Updated!
I played DOOM’16 on release and loved it. This was purely on its own merits, as I had frighteningly little experience of the franchise. Recently I’ve made the effort to play DOOM, DOOM 2, and DOOM 3.
With more rounded knowledge of the franchise I returned to Mars to find my opinion has changed. No longer one of my favourite PS4 games, DOOM’16 is now an all-time favourite.
With that update in place, here’s the rest of the review, which I’ve worked on some more.
Review
Years of COD did not set me up for success. Peeking around corners and being generally cautious led to me politely asking my TV where the cover was, where my health had gone, and WHY THE FUCK DO I KEEP DYING?!
But then it clicked. DOOM is not a game for those who want to camp or kite or hide. With the correct attitude in place – rip and tear – I fully embraced who I was, and success came my way. I’m the fucking DOOM Slayer. Traversing arenas with a double jump and an arsenal of useful weapons, I took the pain to demon after demon, unflinching and unyielding.
Every decision id Software has made is in service of making you feel like the Doom Slayer, with a comical level of IDGAF. It’s all about pushing forward (the devs in fact use the term “Push Forward” to describe the style of play) and making you feel like the toughest bastard in the room. The game is designed to punish timid play and actively reward adopting the character’s need to punish all the demons before him. The more aggressive you are the more you’ll be rewarded, with enemies even missing more when faced with a player who doesn’t stop.
The Slayer doesn’t wait for health or ammo. He takes it.
I’m not going to talk about the story much, but as an absolute sucker for quality wordsmithing, the lore presented is glorious and you should deep dive it on YouTube or a Wiki.
What I will talk about is the fucking awesome soundtrack by Mick Gordon. From nine string guitars, to original DOOM chainsaw sounds, to even including sound waves that look like 666, it’s hardcore. Gordon has pushed the boundaries and made a uniquely memorable soundtrack which not only matches the game but enhances it.
At the same time it references DOOM 1/2/3, with the arena type aggression of the first two and the foreboding atmosphere of the third. There’s a clear reverence and understanding of what made DOOM special in the first place.
Conclusion
From the reload of the Super Shotgun (best gun in any game ever?) to the countless glory kills I performed, DOOM felt right. It’s crazy violent, aggressive, and unlike any other modern game I’ve played. In fact it’s one of the best FPS’s I’ve ever played.
What a game.
| Played On | PS4 and PS5 |
| Time Spent | 100+ hours overall 25 ish hours on the story |
| Pros | + The movement + The shooting + The music + All of it |
| Cons | – Basic? Only when compared to its sequel though. |
| Overall | Rip and Tear motherfuckers. Heartily recommended. |
NOTE – You’re here already so why not check out my review of the film? Or the sequel?
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