Doom Eternal has continued providing for fans since its release on March 20, 2020. Since then, there have been numerous additions, including new challenges, rewards, and even DLC. Even so, Doom Eternal's developers show no signs of slowing, as their 6.66 update is one of its biggest yet. While the update has much to offer, the most anticipated addition is the new Horde Mode.
Horde Mode aims to satisfy hardened Doom Eternal players that seek to challenge themselves. With limited resources and time, players must overcome swarms of enemies and complete daunting tasks. Each horde risks failure, and each challenge spells doom for unprepared players. Thus, only the most dedicated and calculating players can hope to succeed. However, these tips can ease the process.
8 Go Through The Tutorials
Horde Mode takes from various elements of Doom Eternal's single-player and flips them on their heads. Players will recognize themes from the campaign, although with significant alterations. Rather than mindlessly dredging through demons, players must account for various other objectives.
Thus, players need to complete the Horde Mode tutorials instead of going in blindly. These concise guides will familiarize players with the goals and mechanics. Moreover, they offer tidbits of advice that prove helpful to both new and experienced players.
7 Understand Each Round
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In Horde Mode, there are several distinct rounds: Arena, Blitz, Traversal, and Bonus. Each round functions differently and presents its own unique challenges, offering a well-rounded challenge to players that will test much more than their demon-slaying prowess. Players should gain an understanding of each round and the hardships they will endure.
Arena
Arena rounds are the most basic and straightforward Horde Mode challenges. Players must simply survive each wave of demons while gathering points. Although this seems like a simple objective, players will soon discover the difficulty. Slaying demons is a trivial task; however, Horde Mode demands that players be calculative with their killing. If not, they will end up with a lackluster final score.
Blitz
Blitz rounds are the most daunting challenges within Horde Mode. Players must dispatch challenging enemies within a short period; otherwise, they fail. While failure does not compromise the mission, it grants fewer points and prevents players from participating in Bonus rounds. Players must slay demons in rapid succession lest they miss a beneficial opportunity.
Traversal
Traversal rounds rely less on a player's ability to kill, and more on their maneuverability. They must traverse through an obstacle course in a pressing amount of time. Should they fairl, players will suffer the same detriments of failing Blitz rounds.
Bonus
Bonus rounds are only unlocked when players complete Blitz rounds or Traversal rounds. These rounds vary on their objectives; however, they always provide a significant score boost. Therefore, it is best to be adaptable and open-minded when participating in Bonus rounds.
6 Review Every Demon
Horde Mode features every baddie from hell — and beyond — aching to attach. Players will face a wide variety of enemies, some of which they have never encountered before. Thus, it is of the utmost importance for players to review every foe in Doom Eternal, regardless of their experience.
Doing so not only familiarizes players, but allows them to plan new strategies as well. Knowing how each enemy functions will grant insight into how they may synergize. Moreover, players can determine a suitable course of action for dispatching such combinations. While some may believe this to be unnecessary, it allows players to maximize their speed and efficiency.
5 Complete Mission Challenges
As with other modes in Doom Eternal, Horde Mode includes a set of challenges for each mission. These objectives may require players to perform simple tasks, or seemingly impossible feats. Nonetheless, each mission challenge offers a considerable number of points that contribute to the total score.
Therefore, players should review and attempt to accomplish mission challenges whenever applicable. However, they should not do so at the expense of the mission as a whole. Gamers should exercise their best judgment and accomplish mission challenges when they can, as efficiently as possible.
4 Prioritize Bounty Demons
Horde Mode is all about earning points quickly and effectively. To emphasize this objective, Horde Mode features a new variant of enemies known as bounty demons. They are similar in appearance and function to the average foe; however, they grant more points and a power-up when killed. This makes them high-priority targets.
Dispatching bounty demons later will lessen the reward for killing them. With each passing moment, their value gradually decreases, falling by one stage. There are three stages: gold, silver, and bronze. Slaying a gold bounty demon is well worth the time and effort, as it will reap the most rewards.
3 Use Power-Ups Strategically
As stated before, players can earn power-ups by slaying bounty demons. The effect of these power-ups depends on the bounty demon's stage. For instance, gold grants a 4x point multiplier, while bronze provides a 2x point multiplier. While it is common to use power-ups immediately, in Horde Mode, conserving them is a more strategic option.
Power-ups do not despawn, so players can utilize them whenever they see fit. Preferably, players should use these boosts during high-value target waves. Doing so at any other time would result in fewer points overall, thus wasting a power-up. Moreover, players can stack power-ups to multiply points earned by ridiculous amounts and significantly increase their scores.
2 Be Conservative
In Horde Mode, players can earn a variety of rewards meant to aid them in their mission. By completing waves and rounds masterfully, players can receive extra lives and even BFG rounds. The vast surplus of goodies that players earn can lead them to develop a false sense of security. Players that fall victim to this feeling will depend on their extra lives and BFG rounds rather than their skill.
Doing so not only risks the failure of a mission, but also reduces the number of points earned. If a player loses a life or uses the BFG, they will earn drastically fewer points. It's best to try and preserve extra lives and BFG rounds, only using them when necessary.
1 Master The Rounds
Horde Mode's purpose is to challenge even the most hardened of Doom Eternal veterans, by adding a variety of more focused and punishing challenges. The diversity of Horde Mode means that there is no all-encompassing strategy. Every mission, every round, every conflict requires a unique approach.
Therefore, the only method of excelling in Horde Mode is to practice every round. The chances of succeeding on the first attempt are slim, and even then, it is unlikely to be a noteworthy attempt. However, players can discover the best way to overcome each challenge with repetition. In order to succeed, players must take on the daunting feat that is mastering each round.