I never played the original Doom, so I was surprised to find that this classic shooter formula could feel so refreshing and new after 30 years. I very much enjoyed the purely aggressive gameplay, and while I usually prefer having a little more story in games, I could respect the decision to not get bogged down with too much writing. Besides, the Doom Slayer’s fiercely irreverent attitude towards Samuel Hayden and other major characters was very amusing.
Oh, and the music! I think at least half of this game’s experience was carried by its powerful metal soundtrack. A game like Doom that focuses on just one aspect of gameplay can feel repetitive after a while, but this soundtrack had a way of putting my brain in a trancelike state of flow with only a single directive: Rip and Tear. It was incredibly liberating to zip around the map, blasting demons while this intense battle music was thumping in my ears.
There were still some frustrating moments in the game, especially in the levels with excessive platforming and hoards of tankier enemies. Sometimes I didn’t feel much like a Doom Slayer but more like a fish in a barrel, especially as boss fights started to happen. So I ended up going back to the previous levels, tediously scouring the maps for secrets and challenges until I was fully upgraded. I know some people love hunting for secrets, but I wished gameplay upgrades weren’t so intertwined with those.
Despite the low points I still enjoyed Doom 2016 and appreciated its dedication to being a pure shooter first. Also the arcade mode was excellent. I still fire it up once in a while for some condensed action and stress relief. I’m so glad this game has led to the revival of classic shooters and I’m looking forward to trying more of them.
Oh, and the music! I think at least half of this game’s experience was carried by its powerful metal soundtrack. A game like Doom that focuses on just one aspect of gameplay can feel repetitive after a while, but this soundtrack had a way of putting my brain in a trancelike state of flow with only a single directive: Rip and Tear. It was incredibly liberating to zip around the map, blasting demons while this intense battle music was thumping in my ears.
There were still some frustrating moments in the game, especially in the levels with excessive platforming and hoards of tankier enemies. Sometimes I didn’t feel much like a Doom Slayer but more like a fish in a barrel, especially as boss fights started to happen. So I ended up going back to the previous levels, tediously scouring the maps for secrets and challenges until I was fully upgraded. I know some people love hunting for secrets, but I wished gameplay upgrades weren’t so intertwined with those.
Despite the low points I still enjoyed Doom 2016 and appreciated its dedication to being a pure shooter first. Also the arcade mode was excellent. I still fire it up once in a while for some condensed action and stress relief. I’m so glad this game has led to the revival of classic shooters and I’m looking forward to trying more of them.