DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods - Part One (Nintendo Switch) Review

By Neil Flynn 20.07.2021

Review for DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods - Part One on Nintendo Switch

There is no doubt whatsoever that DOOM Eternal was widely praised upon its release, and better yet, developer Panic Button did a wonderful job porting the masterpiece over to Nintendo Switch. The lack of a physical version, the downgraded visuals and somewhat of a pricey retail price were the downsides upon release, but it was also the delayed release which caused some ire in the first place. Now, eight months after the release of The Ancient Gods DLC on other platforms it has finally made its way to Nintendo Switch, but how does it hold up?

The Ancient Gods is a standalone campaign which takes place not long after the main story, although it is actually possible to access it through the main menu at any time, even if the main campaign hasn't even been started yet. Even for the hardcore and the veterans this would be a brave move to attempt, as there are no tutorials in The Ancient Gods missions, and there isn't an easy cadence of enemies; the difficulty ramps up from the get-go. For this reason, it is thoroughly recommended that the main campaign is completed first, and mechanics mastered before diving into the DLC.

Screenshot for DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods - Part One on Nintendo Switch

The core gameplay loop is exactly as it is in the main game, forcing a loop of melee, chainsaw and shooting attacks to storm through waves of enemies, followed by platforming sessions. While there are no new game play elements, there are a few new enemies. Most notable of these are the spirits, which can possess other enemies and buff their stats to make them harder to beat. Beating a spirt possessed enemy boots them out of the host and makes them vulnerable to attack, although if the spirit isn't taken care of swiftly it will possess another demon, so acting quickly is key.

Screenshot for DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods - Part One on Nintendo Switch

The Ancient Gods DLC only contains 3 missions, but these are certainly padded out to make this package worthwhile, with easily 5-6 hours of play time minimum. The levels can feel like they have been artificially lengthened due to large waves of enemies running a gauntlet on DOOM Slayer, which at first can feel somewhat satisfying but then it can become a little monotonous. The difficulty can be somewhat overwhelming at times. In other words, this DLC package certainly isn't for the weak hearted.

Screenshot for DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods - Part One on Nintendo Switch

The sound department have done their wonders applying the heavy metal tunes to the DLC, adding to the already impressive soundtrack. Visuals have been somewhat downgraded to compensate for the frame rate, which tries its best to maintain a 30 frames per second, but can struggle to do so on intense arena battles. Nonetheless, having DOOM Eternal run on Nintendo Switch is a mean feat of engineering and optimisation from the team at Panic Button and Bethesda.

Screenshot for DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods - Part One on Nintendo Switch

Cubed3 Rating

8/10
Rated 8 out of 10

Great - Silver Award

Rated 8 out of 10

Cubed3 adored DOOM Eternal for Nintendo Switch when it first released and having The Ancient Gods DLC Part 1 come to the console is another cherry on the cake for the handheld hybrid system. The difficulty will be the biggest barrier to overcome for many; this is a rock solid DLC pack that will test even the most veteran players out there. The three stages on offer might sound like the DLC is lacking, but there is enough content there to warrant the price tag for an extra chance to smash up some demons. Bethesda have already stated that DLC 2 will be coming later in the year, so it is not that much longer to wait!

Developer

Panic Button

Publisher

Bethesda

Genre

First Person Shooter

Players

1

C3 Score

Rated $score out of 10  8/10

Reader Score

Rated $score out of 10  0 (0 Votes)

European release date Out now   North America release date Out now   Japan release date Out now   Australian release date Out now   

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