Doom Critic Reviews

It can’t match the visuals of other releases, but at the same time I don’t think it makes any major sacrifices that keep the experience from being enjoyable. Just be aware that there is a considerable difference between the Switch and PS4/Xbox One versions visually, and I think you’ll be fine.

DOOM left an amazingly good impression, and became my favorite shooter since... hmmm... Black or the Killzone trilogy? That sounds right; first-person shooters or games that are violent simply for violence's sake fell out of my favor in my 20s, so it is rare than one gets anything more than a passing "meh" from me. But DOOM is really something special. It's faster than 95% of the shooters I've played, and more intense than nearly all of them. The exploration, huge stages and mountains of collectibles and upgrades set it aside from the average "kill everything, move on" shooters, and the glory kills make dispatching bad guys as satisfying a treat as it's ever been in any other game before it. The in-game map is a huge pain and the multiplayer is a GB-hogging snoozefest, but those are literally the only downsides I see. Every adult Switch owner except for the most squeamish, should have DOOM in their cartridge slot or installed on their SD card. In a whirlwind year for the Switch and AAA releases, DOOM stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the big boys, and missing out on it would be a crime.

Much of the discussion surrounding Doom for Switch has been different compared to that of most games. To some, it seems less a game than a statement about the console’s viability as a platform for third parties to bring their biggest, most demanding games to. While this assessment is likely true, one shouldn’t forget that Doom for Switch is great game in its own right; the campaign is compelling, the Arcade mode translates perfectly for on-the-go play, and the online multiplayer is incredibly fun in addition to being the most fully featured mode of its type on the system right now. Yes, one can lament lower frame rates and resolutions but that doesn’t change the fact that Doom for Switch looks good, plays great, and can be taken with you wherever you go.

Knowing the limitations of this console, DOOM manages to maintain its essence and offers wild and amazing combat. An incredible game that is a must-buy for Nintendo’s new console.

Despite some limitations, Doom is back once again: Bloody, intense, brutal, fast-paced... and now also portable.

Doom on Nintendo Switch is visually pared back compared to other versions, but it’s still fast, addictive and gorgeous. Seeing it run on a portable is truly a sight to behold. Nintendo fans should not pass this one up.

Despite some shortcuts and downgrades in shoehorning a huge FPS juggernaut onto a handheld, Doom on the Switch is the real deal. All of the action, all of the fun, and most of the gameplay are in your hands, in a port that definitely fulfills its massive expectations.

Brutal, fast paced and fun, Doom pays homage to classic FPS. The Nintendo Switch version, at 30 FPS (unstable), is not as spectacular as the original released last year, but remains fresh and it´s unique in its genre.

If you are a seasoned DOOM player, there’s nothing new to see here, but the portability aspect could lure you in. If you are brand new to DOOM and own a Switch, it’s worth picking up. It’s fast, it’s fun, there’s tons of content, and it’s an extremely solid port of a technical beast.

It's far from the best version of DOOM, but still is a perfectly playable and enjoyable version of DOOM. Which means it has amazing gunplay, atmosphere and brutality in spades. All now on the go.

Even after all this time, DOOM is still a blast to play through. Making the Switch release my third time I got my ass to Mars in order to send a whole lot of demons back to hell. And Cohagen, if he's around. Being able to take it anywhere, at work, on a train, pop it in your bag, and resume later - is great. Awesome even. Portable DOOM single-player and Arcade Mode alone make it worth it for any Switch owner.

DOOM is a great game, no matter what platform you play it on, including Switch. On the Switch, you lose SnapMap and will have a significantly reduced graphical presentation, but the experience remains fun and addictive, and now also portable thanks to the nature of the Switch. For some, the trade-off may not make sense, but for others, it’s more than fair.

It’s hard to recommend Doom to those that have played it unless they fit certain criteria. If playing Doom on the go is a huge factor, it gets no better than this. It doesn’t look the clearest or run the smoothest, but 90% of the time players can still enjoy one hell of a game. Folks that never played this and are looking for their Doom experience, playing this first and then the other systems could be the way to go to see the differences. Lastly, if players just want to see how the little Switch that could performs and how much Doom pushes their console from a purely tech perspective, look no further. It’s super impressive, a technical marvel, and the port team Panic Buttons should be proud of what they accomplished. It’s just nuts!

Bethesda pulled off quite the trick with Doom, giving us the first real AAA third-party game experience on the Nintendo Switch. What it lacks in graphical power, it makes up for in portability, and the fact that the complete, unadulterated campaign and multiplayer modes made it over intact is an achievement other studios should take note of.

Despite limitations in graphics and operation, it's amazing that Doom works so well on the Switch, even in handheld mode. Personally, I would like to play such an impressive experience as Doom rather on the big TV, but luckily with the switch one has the choice.

In the end, Doom is a worthy successor to the original and although there was mixed reviews of Doom 3 way back in 2004, id Software should be praised on not only paying homage to the original but successfully rebooting the franchise on high-end consoles, the PC and now the Nintendo Switch. Sure, it’s a little old school at times but that was also the beauty of the original and if you’re looking for a fast paced first person shooter then Doom is the game for you. Yes, the game is quite linear but there’s plenty of secrets to be found which definitely gives you incentive to either explore all the levels totally or play the game again, so Knights of Hell beware!

Doom in this portable version is an experience to try at least once and to enjoy completely, despite some graphical limits and controls in need of careful calibration.

Bethesda did it -- they ported Doom to a Nintendo console. It might not be the prettiest version, but it works, and it was enough to get me to play it all over again.

DOOM is an incredible game, flaws and all. Audio issues and frame rate drops were annoying at times, but weren't dramatic enough to deter us from a beautiful, pulse-raising good time - and we imagine that future updates will at least partly solve these problems. DOOM is one of the best first-person shooters we've ever played, and is certainly the best in its class on Switch. There's a certain magical quality about having a game this good on the go. Its brilliant campaign is reason enough to pick it up, but DOOM's multiplayer will keep you coming back for more for months to come. While it's perhaps not as polished as it is on other formats, having DOOM in portable form is a revelation, and developer Panic Button deserves high praise for porting over id Software's classic title so brilliantly.

It’s clear, beyond the obvious limitation with resolution and frame-rate, that DOOM for Switch has had to make some restrictions. Even so, for those who haven’t yet experienced one of last year’s finest, most surprising releases, DOOM even now represents one of the genre’s finest moments for some time. Clearly those who already own the game on another platform will have to think long and hard over the novel value of having a game of this caliber on the go. And while the visual blemishes and rough edges do detract on occasion and are clear to spot, playing DOOM on the Nintendo Switch still conjures that same jubilant energy that id Software’s behemoth has long been praised for. Tainted in its visuals it might be, the heart, soul and demon-crushing ferocity of its gameplay, in the end, shines through regardless.