DOOM Review: Vainglorious Violence

Doom, Bethesda and Id software's reboot of the first person classic, recently released on the Xbox One.  Many old school gamers like myself have fond (and terrifying) memories of the original.  But does the reboot do justice to the classic?  Here is the Weapon X Review of "DOOM".

As an older gamer I remember Doom on the PC and Sega 32X (yes I'm that old).  Shooting your way through an endless horde of demons was both delightful and disturbing.  Doom is beloved by many and set the standard for many FPS that have come since.  The reboot stays true to it's roots offering deliciously vainglorious violence one would expect from the title.  It's unapologetically brutal and has a raw, in your face nature that will keep you coming back.  It's not perfect though and a few things hold it back from being another instant classic.

First, as always the good.  Doom is grisly, violent, bloody.  Yes that's a good thing.  More than a few times Doom will have you wincing at it's brutality.  The gunplay feels right.  Choosing the right weapon for the right situation could mean life or death.  From shotguns to chainsaws to a host of other death dealing weapons Doom gives you the tools you need to turn the minions of hell into blood soaked chunks of flesh.  The sounds of Doom help create a mood of fear and desperation.  At times the action can get frantic as legions of demons descend upon you looking to tear into you.  This is where Doom really shines.  Waves of demons will keep you moving, scrambling, and fighting for your life.  Turn the difficulty up and enjoy the carnage.  It's great.


Now the not so good.  Doom's multiplayer is bland and forgettable.  It's not good at all.  It's a very basic color by numbers experience.  There are far better multiplayer FPS experiences and it's unlikely you are going to abandon your favorite FPS to play Doom's.  Even casually.  It's just not that much fun or challenging.  Yeah, yeah, I know what you're thinking.  No one plays Doom for multiplayer right?  Well I agree.  Which is why I almost feel like it could've been left out.  Doom is also not visually stunning.  It looks good, don't get me wrong.  But just good.  Nothing stands out really.

Another good thing I noticed that I should mention is Doom has a surprisingly decent progression system for your guns and armor and it really shakes up the gameplay in a good way.  It allows you to fight on your terms and your way.  It's nothing grandiose but it is cool and it lets you approach certain situations as you see fit.  I thought it was a nice touch.

As an old school head I had high expectations for Doom and the core elements deliver.  It's violent, challenging, frantic, in your face fun.  Annihilating the minions of hell never felt so good.  Doom's visceral nature will keep me playing it for months.  The downside is the multiplayer feels almost tacked on and pointless.  I can't see going back to it unless I'm bored as all hell.  But again who plays Doom for multiplayer?  Doom is about riding the highway to hell and Id and Bethesda makes it one hell of a ride.  Pick this up.

WEAPON X GAMERS GIVES DOOM A "B" GRADE (Very good.  Worth a purchase).

*Reviewed by OG Poppa Doc*