In any form of entertainment, sequels are always dangerous ground. Entertainment is based upon novelty, so how does one create something novel, fun and enjoyable, whilst also retaining all the factors that made the original so worthy of a sequel? It's a beautiful paradox, and one that id Software have taken head-on.
Back in the 90's, DOOM was a fearsome franchise, blood soaked and brutal, and it quite literally stirred up hell on its initial release with its addictive run-and-gun gameplay and bad-ass atmosphere. After a few sequels, (about the time of DOOM64) the hellfire died to embers, and the series was lost to obscurity until DOOM3 was released on PS3 and XBox 360. Sadly, despite being jumpy and dark (perhaps too literally), it didn't feel like DOOM, and it launched to critical flop. It had tried to be something different from the original, but had strayed too far from what the fans had loved.
Fast forward to 2016. Where once DOOM had sat before all FPS games, the throne has lain vacant, and the petty squabbles of Battlefield and Call of Duty alone echo in the cold halls. Halo, once the bastion of the genre, has locked itself away, mumbling incoherently to itself about movie rights. In the corner, a rusted medal, bearing only the word 'Honour', gathers dust, forgotten.
What then, of this return of the King? Is it worthy of reclaiming the throne, or is it just another pretender wearing the King's clothes?
DOOM announces itself loudly. The opening cinematic has the main character bashing a demon's skull to pulp before he even gets out of bed, stepping naked into a dark scifi future dripping with viscera and blood. Within seconds, we're back in the armour, gun in hand, shooting demons. So far, so DOOM. The action doesn't let up there, either. Within minutes we're dodging fireballs being thrown at us by Imps, whilst returning fire with a shotgun, leaping from ledge to ledge to grab power ups, and keeping one eye open for hidden secrets.
It's true to say that DOOM feels like DOOM should. It's ridiculously fast paced, and the crushing soundtrack of shredding guitars and industrial sound effects keeps your pulse pounding as hard as the bassline whilst you pump white hot lead into the armies of Hell. You see, in DOOM, we awake to find out that the UAC Base here on Mars is overrun by the demonic hordes of Hell, and we are, of course, the only one that can stop this.
This is where DOOM takes its first real step up from the classics. Of course, the graphics are stunning, and the frame rate never once dipped even slightly, even as the screen filled with fireballs, viscera, laser blasts, demon parts, and more particle affects per second than a JJ Abrams film; but DOOM has a plot. For better or for worse, the plot is unobtrusive. We're told as much as we need to in order to link the missions and the game leaves it at that. This is DOOM, we don't want to be spoon fed long cutscenes and character development, we want to know where the next demon horde is, please, kkthxbai. That said, littered throughout the levels are data packs, and revealing the map or killing a new enemy also grants data packs. There's back story here, carefully thought out (if at times dripping in scifi technobabble pseudoscience) and readily accessible, but never in your face. It'd be possible to run the entire campaign without ever knowing why Samuel is a cyborg, but if you want to know, it's there.
The Glory Kills (gruesome contextually sensitive finishing moves) add a new layer to the game too, rewarding the player for getting knee deep into combat. Glory Kills cause more health items to drop, just as Chainsaw kills cause ammo to drop. It means that standing still or avoiding fights is rarely the way forward, grab a shotgun and dive in. The game isn't without it's awkward first person platforming sections, and there were times I found myself running around in circles looking for a switch I missed, but that's part of the territory and genuinely feels part of the experience. The game rewards exploration and is littered with secrets hidden in the deepest nooks and crannies.
The game is dark, both in feel and actual lighting, but somehow manages to be so without ever letting this negatively impact on gameplay. Even running down the darkest, eeriest corridors, it was always clear to make out enemies, pickups, and the way forward, whilst still remaining atmospheric and absorbing.
The campaign is surprisingly lengthy compared to other shooters, and that's before factoring in the aspects of exploration and replayability. I finished the campaign on "Hurt Me Plenty" in just over a day of intensive playing, but already have been digging back through the levels searching for the secrets, the unlockables, and of course, the retro DOOM levels. Yes, hidden in the bowels of every mission is a retro DOOM level that can be unlocked to play later. It's a great nod back to the series roots, and it's fascinating to see how the series has come on.
Besides the main campaign, there's plenty more to keep a gamer hooked. Multiplayer is tight, well balanced, and with plenty of variety in match style and setup, even for someone as notoriously bad at FPS games as I. The game includes SnapMap, a simple level design editor where players can create their own maps, populated with enemies or for multiplayer use, upload them and play on them - like a satanic 3D Super Mario Maker. Home brew map design has been a huge part of the DOOM fanbase for a long time now, and it's a really nice gesture for the developer to include such tools.
In short, DOOM is by far the game DOOM fans were hoping it would be. It showcases and celebrates what made the original games so great whilst keeping it relevant for the current era of gaming. The campaign is a decent length, without ever feeling like filler; the graphics are top notch with no slowdown; and the multiplayer and SnapMap are fantastic additions that will keep the game disc spinning in your console (or PC) for a long time.
“big fun game - 9000”
With a strong campaign, and plenty of replay value, DOOM is exactly what fans of the series were hoping for, whilst also being relevant for newcomers.