The reboot that saved a franchise, Doom (2016) is unlike any other modern reboot of a beloved video game franchise.

Doom walks a line between simplicity and complexity perfectly. Blending an incredible high skill ceiling with a simple game play style. It’s approachable for casual players, and tough enough for those who desire a challenge.

From it’s killer soundtrack composed by the legendary Mick Gordon, to it’s insanely gory kills, it consistently keeps the player engaged.

It’s a game that knows it audience and what they’re wanting, that being a simple game about blowing demons back to hell.

The Man

Image credit: Bethesda Softworks

The game begins with The Doom Slayer waking up from a long rest inside of a coffin, immediately met with a demon ready to kill him.

Without any input he crushes its head on the coffin, tearing off his chains to grab a gun, to kill more demons.

In this short minute section the game tells the player what they’ll be doing for the next ten hours. Killing demons and shooting guns.

However, the game does feature a fairly interesting story that explores the ideas of corporate corruption and the exploitation of valuable resources.

The story and the themes it explores do tend to take a back seat to the bloodshed and carnage of the game play, but it remains interesting for the players who wish to engage with it.

But let’s be real, you didn’t play Doom for it’s complex themes, you played it for it’s addicting dance-like gameplay.

The game play is the main draw of the rebooted franchise. Gory kill animations and punchy super powered guns, what’s not to love.

You’re arsenal in Doom (2016) is as vast and deadly as the player makes it. Starting with the weak but reliable pistol before wrapping the game up with the speaker destroying Gauss cannon.

Guns are only one part of the combat, the second part is the one fans love the most. The Glory Kills.

After dealing a set amount of damage to a demon, they will begin to glow blue if you are far away, orange if you are close. The player is then prompted to melee the enemy.

Upon doing so, a gruesome animation plays in which The Slayer tears a demon apart in a spectacularly absurd display of violence.

Glory Kills are, most of the time, the easiest way to end a strong threat. The player is also rewarded with health and ammo upon completion of the kill.

The combat of Doom (2016) as previously mentioned, is addicting. Chaining Glory Kills whilst dodging rockets is an unmatched thrill that no other game can come close to topping.

The Myth

Image credit: Bethesda Softworks

The environments and art design of Doom (2016) are two qualities that aren’t brought up nearly enough, but add so much to the mayhem and beauty of it’s world.

The levels see The Slayer explore many different environments. The Spooky claustrophobic corridors on Mars’ space stations and the over the top bloodiness of Hells vistas are only a fraction of what the game has to offer.

Half way through the games thirteen levels, The Slayer is transported to hell. At this point the game shifts the difficulty up a notch.

The art behind The Slayers armour, as well as the grotesque collision of flesh and metal in the demons designs are jaw dropping.

Demons like The Revenant are terryfying to look at and twice as deadly to fight.

Flying around attacthed to a jetpack, launching missles from two shoulder mounter rocket launcers.

This barely scratches the surface on how intense the demons are.

Ranging from the Barons of Hell that look like the devil, to the disgusting Mancubi that hurt to look at.

Doom (2016) doesn’t hold the players hand, this is very clear in the Hell sections of the game.

You’re thrown out of your comfort zone and forced to keep moving, the puzzles and secrets in Hell challenge the players patience.

There’s traversal puzzles, challenges, hidden collectibles and boosts bolster the exploration and The Slayer’s strength.

Player progression is tied to finding upgrades around the levels, often they are hidden around corners and out of sight.

Progression is heavily reminiscent of the early shooters Doom was part of in the ’90s.

Finding cards to unlock colour coded doors, whilst platforming and firing guns that never need to be reloaded.

It’s a throwback to the roots of the franchise, whilst also adding many modern elements to make it appealing to new players.

However, the game’s lack of cover shooting and slower paced combat helped to set it apart from a juggurnaut of the genre like Call Of Duty.

Doom (2016) came out at a perfect time for many players.

Other shooters had started to become stale, with the exemption of Titanfall, many players were clamboring for something new, and that’s just what Doom delivered.

The Slayer

Image credit: Bethesda Softworks

Development of Doom (2016) was troubled to say the least.

Born from multiple failed attempts to revive the franchise after 2004’s divisve Doom 3.

Starting off as Doom 4, the game would have fallen in line with other shooters of the late 2000’s and early 2010’s.

The project was in development hell for a number of years before the idea of a reboot was considered.

First shown off at QuakeCon 2014 to thunderous love from those who attended, the game was fully shown at the subsequent years E3 event.

The hype from fans was clear. Betas were released shortly before its global release on May 13th 2016.

Upon release Doom (2016) was revered by fans, and scaled by many concerned parents. Just as the original was back in ’93.

A lot of the love for the game was directed at its composer, Mick Gordon.

It’s often joked that Doom (2016) is a paid soundtrack with a game attached. This couldn’t be more true.

Gordon found a way to remix the original games midi soundtrack, into something that has pushed the heavy metal genre for almost a decade.

By using 9 string guitars and incorporating use of analog electronic equipment, as well as an old soviet synthesiser.

The sound created by this mix of instruments is hellish, it’s Unreasonably heavy and beautifully new.

Tracks like Flesh & Metal and Bfg Division helped to define the identity of modern Doom.

Doom is no longer a boundary pushing action packed first person shooter. It’s a franchise that seeks to push the bounds of what’s possible within music as well.

Final thoughts

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Doom (2016) is one of the best first person shooters out there.

Rebooting a long thought dead franchise, and finding a way to take to higher heights than ever before is spectacular.

It’s got snappy gun play, fun puzzles and a game play loop that will have you hooked long after the credits roll.

id Software were able to top their original Doom games whilst still paying respect to them.

Injecting genuine horror through the action packed moments only helps to build the wonderful personality this game has.

I was definitely too young to be playing Doom (2016) when it came out. But, through the game I fell in love with Metal music and started to think about why I liked playing games.

The Doom (2016) soundtrack can be streamed here.

Featured image credit: Bethesda Softworks