Doom

Id Software’s original 1993 Doom helped establish the first-person shooter genre. When playing the new Doom, however, the player will be struck by how things have changed since the early ‘90s. The new Doom returns to many of the faithful old concepts of the original Doom. Many of the concepts that now define current first-person shooters are totally alien to both the new and original Doom.

The 2016 Doom removes a great deal of the friction against moving around on foot that gamers have become used to in modern first-person shooters. One commentator has compared it to the feeling of slipping around on banana peels. This is completely accurate. The effect is thrilling. It conveys a sense of speed, raw power, and purpose that you don’t get in current shooters.

Another concept alien to a Doom game is taking cover. This is when the player shields themselves from enemy fire by hiding behind an object. This is now a core component of many modern-day first-person shooters. Because taking cover has no meaning in Doom games, the new Doom completely does away with this. The game forces the player into the middle of combat with very little opportunity to hide from enemies. The effect is electric. You come face-to-face with blood-curdling demons. Get close enough, (and you will) and your weapon will cause enemy demons to disintegrate into chunks of flying pulp. Blood and chunks of flesh will line the ceiling and walls of corridors after encounters. The redesigned chainsaw weapon will see you literally cleave demons in twain.

Taking cover was introduced as a concept because many contemporary shooters now employ “hitscan” when calculating weapon damage. This means a weapon, when fired, will instantly damage an object so long as the aiming trajectory is right. This is another concept alien to Doom. Demons throw projectiles at the player that are able to be dodged. This removes the frustrating feeling modern shooters give when they make it impossible to avoid enemy fire. Being able to dodge enemy fire makes the game feel fair. If you’re clever, you can come out of an encounter with a pack of hell spawn relatively unscathed.

The new Doom’s sound direction is worth particular mention. The game audio has been expertly designed to communicate a great deal of information about the game environment to the player. Demons screech and froth when approached, even when they can’t be seen.