Metal Eden from Raycon Games delivers a high-speed, futuristic FPS experience on Xbox Series X. Drawing heavy inspiration from Doom Eternal, the game focuses on relentless action, acrobatic movement, and intense firefights. Here’s an in-depth look at its gameplay, mechanics, and overall experience.

Metal Eden Review: Gameplay and Movement

Metal Eden thrives on speed. The game integrates wall running, grappling hooks, jetpacks, and massive slides, making traversal feel fluid and dynamic.

"Mixed/average" on Metacritic is criminal.
byu/majishoujo inMetal_Eden

Cranking the field of view to 115° pushes the sense of pace even further, enhancing its frantic flow. The level design favors straightforward action over exploration, keeping players focused on clearing waves of robotic enemies. Occasionally, combat can be bypassed, but most areas lock doors until every foe is destroyed. This design mirrors Ghostrunner more than Doom, prioritizing linear intensity.

Weapons, Upgrades, and Core Extraction

Metal Eden’s weapon selection follows classic FPS archetypes: pistols, shotguns, assault rifles, plasma rifles, and grenade launchers. Smart weapon swapping becomes essential to exploit enemy weaknesses and manage limited ammo. The standout mechanic is core extraction. After depleting enemy shields, players can rip out robotic cores to either throw them for explosive damage or absorb them to supercharge melee attacks. This adds tactical depth, especially when combined with upgradeable secondary weapon modes and perks that enhance Ascar’s combat capabilities.

Comparing Metal Eden to Doom Eternal

While Metal Eden takes inspiration from Doom Eternal’s intensity, it carves out its identity with unique traversal mechanics and environmental puzzles. Ascar, the protagonist, can morph into a high-speed ball, unlocking exclusive movement options and puzzle-solving features. Unfortunately, this ability appears in only a handful of levels, limiting its impact. The pacing ramps up gradually, with longer encounters demanding mastery over movement, weapon usage, and parkour sequences. The electronic soundtrack amplifies the tension, though occasional framerate drops and minor glitches slightly hinder the experience.

Campaign Length and Overall Experience

Metal Eden’s campaign runs around four hours, offering a compact yet satisfying experience for FPS enthusiasts. While it lacks groundbreaking innovation, its polished shooting, engaging movement, and fast-paced design make it a worthwhile playthrough.

Despite technical hiccups and limited replayability, Metal Eden succeeds in delivering adrenaline-fueled combat for players seeking a short, intense FPS before bigger upcoming releases.