Back in 1995, my family got a Packard Bell computer running Windows 95. For a few years, we would be on the Internet via dial-up, doing school work, and for me, playing PC games. I didn't play too many games, but the few I played are ones I remember deeply. Doom is one of those games. Coming out December 10, 1993, it became one of the biggest phenomenons of the 90s, finding success and controversy. It's one of the greatest games ever made and still gets a lot of love today.
For one thing, the gameplay is to the point. The whole game is similar to Wolfenstein 3D, but in it's style. It's level designs are more complex as you search areas of Mars and its moons for keys to find the exits. Hundreds of enemies are all around and the gunplay is fantastic. Various forms of killing come from using a shotgun, plasma rifle, the BFG 9000. Even enemies that hurt others, which was an early example of infighting.
The initial release had three episodes, each with eight levels and a secret ninth one. Find the exit, and you finish the level. You fight a boss on the last one of the episode. A lot of the fighting either takes place in tight corridors or some open space areas. A lot of basic stuff. There's tons of secrets lying. Controlling the space marine is very simple. It can be modified to your liking.
It holds its own graphically. The amount of detail at the time to the areas and backgrounds. Just the advancements between this and Wolfenstein is noticeable. Id Software captured a good sense of a 3D world. Another aspect that was given a lot of care is the audio. The music does metal rip off tracks and scary music tracks. It adds to the environment of being alone and the adrenaline pumping gameplay depending on the track being played. Sound effects are great and it's all done in stereo sound.
There's a lot you can say about Doom. Its legacy is very huge. Being able to look, sound, and play great on a DOS computer back then was a huge accomplishment. From the beginnings of just getting a scrolling screen for Commander Keen in 1990 to the ultimate first person shooter experience, it takes time to get to that greatest game ever made.
Score: 10 out of 10
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