DOOM (2016) Review

ID Software has done an amazing job bringing the classic 1993 masterpiece DOOM to the modern video game table. The fast-paced shooter action, mixed with a bit of some modernization became a cocktail for success. The single-player mode alone is justification enough for the $60 price tag. But ID Software threw in SnapMap and multiplayer options to sweeten the pot. Let us get down to the nitty-gritty.

DOOM looks amazing, the ID Tech 6 engine is a beast. My only issue with the graphics is at times it took 1 or 2 seconds to load some textures while looking around. It really wasn’t that bad for me, but if you have an older system it might happen a lot more. Since I played DOOM on my PC, I cannot say how well it runs and looks on consoles, though I have heard it runs smoothly and looks damn good on the PS4 and Xbox One. The Switch version is apparently also a solid port.




Gameplay-wise, it is as close to the classic DOOM as we could have ever gotten. The shooting is solid, the weapons are bad-ass, and the action is fast. Unlike 2004’s DOOM 3, DOOM (2016) is blisteringly quick. You are not stuck in claustrophobic hallways fighting one or two demons. In this version of DOOM, you have to keep moving or you die. You’ll be jumping all over the place as you fight 10, 15, sometimes even 20 demons at once. DOOM 2016 starts you off with a gun in your hand and you never slow down till the end.

There are some platforming elements in this game, but it really is a nice way to get a small break from the fast-paced action. It allows you to look for secrets and admire the beautiful graphics.

Speaking of secrets, you can find all kinds of stuff hidden away. Things like upgrade points for your armor, ammo and guns, even little collectables. ID Software did a great job on the level design. You have to take your time and look for the secrets – they were not easy to find.

Of course, the gun-play is like the classic DOOM: point and shoot until you run out of ammo. There is no reloading of your weapons in this game. It is the way DOOM should always be.

One area where DOOM has been modernized is with the ability to upgrade your armor and weapons. You can collect and gain points for both. Allowing you to upgrade things like Health, Armor, and Ammo within your armor. The weapons have a basic main fire option but can be upgraded with parts to allow a secondary fire option that does some crazy stuff, such as allowing you to lock onto demons with the Rocket Launcher and firing 3 or 4 rockets at them. It gives a fresh take on the classic shooting gameplay.

DOOM’s Story, well…there is a story-line in this DOOM, but it takes a back seat compared to DOOM 3. Basically, you are the DOOM Slayer, who wakes up to stop the demon invasion. They go a little into how the invasion happened and what they are doing on Mars and why the demons are there. You can find codex devices around the levels as you play. These go into more details about the demons, what happened, and who the main characters are. They do provide some interesting things about the DOOM lore, but the story is not DOOM’s strongest point. It works, but if you are only playing this game for a story, then DOOM (2016) isn’t for you.

Like I said before, the single-player campaign is enough to justify buying this game, but ID Software threw in Multiplayer and SnapMap. Multiplayer reminds me a lot of Quake 3 from back in the day, except with load outs instead of finding the weapons on the map.  It is a fun, fast-paced deathmatch, that is best played in short bursts. Multiplayer in DOOM isn’t groundbreaking, but it does add value to the game.

SnapMap, on the other hand, is a really neat feature. It allows easy map making that you can share with the community. You can make single-player, co-op and deathmatch maps, and so on. I haven’t dived into making any maps yet, but I played a few of the user made ones and was impressed with the creativity of the community.

I have been talking about DOOM (2016) like it is a perfect game, but there are some flaws. One flaw was that DOOM did crash on me a few times. Those two times were a hard crash to desktop. But for a 13-hour game, that is not too bad. I was surprised when it happened because it didn’t give me an error or warning, it just shut off and I was looking at my desktop.

I also have to say that another flaw is the multiplayer. It just seems a bit half-assed to me, kind of like they just threw it in there to add something to the whole package.

The only other flaw, well more like a bug, was when a Hell Knight got stuck in a wall and I couldn’t kill him to progress the level. It only happened once and it is more of a bug than a flaw. But I had to reload to a checkpoint in order to move forward in the campaign.

DOOM’s exceptional reboot gives me hope that ID Software may bring back Quake – not the arena shooter free-to-play game they put out, but a full-blown reboot of the original series.  There is obviously an appetite within the gaming community for the relaunch of classic titles and the Quake series is one that deserves to be experienced by the modern crop of gamers.

BUY/WAIT/AVOID

Overall, DOOM (2016) is one hell of a ride.  It is gorgeous, fun to play, full of action and exactly what fans of the franchise were hoping for.  For those looking for a true challenge, the permadeath, tough-as-nails Ultimate Nightmare mode beckons, while those just looking to shoot some demons on the easy mode will enjoy every minute.

ID Software renewed my faith in them with this DOOM reboot.  I can’t recommend getting this game enough. If you are a fan of DOOM you should already have this title in your library.

VERDICT: BUY