First off, let’s discuss graphics. As a note, I ran DOOM on a R9 390X, so I had my settings a bit higher than standard. DOOM has no shortage of graphical fidelity, as each texture in the game is well made, offering clean, crisp visuals as well as legible panels. When you use a computer, or terminal in the game, or zoom in on something, it looks readable, rather than being distorted like some games. It’s an interesting attention to detail that id Software didn’t have to pay, but definitely good that they did. The models are well sculpted, without clipping, like you would expect from such detailed 3D models. As with my previous mention of textures, the ones on the character models are equally impressive, even with parts of the monsters being blown away during combat.
DOOM’s gameplay is a lot like it’s predecessors in that it’s simple run’n’gun action. The settings even contain an option to move the gun from the right of the screen to the center, in classic DOOM style. Although DOOM is a lot like its predecessors, it also brings new gameplay elements to the series. Your route is never planar—you have to jump up and drop down a lot in the game, which can make it easy to get lost. Another example is the double jump. Not only did they give you one jump, but the devs decided to give you a second one! This gameplay element is a turn-on for myself because it recalls memories of playing Metroid Prime on the GameCube. The final element I want to mention is the Glory Kills; Glory Kills in DOOM are pivotal to the gameplay. As you move within the game, more than likely you will truly rip and tear your way through enemies like The Possessed, all the way up to the powerful Baron of Hell. With each Glory Kill you perform you receive health and ammo, not a lot, but enough to keep you ripping and tearing. Add in being able to add runes and upgrades to your suit and weapons, you’ll find DOOM’s gameplay offers something to everyone.
Let’s discuss the game itself next. Many games these days come out as broken, incomplete, and just sad. With DOOM’s single-player campaign I didn’t personally find any bugs. Only one time did something odd happen: during a glory kill animation I moved through a staircase. However, the game has proper collision and moved me back to the stairs, and kept me from having to reset to a checkpoint. Out of the box right now you get a full campaign, along with arcade mode, which is put simply, running, gunning, and racking up points. In single-player you have tons of secrets to find. Despite all of these hidden access areas and secret tunnels the game still performs smoothly, I found no issues with any of the hidden areas I found.
Who likes a little story with their blood and gore? Not everyone. No worries, though; DOOM can be played different ways! Firstly you have Story mode; which lets you move through the maps following the DOOM storyline. You’ll find secrets, collect data logs, and enjoy a story you would expect from a DOOM game. Secondly, you don’t have to view the story! You can go through the game smoothly, and just kill enemies due to the lore of the game (data logs) being in your Tab menu. Meaning you can totally ignore the story, aside from a few minor cutscenes, and just enjoy the blood and gore. Lastly, Arcade mode, which is for the score obsessed gamer in all of us. There is no story, no cutscenes, no nothing. You go into an area, blast your way through enemies, and exit. You collect 2 extra lives, and 6 relics, contained inside bombs that devastate nearby enemies, and rack up score. Though each time you take damage your multiplier drops, so don’t do that.
I paid $19.97 during Steam’s Thanksgiving sale for DOOM, and I played it over the course of several days (though, at 60GB, the first few days were just spent downloading.) But once I had it downloaded I set to playing it immediately, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. As you progress and more enemy types become known, the game becomes steadily harder. You start out fighting only The Possessed, then Imps in the first level, and level by level the fights get larger, and more and more enemies will attempt to destroy you. I myself thoroughly enjoyed the game, and don’t regret the money I spent on it. You can purchase the game on Steam here.
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Nice. ^_^ I look forward to playing it myself.