Since 1993, the Doom franchise has gone from being a hugely popular PC shooter to a series of novels, the media’s favorite whipping boy, a movie and more. If you missed the boat the first time and you want to know why “BFG,” “IDDQD,” and “Cyberdemon” are permanent parts of the gamer lexicon, Microsoft and id Software have you covered. Doom has returned via Xbox Live Arcade, almost precisely as it appeared 16 years ago.
Like most early 1990s shooters (and many to this day), story takes a backseat to action. The only information about why you’re being attacked by hellspawn on Mars is as follows: You are a space marine working for the Union Aerospace Corporation. The UAC is experimenting with interplanetary teleportation. Without explanation, Hell itself comes swarming through the teleporters, conveniently killing everybody but you and apparently redecorating your surroundings in dollar-store satanic imagery. You know, as demons are known to do. In true protagonist form, you set out to shed as much monster blood and gore as possible.
Flimsy exposition aside, you’re left to wipe out every beastie on Mars using a varied allotment of weaponry. Interesting side note: Doom’s weapon selection has influenced the weapons of almost every first-person shooter released since: melee weapon, handgun, shotgun, machine gun, explosive gun and at least one “gimmick gun.” Not to mention the ever-present explosive barrel.
Anyway, enough about the history of Doom. The question is, does it hold up after all these years? And is it a good port? The answer depends on what is important to you in a game. If you want fancy graphics and the like, know that 16 years have not been kind. The textures are as blocky as they were then, and the 2.5D sprites are just as flat and unrealistic as ever. If that doesn’t bother you, you’re in for a treat. The actual gameplay is just as addictive as before, and I adapted to the controller mappings within seconds.
Speaking of controls, most gamers will have no issue with them, even if they don’t play shooters. Being such an old game, all you need to remember is how to move, shoot, switch weapons and open doors. There’s no jumping, reloading, grenades throwing or sniper zooming to worry about.
For the first time in Doom console port history, everything is exactly the same as it was on the PC. Nary a pixel has been touched. I was highly pleased to see this, as I’m of the opinion that the previous attempts to port Doom were less than optimal. Now, I know what you’re thinking, Doom veterans. “Why should I shell out for yet another copy if it has nothing new?” Well, hypothetical skeptic, one word should suffice ... multiplayer. It’s no secret that getting a Doom deathmatch going on the PC is easier said than done. On the 360, it’s as easy as any modern game. I had a match started before I could blink. If competitive play isn’t your bag, there’s also a co-op mode that is an absolute blast.
Now, I’m not saying that everything is peachy. I like to tinker with community maps and mods, and Doom PC has an active community of modders that still put out new material to this day. Obviously, the console version is limited to the stuff it came with. No barrel launchers, no ZDoom, no six-Cyberdemons-in-a-cramped-space maps. For many, this won’t matter, but I’d at least like a downloadable content pack of the famous mods.
As it is, I got a lot of bang for my buck. It took me quite awhile to muscle my way through all four episodes, even though I’ve finished them countless times before. A Doom newbie should get at least 12 hours out of it — maybe six to eight hours on the easiest setting. With many modern shooters being a bit shorter than that, it’s nigh impossible to find fault with the price-to-game ratio.
If you’re nostalgic, a completionist or just curious to see what this whole Doom thing is all about, I highly recommend a purchase. If you want a more cerebral experience, or just a less violent one, don’t bother. You won’t find it here. At 400 Microsoft Points, it’s the price of a fast food meal and far less fattening to boot. Doom is one of XBLA’s best deals as far as I’m concerned.
I've been gaming since I was old enough to hold a controller, and I've been writing about games since I was old enough to hold a pen. Since those days, I've garnered a taste for first/third-person shooters, point and click adventures, survival horror, and fighters. I play plenty of other genres, but those four are my weapons of choice. On the other side of the coin, I'm notoriously inept at strategy and racing games. Truly, truly awful. If there's anything I love more than playing games, it's talking games. I could go on for hours about the evolution of the industry, gamer culture, and the rise and fall of individual genres. Of course, this is but a short summary of myself, so I'll exercise restraint. As for my life outside of gaming: Well, there's really not much to say. My nonvirtual hobbies are writing, reading, music (both listening and playing), and films. All of the aforementioned are especially appealing when they are within the horror genre. I won't bore you with the details of my home life, as they truly are the epitome of bland.
