Doom Eternal

Doom Eternal is a continuation of the legendary series' 2016 reboot, and on Xbox Series X/S it delivers an extremely fast, aggressive shooter in which constant movement matters just as much as an accurate aim. The game expands on the so-called "push forward combat" system, where the player must actively attack demons using specific weapons and abilities to get ammo, health, or armor from them, meaning the game rejects passive cover and forces the player into constant risky movement through an arena full of enemies. The arsenal of weapons and mobility options, including the grappling hook, double jump, and brutal finishing animations, makes Doom Eternal one of the fastest and most demanding shooters of its entire generation.

On Xbox Series X/S the game runs in high resolution with a high, stable frame rate, which is absolutely essential for a title built on precision and speed of movement. Visually the game combines an industrial, hellish aesthetic with futuristic elements of an Earth base and distant planets, accompanied by Mick Gordon's intense metal score, which reinforces the feeling of the unstoppable power of the main hero, the Doom Slayer. The level design also offers hidden collectibles, secret rooms, and platforming sections that vary the game between individual, extremely intense battles, and the rune system for upgrading weapons and abilities lets the player gradually tailor the game's pace to their own style.

Doom Eternal was praised on release for its courage in pushing action shooters to even greater intensity and speed, though some players needed longer to get used to its more demanding, less forgiving system than the more accessible previous entry. On Xbox Series X/S the game received smooth technical execution that fully exploits the console's potential, and it still ranks among the titles used as an example of what a modern, technically polished first-person action shooter built on speed and aggression should look like.

Why play it: Anyone looking for a technically polished action shooter built on speed and aggression will get a boldly intense sequel, though its more demanding system does take some getting used to.