5 Games To Play Ahead Of DOOM Eternal

It’s no secret that DOOM Eternal is going to be one of, if not the biggest games of 2020, Animal Crossing and Cyberpunk 2077 be damned. Everyone’s favourite stoic space marine and demon batterer, the DOOM Slayer, is returning on March 20th, shotgun in hand to rip and tear his way through the endless demonic hordes, just as it has been, and just how it always will be.

That said, the two weeks of waiting (at the time of writing) before the game launches on PS4, Xbox One, PC and Google Stadia (supposedly) are likely to be the longest two weeks you or I have ever experienced. In order to make that wait just that little less excruciating, we’ve compiled a list of five games you should play ahead of DOOM Eternal.

 

DOOM (2016)

A bit of a gimme, this one, considering DOOM (2016) is the direct predecessor to Eternal, but what better way to put yourself in the mood for demon murder than by murdering demons? There’s a logic there, somewhere. Either way, Doomguy’s first outing on current gen hardware was a non-stop thrill ride that hooked players in from the get-go.

While its status as either a sequel or a reboot is still not quite clear, DOOM refreshed the series as a whole by honing in on the ultra-violence. The wide-sweeping gameplay changes brought the classic series into the modern age that still retained a fast-paced, gory focus that’s just undeniably DOOM, while the story and setting touched on the same beats as the original games to keep fans happy.

 

Wolfenstein (Anything From The New Order Onwards)

Another Bethesda game that’s enjoyed a career renaissance as of late, the Wolfenstein series has truly blossomed again in recent years, though the latest title, Wolfenstein: Youngblood, might have put the brakes on the Wolfenstein hype train, so to speak. Aside from that blip though, the previous three games (The New Order, The Old Blood, The New Colossus) were absolutely stellar.

The rebooted series saw protagonist B.J. Blazkowicz once again attempting to stick it to those pesky Nazis, but unfortunately a botched raid leaves him comatose for 14 years. Once he’s reawakened, the fascists have taken over the world, and William must join with a plucky band of resistance members in an attempt to turn back the tide. Along the way, he learns to turn the other cheek, forgive his enemies and become more toleran–nah, he just kills a bunch of dickheads. It’s great.

 

Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition

If ever there was a first person shooter that deserved a sequel, it’d be Bulletstorm. The collaboration between People Can Fly and Epic Games offered a more arcade-y take on first person shooting. As Grayson Hunt, you find yourself crash-landing on a hostile alien planet, filled to the brim with horrific mutants that won’t rest until you’re dead. Fortunately, you’re armed to the teeth with powerful weapons and quick one-liners.

While Bulletstorm retains a lot of the core features that DOOM and Wolfenstein share, namely the big guns and droves of enemies, Bulletstorm’s core gimmick was that you could use your skills and environment to create new ways to kill your opponents. The more creative the kill, the more points you received, which could be used to purchase upgrades and ammunition. Honestly, you should just play Bulletstorm right now, regardless of your feelings on DOOM Eternal.

 

Painkiller

Why bother going to Hell to murder a boatload of demons in DOOM when you can go to Purgatory to murder a boatload of demons in Painkiller? Released in 2004, and inspired by the fast-paced shooters of yore like DOOM, Quake and more, Painkiller sees you becoming a one man army, as the demonic denizens of the Underworld seek to wage war with Heaven itself.

While Painkiller doesn’t exactly do much to refine the overall format, as you’re just moving from room to room, murdering swarms of demons with increasingly ridiculous weapons, it does offer an incredible amount of fun. The action might be a little bit dated by modern standards, sure, but if you’re looking for a cheap distraction before Eternal, you could do a lot worse than Painkiller.

 

Serious Sam

While the likes of DOOM and Painkiller might offer a more infernal twist, Serious Sam goes for the odd combination of sci-fi and history. Within the same series, you’ll be hopping from ancient and future Egypt, the Mayan civilisation, medieval Europe and various planets across the galaxy. It’s a miracle what a time machine and a spaceship can accomplish, huh?

Serious Sam wears its DOOM influence on its sleeve, with plenty of overpowered weapons, thousands of enemies to massacre and plenty of hidden secrets to collect for those willing to put in the work. With Serious Sam: The First and Second Encounter, along with Serious Sam 2 and 3, all available now, you’ll have plenty to sink your teeth into before DOOM Eternal launches on March 20th, or at least before the fourth game launches later this year.