DOOM Eternal on Nintendo Switch Is a Solid Port of 2022's Best Shooter

Chalk it upwardly to my distorted sense of time in the pandemic, but it'south surprising to think thatDOOM Eternal somehow came out almost a year ago. Coming up on its first ceremony, DOOM Eternal left a big mark thanks to its frenetic pace and adrenaline-fueled action. That combo helped information technology to easily stand out every bit (arguably) 2022's best shooter on consoles and PC. Terminal month, the game finally fabricated its way onto the Nintendo Switch. So, of course, this begs the question of whether Nintendo'southward nearly iv-twelvemonth old system tin can handle what DOOM Eternal throws at it. Surprisingly, the answer is a resounding "yes."

After its release on PS4, Xbox One, Stadia, and PC in the spring of last yr, DOOM Eternal finally fabricated its way to the Nintendo Switch in December. The port comes courtesy of Panic Push, the team that originally brought 2022'sDOOMto Switch a few years ago. With that release, Panic Button proved it could handle the challenge of bringing a graphical showcase similar DOOM to Nintendo's portable hybrid at a solid level of functioning, let solitary existence able to run the game at all. Thankfully, DOOM Eternal on Nintendo Switch is another capable port of a electric current-gen title that plays surprisingly well on the hardware, with a few caveats.

To address the elephant in the room right away; yes,DOOM Eternal on Nintendo Switch isn't most as much of a graphical showcase equally information technology was on final-gen consoles, PC, and (soon to be) on next-gen consoles. In that location are some clear compromises that had to exist fabricated to becomeDOOM Eternal to run on the Switch'south hardware: the game'southward performance is capped at 30fps, its resolution is noticeably lower, and its textures, in particular, take a substantial hit. If y'all just look at the screenshots from the game throughout this review, you'll probably get the impression that the game is a blurry, muddy, pixelated mess.

However, looks tin be deceiving. The Switch version of DOOM Eternal is a case where the game looks much improve in motion than it does when you're standing still. That works to Panic Button'south advantage, as the corybantic stride of DOOM Eternal means that y'all're pretty much on the move at all times. That'south where DOOM Eternal on the Switch manages to smooth. Aside from the hits that it takes visually, the Switch version ofDOOM Eternaldoes a commendable task at translating its momentum and speed, as players rip and tear their fashion through the demons of Hell.

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"Bated from the hits that it takes visually, the Switch version ofDOOM Eternaldoes a commendable job at translating its momentum and speed, as players rip and tear their manner through the demons of Hell."

Wreckfest | Stadia Release Trailer

For anyone that played the game previously on college-end hardware, information technology volition likely be a flake of an adjustment getting used to the game'south performance at 30fps. After all, this is an experience originally meant to be played at 60fps. Information technology's jarring at commencement for sure, but non an insurmountable challenge in one case the rhythm of DOOM Eternal's gameplay comes into play. Even at its scaled-dorsum performance, the affect of blowing away demons with the Super Shotgun, chainsawing into a lesser demon for health, and using the Doom Slayer's flamethrower to restore your armor feels simply every bit good while playing on the Switch as information technology did on consoles and PC. And even though they're much less detailed and a bit blurrier, using Glory Kills to tear open a demon withal has its gory charm.

From a gameplay perspective, the Switch version ofDOOM Eternal generally holds up to the demanding and fast-paced nature of its gameplay. Of class, your mileage may vary depending on how you decide to play information technology. Especially once you lot get into the game's later stages (allow's not talk near when you face off with a Marauder). At that place, you'll have to juggle multiple different enemy types while dancing around the battlefield, something that was often difficult even with a keyboard and mouse or an Xbox One controller in paw.

For handheld Switch players, the Joy-Con controllers volition likely be a scrap of a mixed experience, as the analog sticks can sometimes feel imprecise and sluggish for what the game frequently asks of the player. By comparison, the Switch Pro Controller feels a bit more suitable to the twitchiness that DOOM Eternal asks for. Therefore, you might find it a ameliorate fit to play on a bigger screen in docked mode.

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"The Switch version of DOOM Eternal mostly holds up to the demanding and fast-paced nature of its gameplay, though your mileage may vary depending on how you decide to play it."

Though I had some initial hesitation on playingDOOM Eternal on Switch, I came away with a bit of relief knowing that not simply does the game itself hold up, but so did Panic Push button's latest work to bring a current-gen experience to the Switch. While the gap between Switch and electric current-gen platforms has widened over the by few years, DOOM Eternal is another capable port alongside the system'south other technically impressive experiences similarThe Witcher three and DOOM 2016. While the Switch version can't match the spectacle of playing on console or PC, DOOM Eternal is withal a solid and satisfying fit for on-the-go play if you simply want to blast demons in the confront for a few minutes of insanity. Like Panic Button's work on its predecessor,DOOM Eternal on the Switch feels like a surprising match made in Hell.

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