DOOM

No one gets out alive!

By Ruben Sethu

Doom is By Ruben Sethua First-Person Shooter (FPS) developed by id Software and published by Bethesda. Acting as a soft reboot of the Doom franchise, players take control of the Doom Slayer as he fights against demons after the Union Aerospace Corporation accidentally opened a portal to Hell on Mars.

Doom is notable because it differs from the modern FPS. Unlike games such as Call of Duty or Battlefield, there is no hiding behind cover or regenerating health. Instead, players are encouraged to be aggressive through the addition of “Glory Kills”. When enough damage has been dealt to enemies, they are highlighted and “Glory Kills” allow players to perform melee executions on them, rewarding the player with health and armor.

There is no reloading and you are permitted to carry all your weapons. Your movement speed is extremely fast, which lets you circle-strafe around enemies and plan your next move. Levels are divided into arenas allowing for freedom of movement and verticality by double jumps and ledge climbing. Game director Marty Stratton calls this “push-forward combat”.

Special mention goes to the excellent soundtrack composed by Mick Gordon. Incorporating heavy metal with distorted, electronic music, he managed to create a unique blend of sounds, dissimilar to anything before it.

The music demands you get into the thick of action as it constantly pushes you to fight for your life. It even syncs with the combat so the better you play, the faster it sounds. Standouts include “Rip and Tear”, “At Doom’s Gate” and “BFG Division”.

The combination of the music and combat is exhilarating, and I constantly found myself at the edge of my seat while playing Doom. In fact, I was sweating, and my pulse was racing as if I had just completed running a marathon.

Overall, I would recommend Doom to anyone who has played or would like to play an FPS game. It might be hard at first but stick with it and the game will reward you for your efforts.

Doom is available on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Google Stadia.