DOOM released late last year on the Nintendo Switch and is generally agreed to be an excellent port, albeit with some issues. Last month, Bethesda and Panic Button released a new patch to fix some issues with the game and add new features to better streamline the experience. As such, I want to take another look at the game and see if it truly is better than before.
Right from the start the changes are notable, as Bethesda has updated the icon to resemble the Switch Boxart and while it was a minor thing in the long run, I have to admit that I do like it. As for the game itself,, I noticed that the game seems brighter, or rather brighter due to clearer visuals that allow much of the game’s art style to shine through. This was a problem I had noted before. and I am glad to see it is fixed and the game looks better than ever. The framerate also looks a bit better, and it seems the rare framerate drops have been fixed,creating a smoother experience.
The multiplayer has been greatly aided by the patch, with the game running far better than it did before. I have heard that DOOM’s multiplayer does see a lot of use on Switch, so it makes sense that fixing it would be a priority. I had a lot of fun with the matches after the patch and I fully appreciate the work that went into this.
But the most important part of the patch, is of course the addition of gyro/motion controls and aiming. I have to admit that I wasn’t expecting this to be added ever, but the fact that it was added does show that Bethesda, Panic Button, and id software are serious about supporting this game on Switch. It really does let you experience the game differently and I began a new playthrough just to enjoy the new controls. In the future, I would love it if Bethesda could bring a version of snapmap to the Switch version, as the lack of that feature is the only thing keeping me from calling this the ideal version of the game. Even the reduced framerate doesn’t bother me that much, as so much polish has gone into this game. If you have not yet played DOOM on Swicth, now is the perfect time to try it.