanic that the last game introduced. Glory kills reward you with health, while flame belch rewards armor. As enemies burn, they’ll drop small amounts of armor, but if you kill them, they’ll explode in green armor plates that you can pick up. Use flame belch on crowds of weak enemies like zombies or imps and then use a grenade or other powerful weapon to kill them at all once so you can quickly get a huge burst of armor. Flame belch can mean the difference between life and death in Doom Eternal, and it can supply some much-needed armor if a glory kill isn’t readily available to restore your health.
Focus on Weak Spots
Many of Doom Eternal’s demons can be dispatched easily by targeting their weak spots. The cacodemon, for example, can be instantly staggered by launching a grenade into its mouth, immediately opening it up for a glory kill. Other demons, like the arachnotron and mancubus, can be weakened by targeting their weapons, preventing them from pestering you with high damage long-range attacks. Any weapon can destroy a demon’s weak points, but the Heavy Cannon, which you get fairly early on in Doom Eternal’s story, has a Precision Bolt mod that will one-shot just about any demon’s weak point. If you find a certain type of demon to be especially annoying, just prioritize it in combat and quickly attack its weak spots to cripple it.
Don’t Forget About Blood Punch
The standard melee punch in Doom games has never been too incredibly powerful, but Doom Eternal’s Blood Punch changes that entirely. You obtain it relatively early in the campaign, and it allows you to punch an enemy and create a deadly area of effect blast in the surrounding area, instantly killing weaker demons and greatly harming stronger foes. The Blood Punch is charged with glory kills, which you’ll be getting anyway during your time with Doom Eternal, so make sure to keep an eye on your Blood Punch and use it whenever it becomes available. It’s great for dispatching crowds of weak demons, but it can also greatly wound a strong demon that’s giving you a hard time. Overall, this is one of the best tools in your arsenal, and it would prove foolish to avoid using it.
