Video games are the last line of entertainment that will keep us all from going crazy in these difficult times. Last Friday, hardcore shooter fans got their hands on the long-awaited DOOM Eternal , a direct sequel to 2016’s DOOM. And luckily, the game lived up to expectations, delivering technically perfect gameplay, many familiar but well-improved features, and quite a few well-hidden Easter eggs.
Similar to DOOM (2016), finding most of the Easter eggs in Eternal will be extremely difficult. You will probably miss 95% of them on your first playthrough. But if you are someone who tries to jump around corners, descend into chasms to find secret passages and alcoves, then you will probably stumble upon some of them. Below is a selection of 10 secrets that some gamers have not yet discovered.
Pharm
As if trying to evoke some old-school nostalgia in gamers, DOOM Eternal added the ability to collect extra lives. They come in handy if you encounter a tough opponent, and will allow you to revive right on the battlefield. And this is important for survival, because compared to DOOM (2016), Eternal really raises the difficulty bar. Enemies act more aggressively, deal more damage, there are more platforming puzzles, and the ammo has been significantly reduced. Therefore, it is extremely important to develop the right strategy for survival. And something that many modern gamers have forgotten is the ability to farm.
When you pick up an extra life, even at the beginning of a level, you can simply leave it and start over. Life will appear in the same place. The main thing is not to die while you get to it. In this way, you can collect several dozen lives and increase your chances of passing levels when setting a higher difficulty. In addition, something similar works with tokens for upgrading weapons.
Terminator 2
A not-so-exciting Easter egg that pays homage to the classic film. We all know the ending of Terminator 2: the T-1000 is destroyed, and to prevent the end of the world, the Terminator must also destroy himself. As he descends into the burning goo, he raises his hand and gives John and Sarah Connor a thumbs-up. In DOOM Eternal, you can recreate this death in any level with lava. Just jump into the lava and wait for the hero to die. Just before the screen goes black, the Slayer will give the player a thumbs-up.
A real bookworm
The Slayer’s base, the Slayer’s Stronghold, features the protagonist’s personal quarters, which contain a number of interesting items. One of the most obvious conclusions you can draw from exploring the Slayer’s quarters is that the ruthless demon slayer is actually a bookworm. Take a closer look at the bookshelf to see several parody titles of familiar titles, including Demon Farm, The Guts of Wrath, and, of course, Fifty Shades of Slay. You’ll also find books parodying other games: A Vault Dweller’s Guide To Survival and Why I’m So Great Pt. II.
But one of the most touching Easter eggs is connected with the video blogger Markiplier, who created the eponymous YouTube channel. There is a book called “How to Comb a Mustache” written by Clifton M. Fischbach. This is the name of Mark’s father, who passed away back in 2008. Mark has mentioned his love for the DOOM series since childhood in many videos released on his channel. And he did not go unnoticed.
Sound familiar?
Like in DOOM 2016, you can enable the classic weapon look as it was in the original games in the series. But it doesn’t end there. If you bought the Deluxe Edition for DOOM Eternal, you can also enable the classic weapon sounds. You need to go to the settings and select the “Audio” tab. Perhaps these effects will become available in the future for other gamers.
Secret cutscene
Nothing special. Replay the final chapter, destroying the Icon of Sin, and during the final video you’ll see a small secret cutscene. In it, a zombie plays with the Slayer’s toys. A few seconds later, the Slayer himself appears behind him, reloading his shotgun.
Cheat codes
Like extra lives, Eternal goes even deeper into the classic shooter school by adding cheat codes. However, you can’t just paste the code into the appropriate section of the main menu to turn on god mode. Like any other secret, you have to explore each level. There’s probably 1, maybe even 2 cheat codes hidden among the “questions”.
Hidden Message
One of the most interesting and mysterious finds in DOOM Eternal. It appears on the map tab in the pause menu. It is currently unclear what this audio file is, but some believe that it is a hidden message left by the developers. So far, no one has been able to decipher it.
Never-ending classic
The older classic DOOM games didn’t perform as well on the new engine, so id Software decided to add the regular versions of the classics directly into DOOM Eternal. You can unlock these games on the Slayer’s old PC in his room in the Sentinel Stronghold. The first classic game is unlocked after the Eternal story campaign, while DOOM 2 requires the code FLYNNTAGGART. Flynn Taggart is the Slayer’s real name, as mentioned in the books about him.
Justice For Daisy
Two years ago, the official DOOM Twitter page posted a unique tweet featuring a rabbit holding a sign that read “justice for Daisy.” For those unfamiliar, Daisy is the Slayer’s pet who was seen at the end of the final episode of The Ultimate Doom. Daisy can be seen in various parts of levels throughout the game. Additionally, in the Slayer’s personal quarters in the Sentinel Stronghold, you can find an empty rabbit cage with food and a portrait of the Slayer holding Daisy.
Dope References
While exploring the secret corners of DOOM Eternal, you’ve probably encountered a crazy, green, toothy fish. This creature is called a dopefish. In the ’90s, this fish was called the second dumbest creature in the world. It first appeared in Commander Keen: Goodbye Galaxy, a side-scrolling platformer in which the main character, Billy Blaze, defends Earth from an alien invasion. On social media, it is assumed that Keen is Blazkowicz’s grandson and the father of the Doom Slayer.
There are other Commander Keen-related Easter eggs in the game, including a shop in the sixth mission called Dopenuts and Keen Candies.