'Doom' on Nintendo Switch: First Impressions
Bethesda's surprising decision to port over the latest "Doom" to Switch is, in several ways, a chance to see what Nintendo's hybrid console is capable of. Early reviews have noted that, unlikely as it was, a faithful, well-performing "Doom" version is indeed heading to the console by the holiday season.
Can Nintendo's portable console run a triple-A first-person shooter? That question was answered, mostly, with the early demo versions released to gaming media outlets last week. The frantic shooter on the lightweight console runs just like its PC and big console counterparts, as Nintendo Life was happy to report.
Of course, there were some sacrifices made, as Bethesda showed in some early screenshots. The textures are simpler, and so are the models and lighting. The Switch version, at least the one released for the demo, also runs at just 30 frames per second, half of the target framerate for PCs and consoles.
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Other than that, the game is still the same ultraviolent, free-flowing shooter that the acclaimed title was on more capable consoles. The version, minus the multiplayer mode, which needs a separate download, is in almost every way the same as the one that launched last year.
This release might just prove the capabilities of the Nintendo Switch for other game developers, as Digital Trend notes. The Switch version nails everything, except perhaps the controls.
Bethesda themselves describes the Switch Pro Controller as their "preferred way" to play, and the awkward placement of the joysticks on the attached Joy-Cons makes them somewhat not suitable for long "Doom" sessions.
Things are expected to get even better when the final version rolls out later this year, as the developers are still optimizing the Switch version. Fans can expect a faster "Doom" this coming December.
The video below shows a live-action trailer for the 2016 reboot of "Doom," featuring the experience that is coming soon to the Nintendo Switch by the time the holidays roll around.
