Thefirst-person shootergenre has taken players through time and across space. But dragging them to Hell itself takes huge guts. Though it wasn’t the first FPS,DOOMhas stood on the mountain peak as the pioneer since the 1990s.
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Battling demons, hordes of guns, powerups, blood, and gore, DOOM has it all. It’s like a horror game, only the monster is the Doom Slayer, one of the most powerful protagonists in gaming. (Yet Hollywood can’t seem tomake a decent film adaption.) Failed movies aside, the franchise has been going strong for decades, with dozens of ports and remasters of the original games acrossPCand console. With how many there are to choose, there’s enough fun to be found. So, rip and tear until it is done.
This list will only be covering the main games, which means no spin-offs or expansions.
Now You’re Playing With Power!
After defeating the forces of Hell in DOOM II, the Doom Marine is called back into action when an unseen entity begins resurrecting the bodies of the fallen demons. Despite the name, DOOM 64 is technically the third game in the series, since the remastered version of the story bridges the plotlines between the original DOOM and DOOM 2016.
Continuity aside, this was an underrated classic for theNintendo 64’slibrary. The sprite work and level design were impressive for the time. Instead of a bunch of 3D polygons that would age terribly, the game uses a customized version of the same engine from the first two DOOMs. It was also the first game to feature the Unmaker, an odd weapon of demonic origin that the player can upgrade by finding keys. DOOM 64 is by no means a masterpiece, but it was a fun alternative for console players without PCs.
The Scariest & Darkest DOOM
When the 2000s came,id Softwareblew everyone away when the DOOM 3 trailer hit. The age of demon sprites was over. Now, there were shadows, gore, and cutscenes, all made possible by id’s new engine. Even today, DOOM 3 is a graphical and technical marvel.
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Compared to the other games, the third is more of a survival horror, with an emphasis on fear and atmosphere as you fight to survive a demonic invasion on Mars. Though it’s impressive, DOOM 3 is hindered by two flaws.
First, most monsters often pop out of nowhere and jump-scare you. It’s scary at first, but after you’ve seen it for the fiftieth time, it gets old. Second, you can’t see anything half the time. It was worse in the original because the flashlight acted as a separate weapon, meaning you couldn’t use it while shooting. Thankfully, the remaster was kind enough to turn the flashlight into an add-on, so you can see while holding a gun.
To Hell & Back
DOOM II is more than a sequel; it’s a single question for all players. Would you like more DOOM? And the answer is always yes. The demons of Hell have reached Earth. Thanks to the Icon of Sin, the monsters are invading through portals, and the only one who can stop them is the Doom Marine.
Though the game uses the same weapons and enemies from the original DOOM, it does what a sequel is meant to do. Continue the story and expand on what made the first game great. The levels are larger, featuring maps trying to emulate locations on Earth. It introduced new enemies that would make countless returns in the future, such as the Hell Knight and the Revenant. Most of all, it invented one of the best weapons in gaming history: The Super Shotgun.
3DOOM (1993)
The Controversial Classic
Doom (1993)
This is where it all started, the game that became a major chapter in gaming andid Software’s history. The original DOOM sparked tons of controversy when it was first released. Though there were plenty of violent games before it, DOOM took it to the extreme. You weren’t fighting robots or colorful aliens — you were fighting demons of Hell.
Back then, when players defeated an enemy, they would usually blink out of existence. But in DOOM, the enemies would fall over dead, with gibs and guts on the ground. For PC players, it was a beautiful experience. DOOM was also the first FPS to support multiplayer, where it started the concept of online deathmatches. The game continues to be re-released and ported to new systems, and fans have even found alternate ways to play DOOM on other formats, from a calculator to a pregnancy test.Yes, that’s real. DOOM has had some weird ports.
2DOOM Eternal
“The Only Thing They Fear Is You”
DOOM Eternal
Halo is infinite, Duke Nukem is forever, but DOOM is Eternal. The demons have returned stronger than ever. Earth is all but conquered, and humanity is on the verge of extinction. Only one thing stands in their way, the one being the armies of Hell fear, the Doom Slayer.
DOOM Eternal is not only the best sequel in the series, but it ranks up as one of the most challenging. Everything is bigger — the weapons, the enemies, the levels, the soundtrack, and it’s all a glorious experience from start to finish. For better or worse, this one is more story-heavy as the game attempts to link the DOOM lore through cutscenes and codex entries. Some players had mixed feelings about it, but like it or hate it, that doesn’t detract from the fun and challenge. And DOOM Eternal is without a doubt the hardest in the series.
1DOOM (2016)
The Reboot That Changed Everything
It took 12 years before the next DOOM saw the light of day. With so much time having passed, id Software made the bold decision to jumpstart the franchise by making the next game afull reboot. Some refer to this one as DOOM 2016 or DOOM 4. Whatever you want to call it, this game is hands down a masterpiece of FPS gaming.
The plot couldn’t be simpler. Demons have invaded Mars. Suit up, grab a weapon, and wipe them out. The game is an intense ride from the moment you press start to even after the credits roll. Along with the updated weapons and enemies, DOOM 2016 also introduced the new Glory Kill system, where you finish your enemies in spectacular but violent fashions. On top of the great gameplay and fair challenge was a rocking soundtrack that made Mick Gordon an icon among heavy metal music fans.
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