“…the definitive modern form of a true classic…”
Doom has been a long time coming. Since Wolfenstein players were promised beta access back when it was released in 2014, it seemed like an age had passed before that beta came about. Early footage at E3 in 2015 looked hugely promising however, and for many this was the moment that the desire to play this classic reborn was rekindled. Closed and open betas merited mixed feelings from gamers regarding the game’s multiplayer experience (which I personally was a fan of at that stage), and the likely response to the game at release was anyone’s guess as a result. For those of us who believed however, we have not been disappointed.
Assuming you have not been living in a cave since 1993, you will have some idea what DOOM is all about. For those of you who have been enjoying the comforts of cave dwelling however, DOOM is a first person shooter in which you take on the riled up demons of Hell. Take a few seconds to let that idea sink in, because if you think that seems extreme you’ve really not heard anything yet! Renowned for their bloody, gritty gameplay and loose but competent stories, the DOOM games have captivated gamers for decades. The latest instalment however feels like a treat which shoots above all others, for many, many reasons. The game itself is split into 3 distinct sections, so going forward I will take a look at them each of them individually before concluding the package as a whole.
Story Mode
The latest instalment in the DOOM series sees you once again wearing the battle-worn armour of the DOOM Marine. A character of few words and a taste for brutality that even the Mortal Kombat cast would raise an eyebrow to, you are a seemingly generic yet highly important anti-hero in the events that come to pass. After waking up on a stone table for reasons at that stage unknown, your desire to break everything around you is rife as you set out on a journey which both literally and figuratively sees you travel to hell and back.
The story itself is light on details but plenty enough to keep you striving forward. What plot is present is intense and gripping throughout, providing plenty of questions to be answered and a clear cause to fight for. The main draw of Story Mode however is the challenging, high-octane action. The fantastic variety in different demons you face keeps you on your toes, and the ability to tear apart said demons in hundreds of different ways using your small arsenal of high-powered firearms (and a chainsaw!) keeps you entertained for hours on end. With five different difficulty levels to choose from as well and numerous hidden secrets and collectibles to find, there is plenty of scope for replayability after your first run. DOOM is easily a lasting experience that gamers will be more than happy to conquer time and time again.
The combat system of DOOM is best described as chaos. That’s not to say it is bad, in fact it’s quite the opposite, but there is never a sense that you have things under control. Demons appear out of nowhere, leaving you with limited time to adjust to the situation at hand. Weapon changing can sometimes be a confusing demand under pressure, even with the multiple methods of doing so, including the weapon wheel. Even if you aren’t able to always find the right weapon for the job fast however, progression helps you become a more durable fighter as you move forwards. Upgrades to health, ammo and shields are obtainable on your journey, as well as attachments and enhancements for your weapons and bonuses to your character across the board. The number of different systems at play might sound complicated, but they are kept separate and simple enough for the player to follow easily. The more you play, the more advanced a soldier you become, but never make the mistake of expecting things to become easy. They don’t.
My only criticism of DOOM’s Story Mode is the amount of platforming it entails. In a game that is expected to be a gritty, no holds barred shoot-em-up, the majority of my deaths came instead from slightly misjudged leaps whilst scaling the various levels. The level design is both impressive and beautiful, and I was in awe at the way that different environments were depicted, but the transitioning is where this epic backdrop falls short. It seems unnecessary to have so much jumping and climbing in the game, as this is neither the core mechanic nor does it add much to be desired. It suits the game in terms of scale and secret hunting, but is certainly used in excess.
Multiplayer
It seems these days like you can’t release a game without multiplayer, but finding a strong multiplayer model that is not simply a clone of someone else’s is one of the greatest challenges facing developers. Id Software and Bethesda however are profoundly good at giving gamers what they want, and little doubt could be had that they wouldn’t put in maximum effort in this area.
The beta events which preceded the game’s release revealed a model similar in style to the classic Halo games, but with plenty of traditional DOOM charm and new features to mould the experience into something original. Responses were varied, with some contesting that the game did not feel like a DOOM game should whilst others were having the time of their lives.
Upon release, little has changed in the style of the multiplayer mode, but it has been vastly expanded. Multiplayer offers six different game modes, both traditional and original, across several intricately designed arenas. Team Deathmatch, Arena, Domination and Soul Harvest (a Kill Confirmed-style mode) make up the traditional multiplayer shooter variants on offer, and are presented in a well thought out, true-to-DOOM style. One of the more original game modes, Warpath, was revealed early on, presenting a variation on the traditional king of the hill mode.
In this mode, teams must contest a moving objective, attempting to hold it for a set time period whilst dispatching their opponents. It is perhaps the most focussed and exciting of the multiplayer experiences on offer, and is certainly my favourite to play. The most original idea the game offers however is Freeze Tag. This is exactly what it sounds like, however British gamers may know this game as Stuck in the Mud. The team to freeze all of the enemy team first wins, oddly combining the brutality of DOOM with a traditional playground game. It sounds crazy, but it works, and it is a superbly fun time!
The design of the multiplayer maps in DOOM is impeccable. It adheres to the peculiar platforming side of the new game, but taking this into account the structure and size of every map is perfectly thought out. There is plenty of variety in layout and visuals too, but at the same time it is easy to learn each map and get used to playing each game mode upon them. From lighting to textures to background details and foreground touches, the designers have thought about every single detail before signing off on their creations. In design terms the multiplayer is as awe inspiring as the story mode, and each map even feels like it has its own story to tell. Even the placement of pickups and weapons upon them feel as though a committee has met to approve them beforehand. In short, it is very impressive indeed.
Diving into DOOM multiplayer for the first time you are met with the now well-established idea of loadouts. You can choose your two main weapons to enter the arena with, whilst more powerful ones such as the Gauss Cannon and BFG can be obtained as pickups as you play. You can also attach hack modules to your loadout which offer bonus attributes including extra points for kills, various HUD enhancements and health or shield bonuses. These do not dramatically change the game for others but give you slight advantages to enjoy for yourself. On top of all of this, you can change the armour style and paint of your character for a deadly personalised look. You can also dance as a taunt; if that floats you boat too, although it seems like waaaaay too much time went into designing this aspect!
One final detail which has been introduced into DOOM’s multiplayer is the ability to play as the very demons which plague you during the Story Mode. This adds the most unique feature that the game’s competitive side holds, and it definitely changes up the momentum of the fight. Taking out a demon in multiplayer takes a lot more firepower than it does in the story; not least because these juggernauts will generally take you out before you can scratch the surface of their health. Not every demon is available to play right now, but more are set to come later. Despite that fact, it is a relief to be the Baron of Hell rather than trying to fight him for a change when it happens!
Multiplayer in DOOM is exciting and highly competitive, but lacks the charms of Story Mode due to the smaller scale of the chaos involved. You never truly feel overwhelmed by your enemies, which makes the game mode less exhilarating than the main event. On the one hand, it manages to provide a strong experience where other games cannot. On the other, it doesn’t stay fully true to the attitude of the wider DOOM aesthetics. Well worth playing and fun all the while, this game should not be judged on multiplayer alone when looking for the truest analysis of its content.
Snapmap
Snapmap is the culmination of some clever ideas and considerations by the development team, as well as the desires of fans. This mode offers gamers the chance to utilise the assets of DOOM in order to make their own maps, missions and game modes for the community to explore. The intention with this feature is to relieve the calls for mod support for the game whilst still providing an open, creative platform for gamers to enjoy.
What’s more, Snapmap is a cross platform experience, allowing players to share their creations across both console and PC versions of the game. The amount of content on offer as a result is vast and varied, offering essentially limitless new experiences in DOOM without the need for the developers’ constant support. Given the scope of what you can do in this mode, anything is possible for the more practiced designers in the community too, with a working version of Harvest Moon having already been created using Snapmap’s features alone.
Mind blowing scope however is not paralleled by ease of such creations, and Snapmap has a steep learning curve to tackle before you reach this level. Everything is there for the taking, but the game requires you to be intuitive enough to work out how to use it properly. There is some level of tuition involved, but it is impossible to teach players how to do everything, so effort is a requirement on the part of the player. Given that this mode is a bonus provided out of the goodness of the developer’s hearts though, it would be unfair to complain too much about this aspect.
There are three possible problems which Snapmap will face in its lifetime, and these will be revealed as the game moves forward. One is how it will integrate into the wider game. For example, the community favourite maps might be heavily requested to be included in the main multiplayer rotation, and the developers will have to decide whether or not to grant this wish and, if so, how best to implement it. Secondly, players will have their own ideas about Snapmap’s structure, meaning that support for the game mode will have to be constant and informed by its users.
Finally, players will no doubt look to mod the game outside of what Snapmap can offer anyway. This will make the first two issues even more important if the developers hope to quell this intention, but it is more than likely that modern will take matters into their own hands none the less. Whatever the future for Snapmap may turn out to be, at this stage it is an intelligent and detailed feature of DOOM, but one which holds a deeper complexity than the rest of the game by quite a stretch. A very good inclusion by the developers of the game, but one which will need string support going forward, this mode opens up DOOM but in a delicate way indeed.
Conclusions
DOOM as a complete package is pretty much as good as any gamer could have hoped it would be. The story mode is fantastic, and is the perfect example of what DOOM should be. Multiplayer offers a competent and exciting experience in its own right, but does not quite feel as high octane as the story mode’s unending chaos and fast paced action. It will continue to be a very enjoyable feature of the game for some time, but is not the highlight when compared to the single player offering. Snapmap is what completes the package by offering the community a clear platform in which to set their minds free. The content on offer is amazing, but learning to use it is the real test. Whether it stands up to the modders is another story altogether as well.
DOOM is well worth the time and money of any gamer, shooter fan or not. It is the definitive modern form of a true classic, and it does the franchise a great service in what it offers. What has come before is adhered to, but plenty of new content is offered on top of this. The story is the most exciting, exhilarating and well-designed experience that I have played in some time, and the game beyond this is solid in its own unique ways. The only issue with the package, generally speaking, is that everything outside of the story simply cannot quite keep up. Ignoring this fact though, this might be one of the best games you play this year.
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