Call me a crazy, but I prefer it when the odds aren't in my favor, dropping into matches as a lone wolf despite knowing that I'll barely make the top ten as a result, let alone score highest.
It's why I love being one of the remaining survivors on a game of Infected in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare; that sense of feeling totally outmatched pumping the adrenaline to the soul. And, I think, it goes a long way in explaining why I'm enjoying Doom Eternal's inventive multiplayer component, Battlemode, more than its indulgent single-player campaign. To keep it short you're f-ed
Yes, yes, I know; that last sentence reads like blasphemous hearsay to the Doom faithful. The 2016 reboot of id Software iconic first-person shooter is beloved and adored not for its ancillary multiplayer mode, but in spite of it. Instead, the game was elevated by a meaty, powerhouse campaign that successfully paid homage to its ancestry while iterating on that original blueprint in all the right ways. But Doom Eternal corrects that imbalance, presenting a multiplayer component that's just as gratifying and enjoyable as its main course, and – subsequently – proves its worth as an integral rung on the double helix of the franchise's revamped DNA.
As part of developer id Software’s somewhat unorthodox approach to multiplayer this time around, DOOM Eternal sadly has no coop campaign mode. That’s right, as of right now there is no way to lay waste to the demonic masses with a friend.
Additionally, DOOM Eternal does not support traditional deathmatch multiplayer game types either, but before you get your chainsaws and shotguns at the ready, there are other neat DOOM Eternal multiplayer modes to get stuck into – namely the new Battlemode and Invasion mode <– a post release multiplayer expansion that we’ll speak about in a bit.
What the fuck is Battlemode?
Essentially the crux of the DOOM Eternal multiplayer experience, Battlemode takes easily the most fun part of DOOM 2016’s multiplayer (namely the bit where you’re able to change into demons and wreak havoc) and basically build an entirely fresh competitive experience around it.
Absolutely epitomising the fast and white-knuckle furious shooter chaos that so well defined the series 2016 installment, Battlemode is a neatly designed asymmetrical multiplayer mode in which two players take control of a pair of Demons in an attempt to destroy the third player, who is in control of the much more powerful Doom Slayer.
BATTLEMODE is a 2v1 DOOM Eternal multiplayer experience where two playable demons face off against one fully loaded Slayer in a best-of-five round-based brawl.
*Applicable platform account and platform subscription (sold separately) may be required. Persistent internet connection and Bethesda account required. Age restrictions apply. Includes in-game purchases.
So, yes its 2 versus 1. Completely insane but very entertaining.
Some provisos for all this choas.
PC Recommended Specs (1440p / 60 FPS / High Quality Settings)
- 64-bit Windows 10
- Intel Core i7-6700K or better, or AMD Ryzen 7 1800X or better
- 8GB System RAM
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (8GB), RTX 2060 (6GB) or AMD Radeon RX Vega56 (8GB)
- OR (1080p/ 60 FPS / High Quality Settings) NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB), NVIDIA GeForce 970 (4GB), AMD RX 480 (8GB) Note : On GTX 970 only - set Texture Quality to Medium
- 50 GB hard drive space
Seems a bit steep but if you're into doom this rig can be put together in pieces from ebay for around 700
We look at some of the gameplay, the new cosmetics, the exclusive skins. ALL future maps and playable demons will be free for all players.
DOOM Eternal's Battlemode has been billed as a far more compelling prospect than 2016 DOOM's deathmatch. Hugo Martin, Game Director on DOOM Eternal, stated that it should be “every bit as satisfying to play as the single-player campaign”. And since putting a few hours into the new multiplayer Battlemode, we can confidently confirm that it is indeed markedly more interesting than a traditional deathmatch mode, but currently it seems rather unbalanced.
Battlemode is a 2v1 affair, in which one tooled-up Slayer is pitted against two toothsome Demons. On paper, the Slayer should be at a distinct advantage – after all, in the single-player campaign, the Praetor Armour-clad force of nature is able to carve into hellspawn like a hot knife through butter. Should two players choose the right combination of Demons, however, playing as the Slayer becomes an exercise in constant evasion, running and dashing away from not only a duo of player-controlled beasties, but also their legion of AI minions.
The Slayer ironically always feels outgunned, as Demons are able to summon lesser monsters to their aid, in addition to all of the other abilities they possess as standard. Get a mobile Demon, like a Pain Elemental or Revenant, flying around the map, while a Mancubus, Archvile, or Marauder provide a full-on assault on the ground, and the Slayer will consistently be pressed into being on the back foot, running around, desperately clamouring for health, armour, and ammo. Should one Demon player die, the other can stay out of sight for 20 seconds, allowing the vanquished player to respawn, making the Slayer's job one of attrition. It's a stark contrast to the power fantasy that the campaign so successfully delivers.
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