Platforms: Xbox One, Playstation 4, PC.
Developers: id Software Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Players: 1 / Online Multiplayer Release Date: May 13, 2016
Hell of a ride.
Doom is back and rebooted (kind of), and frankly more than capably claims its past glory. Skipping over the events of Doom 3, apart from a few nods and a thankfully maintained art direction, Doom is an entirely new beast that both harks back to what made the originals so timeless whilst catapulting the game play forwards in new and interesting ways. With its adrenaline fueled campaign that knocks it out of the park, a competent multiplayer and the novel snapmap mode, Doom certainly presents a meaty package for players to get stuck into.
The campaign is the heart and soul of this package, offering a good 8-12 hours of demon slaughtering fun depending on how much of a completionist you are. Time is never wasted when getting into the action, throwing you into a room full of zombies armed with nothing but a pistol and the tongue in cheek message of “Demon invasion in progress” on the terminals, and the pace only quickens from there on. A handful of cut scenes and some explanatory narration are all that slow down the demon killing that for all intents and purposes can be played with no attention to the story whatsoever. That’s not to say id Software haven’t given the details attention; all the weapons, demons, areas etc have plenty of interesting data entries to be unlocked, its just that its wisely kept to one side allowing those who want to keep strictly to the action to do just that. Taking a moment to pause and explore is well worth it though as each level is intricately designed, jam packed with secrets and interesting combat advantages that will reward the curious player. Classic Doom levels are even hidden around as a great reward for long term fans.
Killing demons is where its at however, and id deliver fully here. With a quick base movement speed, vast weapon inventory and no need for reloading, this begins as a classic Doom brought into present day. But as you play on new features will be revealed that not only add an extra layer of depth to Doom, but come to redefine its moment to moment game play entirely. First and foremost are its glory kills, brutal executions performable on weakened enemies, that not only provide a glorious animation but also healing. Having these executions grant much needed health push the player into being more aggressive, chasing the next execution to stay healthy, and despite a somewhat limited number of animations these never get old. The addition of a double jump and mantling edges only further the emphasis on movement in Doom, which coupled with a roster of incredibly aggressive demons writes camping and taking cover off entirely. Every skirmish is a tense battle for survival as you sprint from enemy to enemy, then away from, all in order to pick each foe off one by one whilst staying one step ahead. The reliance on arena based encounters can become slightly too much as the later levels throw one after another at you, but when you’re in the fight Doom manages to remain frantically fun from beginning to end even after the new additions have long run out.
Both the weapons and demons stand out here, most managing to be unique and bringing something new to the table. Imps are more agile than ever, throwing fireballs as they jump and never failing to keep you on your toes. Even towering foes like the Barons of Hell charge at you full tilt, leaping through the air to close the distance alarmingly quickly. In terms of art direction a brilliant balance is met between the more cartoonish renditions of the originals and Doom 3’s more serious take. The more garish enemies maintain their iconic looks whilst not looking out of place in the realistic setting, with the Pinkies in particular being a thrill to battle. The most striking makeovers are given the bosses however, with each battle consisting of non stop dodging and retaliation when possible against a never ending wave of sudden but well telegraphed attacks. Boss encounters aren’t reinvented, but with current first person shooters being reluctant to push the boat out with boss battles its refreshing to see Doom once again stand tall as an example to the rest.
When it comes to weapons Doom has taken a similar approach to reinvention, with every gun boasting the simplicity of the originals whilst having optional modifications that in turn make them far more versatile. The way these upgrades are handled is well done, with each one requiring certain actions to be performed to be improved, encouraging you to mix things up in scenarios where you’d otherwise be sticking to the same old tactics. Not all the weapons are created equal however, especially with the raw power of the super shotgun rendering the initial shotgun obsolete early on, unfortunate given how both are good fun to use. Its hard to knock Doom for this too much however, as the great array of modifications do give even the weaker weapons more opportunity later in the game. The chainsaw and BFG are both tweaked well here as well. The chainsaw is now a lethal one hit kill against any enemy given enough of the precious fuel is available, and it also causes said enemy to explode in a fountain of ammo, making it an incredibly useful tool that you’ll carefully deliberate when to use. Likewise with the BFG, it still clears rooms with ease but no longer steam rolls over bosses, instead it stuns and even cancels their attacks, giving windows of opportunity in these tense fights rather than removing the challenge completely.
Doom both looks and sounds beautiful. Apart from the occasional clipping of the scenery when glory killing everything runs without a hitch no matter how busy the fight gets. Both the cold lab areas and ominous landscapes of Hell are rendered fantastically, making both a joy to root around. The sound direction is also top notch, with every gunshot and demon snarl sounding rawly tangible. Mick Gordon’s heavy industrial soundtrack also deserves a special mention, its ability to slowly ramp up the tension in every fight certainly got the blood pumping in each and every encounter.
Outside of the single player Doom still has a lot to offer. The multiplayer component can match the chaotic fun found in the campaign at points, but unfortunately its emphasis on loadouts seems to undermine the arena shooter heyday its attempting to recapture. The new Demon runes that allow players to become demons to wreak havoc are a great feature however, as they shift the flow each match substantially with their risk reward element of having the chance of becoming the demon yourself should you manage to slay it. The Snapmap mode is sure to offer hours of fun to the more creative players too, with this robust but easy to use level editor enabling you to create anything from co-op levels to multiplayer maps. The current low max enemy cap does hold it back when it comes to creating some grander levels, but investing some time in this mode soon reveals just how much it has to offer.
Verdict
Doom is back in a big way. Its campaign offers up the classic straight forward thrills of the originals whilst mixing up the moment to moment action in some ingenious ways. From beginning to end its a non stop roller coaster that never lets up on the action, placing a firm emphasis on pushing the attack to prevent encounters from ever becoming repetitive. Elsewhere its multiplayer component offers some fun but short lived action, but Snapmap offers a powerful creative tool to those willing to invest some time in this novel feature. Welcome back Doom.
Hits
+ Insane campaign that encourages aggressive mobility
+ Tenacious demons and memorable bosses
+ Great roster of weaponry and modifications
+ Abundance of secrets hidden among its complex levels
+ Soundtrack will have you sweating
+ Snapmap is a versatile feature
Misses
– Multiplayer doesn’t match the simple thrills of the campaign
– Reliance on arena based encounters
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