Kim here. I want to talk to you guys about Doom. My first experience with Doom was on a Sega 32X in the mid 90’s. I would go to my friend’s house after school and we would blast pinkies all night. I saw 2 and 3 but never really gave them much time or thought and primarily felt the same way when I heard there was going to be a 4th. Development for DOOM 4 originally began way back in 2004, but it was a long, drawn out process. Finally, in 2011, it was announced that the newest game would be a DOOM reboot, not just another DOOM game. The idea of a reboot piqued my interest. Instead of trying something different, it was going to be bringing something back. A formula that had always worked since the creation of the first game. This DOOM 4 game would remind everyone of the original Doom that was the predecessor of just about every FPS game we know today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSZ4tSoumNk

Doom 4 Review

id Software is the developer and has been as long as the game has been around. The team has changed and, in the case of DOOM 4, the entire team that started working on the game were gone by the time that it was released. With Bethesda publishing though, I don’t think anyone was too worried about the success of the game.

Let me just say that we here at GameSniped were definitely not disappointed. Keep reading for my DOOM 4 review.

The game play is straightforward and you move through the map at a steady, albeit not overly fast, pace. Past versions of the game received complaints about it being too dark. I felt that the game was a bit too well lit in certain sections. The original Doom wasn’t exactly a string of pitch black corridors like Doom 3. However, it certainly had spots where you struggled to see and this increased the tension. Some gamers feel like this version is too well lit and that this takes away part of the scare factor. One of the most memorable things about this game for me was that you never knew what was lurking around the next corner. I guess you have to expect some changes with the modernization of such a classic.

The weapons are current adaptations of the traditional shotgun and super (double-barreled) shotgun, plasma rifle, chainsaw, chaingun, assault rifle, rocket launcher, and the BFG 9000 (of course) giving you every opportunity to shoot, punch, kick, and saw demons. When you change weapons it shifts into a sort of slow-mo briefly but doesn’t stop the action.

The action here is very graphic. Much like its predecessors, this game is mature with a hard M. At times, QTE like promopts come up allowing you to perform moves such as punching your fist straight through the chests of the demons, splitting enemies in half with the chainsaw (or take off their head), and limbs go flying when you shoot them literally to pieces. You fight the demon invasion throughout the Union Aerospace Corporation’s Martian research facility. Ultimately, the battle moves to the demons’ home turf—Hell. There’s a demon there that you can rip out his heart and stuff it down his throat then watch him blow up. This is, of course, the single player campaign mode. There is also multiplayer mode.

Multiplayer is arena-style combat and it is fast, to say the least. One of the coolest things about multiplayer are the additional features. You can use a rune to actually become a demon and use the special skills available to the specific demon you become. The problem with multiplayer is that it places some unfortunate limitations on your weapon arsenal. Loadouts are limited to two weapons (out of six) and one equipment slot (with two choices: a grenade or teleporter). There are also a few presets. In addition to these limitations, you can’t create private rooms. You’re stuck waiting around for everyone to be ready to play.

The thing I probably liked best about DOOM 4 is the new SnapMap tool. This nifty tool allows you to create your own gameplay experience, play with, and share it with the world. I saw one description that compared the SnapMap to snapping Legos together. The tool is definitely intuitive and easy. But, I’m not sure it’s that easy. The newly created content can then be played in single and multiplayer mode. This feature really adds a whole new element creating a lot of interesting variation and options to the base game. The original is super simple to mod. So, I’m definitely interested in seeing the community take this tool and run with it. I was a bit let down when Bethesda announced they would not release an official modding tool. The only complaint I heard about the SnapMap tool was that your creation has to be saved to the servers rather than a flash drive (this came from an Xbox One player so I can’t really speak for PS4 or PC).

DOOM 4 Verdict

87/100

As far as my DOOM review goes, I really like the game. It’s destined to become a classic in a way the  third iteration never will be. I haven’t had a chance to play a lot of it, but I don’t have any major complaints so far. It’s DOOM and it’s a lot like the original DOOM I remember. Keep moving, keep shooting. Some people seem to think that there’s something missing from this game, I guess because there is no elaborate story line. I didn’t think anything was missing, this is classic DOOM. From what I remember, the original was pretty mindless. You’re a good guy surrounded by bad guys and you kill them all. Period. That’s the whole point and always has been. I felt a bit let down by the multiplayer. The game play isn’t really bad, but it just didn’t do it for me. The demon rune is interesting but I don’t like the limits on loadouts. The personal teleporter is one of my favorite things. SnapMap is something I want to spend more time with. It’s a great way to be part of the game instead of just being a player in someone else’s game. You can put your own personal signature on the game plus you can share it with everyone else playing DOOM. I forsee lots of user generated content like the original. It’s something new in a game that’s been around a long time. Overall, this is a solid win for iD Software.

Where Can I Buy It?

The game is pretty much available everywhere games are sold. Head over to Amazon, you can get the Standard Edition or the Collector’s Edition (comes with Revenant Statue, Collectible SteelBook® metal game case). You can play the game on PC, Xbox One, or PS4. Likewise, Green Man Gaming has a Standard and a Deluxe Edition (includes the game and the DOOM DLC season pass).

Release Date:

May 13, 2016

Platforms:

Xbox

PS4

PC