So, you’re wondering if DOOM Eternal will eat up your entire weekend? The answer, as with most things involving demons and shotguns, is a little complex. On average, a straight shot through the main campaign will clock in around 14 to 15 hours. However, if you’re a completionist yearning to rip and tear through every nook and cranny, find all the secrets, and conquer every challenge, you’re looking at a playtime closer to 25 to 30 hours. Essentially, DOOM Eternal’s length hinges on your playstyle.
Diving Deeper: Factors Affecting Playtime
Several factors can drastically alter the time it takes to finish DOOM Eternal:
- Difficulty Level: Crank it up to “Ultra-Nightmare,” and you’re adding significant hours. Expect to die. A lot. Learning enemy patterns, mastering movement, and optimizing weapon usage becomes paramount, stretching out each level.
- Completionism: Are you the type to meticulously hunt down every collectible, complete every Slayer Gate, and master every Combat Encounter? Then, prepare for a longer, more rewarding experience.
- Skill Level: Are you a seasoned FPS veteran or a relative newcomer? Experience with fast-paced shooters directly impacts your efficiency in combat and navigation.
- DLC: DOOM Eternal boasts excellent DLC campaigns (The Ancient Gods Part One & Two). These add significantly more gameplay time to the overall experience, each offering a tough challenge and adding another 5-8 hours per campaign.
What Makes DOOM Eternal So Addictive?
Beyond the playtime question, it’s crucial to understand why people get hooked on DOOM Eternal. It’s not just about mindless violence (though there’s plenty of that). It’s the intricate dance of resource management, the relentless pace of combat, and the sheer satisfaction of mastering the Slayer’s arsenal. Here are a few things:
- Push-Forward Combat: The game demands aggression. You’re constantly encouraged to close the distance, chainsaw enemies for ammo, flame belch for armor, and glory kill for health. This creates a frantic, addictive loop.
- Weapon Variety: From the Super Shotgun to the Ballista, each weapon serves a specific purpose against different enemy types. Mastering the weapon wheel is key to survival.
- Level Design: The levels are intricate playgrounds filled with secrets, challenges, and opportunities for creative traversal. Exploring them is genuinely rewarding.
- Metal Soundtrack: Mick Gordon’s iconic soundtrack perfectly complements the on-screen carnage, creating an unparalleled adrenaline rush.
DOOM Eternal vs. The Competition: A Longevity Comparison
How does DOOM Eternal stack up against other modern shooters in terms of length? It occupies a sweet spot. It’s not an endless open-world slog, nor is it a fleeting, easily forgotten experience.
Compared to its predecessor, DOOM (2016), Eternal offers a more expansive and arguably more challenging experience. While DOOM (2016) prioritized a streamlined, focused campaign, DOOM Eternal throws more mechanics, enemy types, and environmental challenges at you.
Final Verdict
DOOM Eternal is a meaty, satisfying experience, which should last between 14 and 30 hours. Ultimately, the length of DOOM Eternal depends on how deeply you dive into its demon-slaying delights. Whether you’re a speedrunner focused on the critical path or a completionist obsessed with uncovering every secret, DOOM Eternal provides hours of relentlessly fun, high-octane action. Check out the GB Times for more gaming insights at gbtimes.com.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About DOOM Eternal’s Length and Difficulty
1. Is DOOM Eternal harder than DOOM (2016)?
Yes, generally speaking, DOOM Eternal is considered more difficult than DOOM (2016). It throws more enemies at you earlier, requires more strategic resource management, and demands mastery of its mechanics. With difficulty names like “Hurt Me Plenty” and “Ultra-Nightmare,” DOOM Eternal is not meant for the faint of heart.
2. How long is DOOM Eternal’s campaign without the DLC?
A: On average, players can expect to spend around 14-15 hours playing through the main campaign of DOOM Eternal without the DLC expansions. This is if you only focus on the main objectives.
3. How long does it take to complete DOOM Eternal with both DLCs?
Including The Ancient Gods Part One and Two DLCs, a completionist run of DOOM Eternal can easily extend to 40+ hours. The DLCs are known for their increased difficulty and challenging encounters.
4. Is DOOM Eternal open world?
No, DOOM Eternal is not an open-world game. It features linear levels with interconnected areas that encourage exploration, but it does not have a vast, seamless open world to traverse.
5. What is the hardest difficulty in DOOM Eternal?
The hardest difficulty is Ultra-Nightmare. This difficulty not only features the toughest enemies and resource scarcity, but also includes permadeath, meaning if you die at any point, you have to start the entire game from the beginning.
6. Is DOOM Eternal endless?
DOOM Eternal itself doesn’t have an endless mode in the traditional sense. However, the replayability factor is incredibly high. Master Levels remix existing levels with new enemy placements and challenges, offering endless replay value.
7. What makes DOOM Eternal so stressful?
The relentless pace of combat, the constant need to manage resources (ammo, health, armor), and the sheer number of enemies constantly attacking you contribute to DOOM Eternal’s stressful nature. It requires constant awareness and quick decision-making.
8. Which DOOM game is considered the most iconic?
Doom (1993) is widely considered the most iconic DOOM game. It revolutionized the first-person shooter genre and set the standard for countless games that followed.
9. What other games are similar to DOOM Eternal?
If you enjoy DOOM Eternal’s fast-paced, violent gameplay, consider checking out Quake 2 Remastered, Prodeus, and Turbo Overkill.
10. Why is DOOM Eternal so famous?
DOOM Eternal‘s fame stems from its relentless action, satisfying gunplay, intricate level design, and the iconic metal soundtrack. It provides a pure, unfiltered dose of adrenaline-fueled fun. Also its predecessor, Doom (2016), introduced the new way of playing the game and brought new players to the franchise.
11. Which is more violent: DOOM or DOOM Eternal?
DOOM Eternal is generally considered more violent and gorier than DOOM (2016). The environments are lighter, making the gore more visible, and the overall level of carnage is amplified.
12. Can you play DOOM Eternal after completing the main campaign?
Yes, you can continue playing DOOM Eternal after finishing the main campaign. You can replay levels to find missed collectibles, complete challenges, or try out Master Levels. The game offers plenty of replayability.
