DOOM, the 1993 classic from id Software, has always been synonymous with the very concept of video games for me. It’s emblematic of a time when the medium was making advancements in technology, but before they were chasing concepts like cinematic presentation or adhering to realism. The environments still felt unique and impressive to get around, but they were clearly constructed levels rather than something that emulates a space in the real world.
Guns didn’t need to be reloaded because that would get in the way of the action. Demons were hanging out in this space because that’s where the designer wanted to challenge you. The Mars base was laid out like a maze because it was fun to get around. There was no concern for anything beyond the most basic of narratives, which was only there to provide a pretense for you to turn demons into pixelated corpses using a range of great feeling weapons.
It was a simpler time, and that simplicity allowed them to be laser-focused on making it fun.
For a while, this model of games dominated, with DOOM clones popping up everywhere. Despite getting DOOM II and Final DOOM, the franchise fell off the map a bit. In 2004, we saw id try to reboot the franchise, but it looked very different from its predecessors. In the intervening years, Half-Life had shown the world a template for making first-person shooters more story-focused, and DOOM 3 tried to move a bit in that direction. There was more narrative, with actual NPCs delivering plot information, as well as a new focus on atmosphere and horror. This was divisive at the time, though history has mostly vindicated this approach, as it felt like this was a reconceptualization of what DOOM was rather than an evolution of what people liked about it.
Following this, the DOOM franchise would go on a long hiatus as it figured out what it looked like in a modern landscape. Call of Duty came out, and that franchise, particularly the Modern Warfare games, redefined the first-person shooter genre as one that was about linear spectacle, throwing you into bombastic setpieces that evoked action movies. These games focused more on a sense of realism, set in grounded locations with conventional weapons.
This was also the era of the third-person cover shooter, which trained gamers to be a bit more passive, hiding behind waist-high walls as their health recharged before popping up to take more shots at enemies. It seemed like the world had left behind the style of DOOM, leaving its future uncertain.
It took a long time for the franchise to figure out what it wanted to be. The game known as DOOM 4 was stuck in development hell for a long time, conceived of as a Call of Duty-style game that featured a focus on cover, scripted cinematics, and passive health regeneration, casting you in an epic struggle examining the impact of Hell’s invasion of Earth. As time went on, they decided that this direction was out of touch with the original games, and development was restarted essentially from scratch.
Slick Design Unleashes Stylish New Vision of Hell That Still Holds Up
This ended up being the right call, as it resulted in DOOM (2016), a perfect combination of retro sensibilities and modern design, evoking the feeling of the original two titles while still setting itself apart with an identity all its own. Heralded as one of the best games of the year, it was praised for its propulsive single player campaign that managed to give a different kind of thrill than the Call of Duties of the world, challenging the player with snappy combat that didn’t pull its punches. While the multiplayer and map creation tools were not as well received, it was hard to deny that DOOM was back in a big way that still resonates now, on its ten-year anniversary.
The story wastes very little time, mocking the idea that the Doom Slayer would have any patience for exposition. Like DOOM 3, there are other characters that move the plot forward, but you play as a man of action who smashes screens that monologue at him. It’s the perfect way to pay homage to the no-nonsense attitude of the originals while also still being at least somewhat narrative driven like a modern action game. All the Doom Slayer needs to know is he’s on a Mars base and some corporate idiots unleashed Hell in the name of profit, and that’s all we really want as the player, so we’re right alongside him when he’s brushing off any notion of plot.
The level design also reflects this mentality of being classic and modern at the same time. The spaces you traverse feel more grounded, like something you expect to see in a science lab on Mars, but they also feel fun to traverse and explore. Rather than feel beholden to being completely authentic, they put an emphasis on making the space playable first and foremost.
Arenas are well laid out, with changes in elevation and cover that make them perfect for the game’s exciting firefights. As you progress through the levels, there are plenty of secrets hidden throughout, rewarding you for going off the beaten path or doing extra platforming challenges. There’s even a modern version of the original’s extremely game-y colored keycard system that shows up as a fun callback.
All Hail the Glory Kill System
When people talk about DOOM (2016), the thing they still bring up, even a decade later, is the combat. Compared to the Call of Duties of the world, it was fast. Really fast. You don’t even have to hold down a run button to be moving quickly. Very frequently, you’ll be locked in arenas with enemies that need to be killed to move on, and these scenarios can get lethal quickly if you’re not careful. Standing still was frequently a death sentence, forcing you to constantly be on the move to dodge enemies and line up your shots. There’s no regenerating health, so you heal the old-fashioned video game way: glowing powerups.
Weapons don’t need to reload, but you’re limited in how much you can carry for each weapon. Ammo is replenished through pickups around the level, though it’s rare that it will be able to keep up with your rate of consumption. This creates an interesting rhythm that requires you to switch between weapons on the fly as you run out, changing tactics in the moment as the intensity ratchets up.
At some point in the game, you’re given a chainsaw that will make an enemy explode into ammo, making you think about how low you need to be before using up precious chainsaw fuel to restock on ammo. These weapons can all be upgraded, with alternate fire modes and stats that can be unlocked as you explore. Upgrades like this are another concession to modern game design, but it feels like it fits into the classic DOOM ethos because it’s all about giving you more tools to turn demons into piles of gore.
And boy, will there be gore.
The biggest change to the combat is the Glory Kill system, which allows you to do brutal executions on stunned enemies. The hyperviolent animations could be considered reward enough, but these Glory Kills also send health pickups flying, contributing to the core loop of the game. Despite the Doom Slayer being a killing machine, enemies can do quite a bit of damage to you very quickly, so this creates the “push forward” feel of the combat.
In order to heal, you need to get up close and personal with the enemies. It’s a simple concept that forces you to take calculated risks when you need to, but it truly elevates combat into something that’s both tactical and reflex-based. Some people argue that the overly animated kills break up the flow of combat a bit by bringing you to a complete stop, but even that becomes a tactical decision because you get a moment of invincibility that can be taken advantage of.
You’ll need all the advantages you can get, because classic DOOM enemies were remade in high definition glory. Instead of the darker color palette of DOOM 3, enemies are a bit brighter, saturated with reds in a way that leans more cartoony than realistic. When stunned, they get a very artificial glow to them so that they stand out, once again putting emphasis on game design over verisimilitude.
Each enemy has a different type of threat that they pose on the battlefield, and their extremely distinct visual styles not only make them easy to tell apart at a glance, but also convey what they do effectively through how they look. It feels like id figured out the exact number of enemy types and systems that they would need, creating a lean and mean combat system that’s simultaneously challenging and empowering.
The Revitalized Series Ensures No Rest for the Living
DOOM (2016) was such a successful revamp of the franchise that it spawned two sequels, each of which further attempted to evolve the formula. DOOM Eternal pushed the mechanic complexity even further, adding all sorts of tools to the Doom Slayer’s arsenal, but losing some of the streamlined nature of its predecessor. This was a divisive direction.
On one hand, it made things feel more game-y than ever, with platforming challenges and intricate weapons, and on the other hand, it complicated things too much, taking you out of the flow state that DOOM (2016) was so good at putting you in by giving you too many things to think about. There was also a strangely large emphasis on narrative, with longer cutscenes and more demonic lore, which never really landed with me.
DOOM: The Dark Ages followed Eternal, this time heading to the past for a medieval war against Hell. Narrative was clearly a core pillar of this entry, but thankfully, they pared back some of the more complicated mechanics of Eternal. In their place was a new shield, which allowed you to block and parry enemy attacks. Instead of leading to a defensive playstyle, it gave you the tools to be more aggressive, pushing forward as you shrugged off projectiles or sent them flying back at your foes.
Even the signature Glory Kill system was pared back a bit, removing the synced animation to keep you in the action. The relative simplicity of The Dark Ages worked better for me than Eternal, but I still think the medieval setting and narrative focus put it a step behind 2016 in my book.
In an industry where so many games are chasing a cinematic feel, DOOM (2016) was a great reminder that sometimes you just need to let a video game be a video game first and foremost. There can be a thrill to leading the player through bombastic, scripted setpieces that feel ripped from Hollywood blockbusters, but very often, I just want to run through a well-laid-out space and use fun weapons to rip and tear until it’s done. I need just enough pretense to justify the demons-on-Mars premise, not the entire history of Hell and all its generals.
I think the Boomer Shooter revival we’re seeing among indie games, highlighted by games like Dusk and Prodeus, shows that id was onto something with their franchise revival, and I hope that more AAA games start thinking about ways to capture that retro charm with a modern edge.
You can pick up DOOM on PC via Steam, PlayStation 4, the Xbox One, and the Nintendo Switch.
