Doom - a Look Back at a PC Classic
Nearly Two Decades On, Doom is still one of the Best Games Ever
Apr 28, 2009
Doom helped to define the first person shooter genre. It's creators, ID, helped to refine the genre with a series of releases, culminating in the latest installment. In short, “It’s quite good,” would be something of an understatement, but it’s hard to think of what to write about Doom.
The Hellish History of Doom
The original game was released back in 1993 as Shareware and soon built up a huge following, with around 10 million people downloading the game by 1995 – though only around a million actually registered and paid for the game.
Nevertheless, Doom’s popularity was immense, its market had been established and it proved to be a keeper in the world of PC gaming.
Doom, 16 Years Later
But what about today? 16 years after its release, Doom has been played by millions – most PC gamers have it or have owned the game at some point, and there have been a number of sequels and add-on packs released to supplement the main game.
That doesn’t mean the original has been forgotten about though, and the game is still played regularly by many around the globe. Players take control of a nameless Space Marine as he battles his way through the legions of Hell that have transported themselves to Mars, after a science experiment goes wrong.
It isn’t exactly high art, narrative-wise.
But the story in Doom was never really given that much attention, to be fair, and its simplicity gives way to pure, straightforward blasting fun. When navigating around, players tackle both the demons of the underworld and the fiendish puzzles throughout the labyrinthine levels – with danger coming from every direction.
Gunpowder is the Best Friend in Doom
But it isn’t entirely stacked against the player in Doom, and the weaponry on offer goes some way to redressing the balance.
Shotguns, gatling guns, rocket launchers and plasma rifles litter the battlefield, along with every good marine’s favourite – the BFG 9000 (don’t ask what the acronym stands for, just use some imagination). Those with a more sadistic nature, though, may wish to opt for the chainsaw for some up close and personal killing action.
Unsurprisingly, Doom is a violent game and it got into a fair bit of trouble over the years – as such it is really only for mature audiences and should be kept away from youngsters, even if it does look a little primitive by today’s standards.
Redefining the Look of Gaming
Speaking of looks, Doom was something of a pioneer when it was released, offering players the chance to explore fully three-dimensional levels.
While the character models were still two-dimensional sprites, the maps themselves went up, down, left, right and any other direction the artists wanted them to go in. This approach to design was a revelation in PC gaming and came to be emulated by just about every other company that created a first person game (i.e. a game viewed through the character’s eyes).
Again, by today’s standards this isn’t a huge deal, but back in ’93 it was something truly special.
The Legacy of Doom
Throw in to the mix some truly amazing sound effects and fantastic musical score, both of which contributed very well to an incredibly unsettling experience, and you are left with Doom.
One of the finest games ever made, without a shadow of a doubt. It has left a footprint on the world of gaming that will never disappear, and still provides anyone that plays it today with a fantastic experience.
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