Recs.
Updated
DOOM is a modern day release in a very old franchise, a first person shooter that focuses on just that, shooting and killing. It utilizes fast paced action with precise controls in order to present a new arena style shooter.
SpecsUpdate
Pros
Pro Fantastic level design
The maps in the game are designed quite well with labyrinth aspects being used quite a bit. Many areas have different vertical levels that will tie in at some point to other areas in the stage, which makes traversing them a quest in exploration. This makes for a great way to hide objects, which you will need to search out as well as provides plenty of places for demons to hide. Overall the level design is well thought out and will allow those that love exploration to have plenty to do and see.
Pro Fun hidden secrets
There are quite a few easter eggs and hidden secrets in the game, such as old school Doom 95 levels, a Commander Keen skull, a Terminator 2 animation or a hidden Halo toy that the player will fist bump. This give incentive to search out all areas of the game as you never know what you will find.
Pro Fast-paced, arena-style combat
The game has no cover-system and instead asks the player to react quickly to incoming threats. This is done through strafing, quick movements and quick thinking. By being able to dodge and jump the player needs to rely on very quick reflexes in order to succeed in the game, thankfully the game allows this to be done easily due to how nimble and mobile the character can be. This is very similar to Quake and Unreal Tournament styles of play.
There is melee combat as well as gunplay. The melee has very gruesome and fun effects when using them, there is also a way to regain health through melee, so it will need to be used at times. The gunplay is also very solid and provides a good amount of guns to use, each with their own look and feel.
Pro Powerful and customizable weapon selections
You start the game with a pistol, but almost immediately start getting new weapons such as the shotgun. During the gameplay new modifications will be unlocked for each weapon, which allows for a good set of customizability in order to fit with ones playstyle. Each weapon has two different mods that can be unlocked, each with their own upgrades. These are unlocked through combat kills, the more cool kills you make, the more upgrades you earn. Once all the upgrades are earned for a modification there will be a challenge that gets unlocked, once this challenge is completed another skill is unlocked that tends to be even more powerful that the others. Overall this give incentive to progress in the game in order to unlock newer and newer features for the gunplay in the game.
Pro Refreshing single purpose gameplay
There is no character development, this is a single purpose game that makes itself very clear from the outset. You are in this game to do one thing, kill demons, sometimes in the most gruesome ways possible. The game is very unapologetic about this, which is refreshing in a time when many games focus on story and play out like an interactive movie. This is much more a throwback to simpler times, run and gun, and it can be quite fun.
Pro Superb graphics that run quite well
The graphics in the game look extremely good, with plenty of particle effects and great lighting. Demons as well as bosses are animated with gusto and definitely put some fear in the player. What is even better is that the game was programmed well as it runs without any problems on a wide array of systems. Players should have no problem holding a steady 60fps as long as their graphics settings are set appropriately for their gear.
Pro Fast-paced, exhilarating combat
DOOM differs from most modern shooters because it abandons cover-based gunplay and instead encourages you to never stop advancing. This is achieved by not only making your character very nimble, allowing you to run at high speeds and jump great distances, but also by removing weapon reloading entirely.
There is also the glory kill system, which restores your health whenever you melee kill an enemy, so no waiting for your health to restore by itself either.
All of this creates exhilarating gunplay where you never have to pause for anything.
Pro Old school style mutliplayer
There is no regenerating health in the multiplayer mode, users will have to rely on health and armor pickups, which are placed strategically in each map. This means each map has a certain flow in order to collect those items, much like how shooters were designed years ago. This gives an old school feel to the multiplayer and should appeal to those that miss this type of play.
Pro Intuitive health system
The player can regain health in two ways, one by finding health packs scattered around the level and two by killing enemies. The latter is a great way to stay in the action as there is no real need to stop and search for health as long as you are continually killing enemies (which should be no problem).
Pro Longevity thanks to a level editor
There is a level editor included in the game meaning anyone can design their own levels. What is even better is that these levels can be shared online. This way there will be an endless amount of levels to play, making for a lot of longevity of play for those interested.
Cons
Con Enemy design can get stale
While this is a game designed around throwing mobs of enemies at the player, it would have been nice to see more variation in enemy design for these mobs. There are many transformed human workers scattered throughout, which can get stale after hours of play.
Con Design may not appeal to everyone
Doom is focused on being an arena shooter at heart for single player and with multiplayer levels being designed without generating health but health pick ups, this is a game that harkens back to older shooters. Many players have moved beyond these gameplay styles and may not enjoy the old school feel of the game.