DOOM
I am old enough that I got to play the original DOOM when it first came out. As a teenager I found it glorious and could not get enough. It was followed up with an additional campaign and then DOOM II. I played these to death. Many many years later we were teased with DOOM 3. Fans of DOOM collectively lost their minds. Then it came out and it was just okay. Not a bad game but not the DOOM we were looking for (#notmyDOOM?). More years passed, and another announcement...but not a sequel...well sort of? The new DOOM was here.
And god damn is it ever good.
DOOM is one of most polished games I have ever played. Everything about it screams quality. It looks fantastic, controls amazing and each extra touch is done with the best of care.
As someone who is really picky about level design and layout in FPS games the new DOOM nailed it square. Each area is a great blend of battle arena and the winding corridor/room combinations that is reminiscent of the original game. Pickup placement and designed flow mean you never stop moving - rushing from one enemy to the next, swapping weapons all in an amazing layout with stunning visuals. The textures, lighting and details evoke exactly the best atmosphere for the area they represent. Mars base has never looked so good.
All the classic DOOM enemies are represented, and some new ones. Each one has a role to fill in the battle against you, requiring a combination of different tactics to deal with. All of them are fantastically designed and wonderfully monstrous hell beasts.Sometimes only a few, sometimes spawning hordes that you are never sure when they are going to stop. From the second the meaty combat sound track kicks in to either victory or your defeat it's brutal, intense, fast action. Every gun feels good and has a role to fulfill. And glory kills OH YES GLORY KILLS!
I do have one knock against the new DOOM, the weapon/armor upgrade system. I know every game has these now but it just felt a little tacked on. Messing about in equipment screens deciding what to upgrade isn't very DOOMy to me. But to each their own.
The story of DOOM is as absurd as the action, it's clever and unique and worth reading the dossiers that you pick up. Combined with the few NPC's you directly interact with it went places I was not expecting and was impressed.
I have not played any of the included multiplayer and I a little disappointed that the additional content since the game's release has all been for that mode and nothing for single player but it's optional anyways.
If you like the old fast deadly FPS games of yonder years you simply cannot go wrong with DOOM. Everything from the controls, the sound, the music and the design are damn near perfect.
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