DOOM Eternal is definitely just as challenging, if not more so, as its 2016 predecessor. Combat feels even faster and ammo is scarcer, forcing the player to get creative and resourceful. This time, skill is more important than bullets.
This new sequel provides many difficulty modes, including the dreaded Nightmare difficulty. This is for the players who want an even tougher challenge than the initial game provides. For those up to the task, they’ll want all the help they can get. Here are ten techniques for surviving Nightmare Difficulty in DOOM Eternal.
10 Never Stop Moving
This may seem obvious but it must be stated. Always be on the move! DOOM Eternal is essentially one long adrenaline rush from start to finish, especially in higher difficulties. In Nightmare mode, enemies are absolutely relentless and they hit hard.
The game provides plenty of movement mechanics such as dodging and double jumping. Use these to your advantage. There’s no shame in running away if things get too hectic. Running in the other direction can you give you time to examine your surroundings and try a different approach. If you need to take a breather, maybe just pause the game.
9 Learn To Always Glory Kill Every Enemy
Glory kills look cool but they’re a necessity if you want to survive Nightmare mode. Take a look at the battlefield and think of every enemy as a health pouch.
Just one hit from a basic enemy is enough to take a quarter of your health away. Therefore, don’t let their deaths go to waste. You’ll want to learn and remember how many hits it takes for the small enemies to get staggered. Then you can go in for the brutal glory kill. Not only do they provide health but they give a small window of invincibility as you’re performing them.
8 Explore. Explore. Explore.
DOOM Eternal houses many secrets to find. It’s crucial that you explore every nook and cranny of each level. You can find extra lives, Praetor tokens, weapon upgrades, and cheat codes.
Nightmare mode expects you to have found everything to take down its toughest challenges. Thankfully, the game’s platforming mechanics are simple and fluid, which doesn’t make exploration feel like a chore. Also, make sure you prioritize which weapons you’re going to upgrade. If this is your second playthrough, you should have an idea of which ones fit your playstyle the best.
7 Master The Super Shotgun To Obtain The Flaming Hook
Obviously, you’ll want to master the Super Shotgun regardless. Still, it’s best if you do this right away so you can get the Flaming Hook upgrade.
Initially, the Meat Hook isn’t the most devastating weapon but once it’s on fire, it’s extremely useful. If you’re caught in a sticky situation, you can use the Flaming Hook as a quick way to gain some armor as it will light the enemy on fire. Once you’ve zipped towards them, shoot them with the shotgun so they’ll drop even more armor.
6 Chainsaw Often
Ammo is harder to come by in DOOM Eternal. In DOOM (2016), you really had to try to run out of ammo for most guns. Not only does ammo drop less, but your guns can also only hold so much as well.
Luckily, the chainsaw’s gas tank always has one charge with a cooldown. You’ll want to get in the habit of always chainsawing a small enemy immediately after it cools down. Don’t try to rely on finding gas tanks to get three charges. Use your big guns for the big guys. If you constantly chainsaw, you’ll always have the ammo for them.
5 Fully Upgrade The Ice Bomb
As stated before, you don’t get much time to breathe in Nightmare mode. Thankfully, you’ve got your trusty ice bomb grenade to freeze the enemy in their place. Once you can start unlocking the Praetor Suit tokens, you should fully upgrade the ice bomb as soon as possible.
With these upgrades, you can get a lower cooldown rate, enemies will stay frozen longer, and they will also take more damage. This is helpful against the game’s tougher enemies as you can freeze them in their place and unload. Even if they don’t shatter, they’ll be weakened significantly when they unfreeze.
4 Get The Lock-On Burst For The Rocket Launcher
The rocket launcher’s Lock-On Burst upgrade is very powerful to use against the game’s beefiest demons. As its name suggests, it shoots out three rockets to a target that you’ve locked on to. Upgrading it shortens the lock-on time.
This upgrade is especially useful in Nightmare mode when things get chaotic since it doesn’t require too much precision. Certain spongey demons like the Mancubus can explode with just two Lock-On Burst strikes. You only have so much rocket launcher ammo, so only use it when needed.
3 Use The Chrono Strike Rune Often
You are only allowed to equip three runes in DOOM Eternal. For Nightmare mode, you should always have Chrono Strike rune active. This allows you to slow down time when in mid-air.
As you’ll see in Nightmare difficulty, everything is moving super fast and you need to avoid it all costs. Try to use the Chrono Strike as often as possible to get some precise hits. It may slow down the pace of the game but you’ll need all the help you can get.
2 Use The Ballista For The Marauder
If you’ve already beaten the game once, you’re probably hesitant to start Nightmare mode due to the Marauder. Yes, the Marauder is very difficult but if you use the Ballista, he’s less painful than you might think.
The Marauder can only be hit when he’s attacking. Your best option is to use the Ballista as you can actually shoot him two times before he brings his shield back. The Super Shotgun might seem like the obvious gun but the Marauder seems to take more damage from the Ballista. Always make sure it’s got ammo when the dreaded Marauder appears.
1 Farm For Extra Lives
To add some “old school” flair to the game, DOOM Eternal has extra lives scattered around the map. Having one equipped will allow you to come back to life after death.
There is actually an easy farm you can do once you’ve beaten the Exultia mission. Simply go back to Mission Select and start Exultia again. There is an extra life that you can find within seconds of starting the mission. Extra lives will always stay equipped in your save slot until you die. Is it cheap? Yes, but the demons won’t play fair, why should you?