Two weeks ago, I decided to play Doom. I had a 12-hour car trip ahead of me, so I loaded it onto my Steam Deck and started playing. On the way home I made it to the final level then the next day I finished. I had an absolute blast with this game. It isn’t complicated or nuanced, but it is an incredibly well-made game that reminds me of what a videogame really should be. Today is the 10th anniversary, so I suppose it’s as good a time as any to review this game in my latest blog entry.
My previous experience with the Doom franchise is limited to the OG games. They’re fun albeit simplistic, clearly products of their time but still robust to this day. The 2016 release does as little as possible to change the formula, reimagining the original game as if it was made with modern technology. There’s now cutscenes, closed off arenas, an unlocked y-axis, a jump button. In a way, this feels like the bare minimum. That said, it feels like these features are all the game really needs. The levels are well-designed and engaging. The graphics and visual style are top-notch. The look and feel is nothing short of visceral. Despite the limited palette, Doom is a masterpiece of the highest caliber. This is a game that makes me want to play it, to sit down and rip and tear.
In a way, this is refreshing. It seems like many games require gimmicks to stand out. Compare it to Expedition 33. This game has layers upon layers of mechanics. Items, abilities, upgrades, leveling, attacks, dodges, parries, navigation, all of these things are facets that you have to consider when you are playing a game like this. Doom’s gameplay is much more simplistic. The only complex feature is the glory kill system, a mechanic where a perfectly timed melee attack can yield health and ammo refills. There’s nothing wrong with a complex game, but Doom proves that a good game can do a lot with a few simple components.
Part of me wonders if the industry could find success if there were more games like this. It doesn’t have to be an FPS either. A racing game with the simplicity of Gran Turismo 3. A platformer that’s not a metroidvania. While these games can be good, I can picture a world in which we play driving games exclusively for the driving, or platformers exclusively for the platforming. The concept of a game that is a distillation of the essentials of its genre is intriguing, and I would love to see this in action elsewhere. This isn’t uncommon for FPS games; there is a flood of “boomer shooters” that follow this idea wholeheartedly. That said, I would love to see this idea explored in more areas.
What’s Next?
It took me roughly 12 hours to beat this game, just barely longer than my initial 11.5 hour estimate. I had a blast and I could see myself replaying this game one day, but I’ve had my fun and don’t see myself choosing to put in more hours any time soon.
The next game on my backlog is supposed Black Mesa, but I was on another car trip and forgot to download it. Instead I started playing Sleeping Dogs, which is incredibly fun so far. I’ve logged about 7 hours and I’m having a blast so far. Stay tuned for a blog post.
You can view the full backlog as well as the reason for them being on my list here.
Full List. Includes name, progress (if applicable) and estimated hours to complete.
Doom (2016)Done!- Black Mesa: 15 Hours
- Half-Life 2: 13 hours
- Elden Ring: 19/60 hours (optimistically)
- Fallout 3: 10/22 hours
- Red Dead Redemption 2: 50 hours
- System Shock: 2/17 hours
- Callisto Protocol: 10 hours
- Sleeping Dogs: 7/15 hours
- Armored Core VI: 17.5 Hours
- Control: 2/11 hours
- Remnant 2: 18 hours
- Robocop: Rogue City: 12 hours
- Metal Eden: 8 hours
- Armored Core 3: Portable: 4/12 hours.