---
title: DOOM
platform: PC
image: https://cdn.wonderfulfrog.com/images/Doom_Cover.jpg
tags:
  - single-player
  - fps
  - action
  - retro-shooter
year: 2016
---

Doom was an absolute blast. Definitely now one of my favorite FPS games.

The game is super fast-paced compared to most FPS games released today which is refreshing. Bunny-hopping is a thing and that makes me feel warm and fuzzy. They really nailed the feeling of speed and finesse - you regularly feel like a badass demon-slaying machine. Being able to seamlessly go from shootin' up a bad guy into a Glory Kill and back into the fray feels really satisfying.

The sound design is top notch here. The soundtrack feels loud and punchy, the perfect industrial underscore to the demon massacre frequently taking place. The sounds of the weapons are equally great - everything from the sounds of the guns firing to switching between gun mods sounds really good. I found myself swapping between mods during the quiet moments just to hear the sounds. So good.

The collectibles and secret areas turned out to be a really fun side-objective for me. I found myself going for optional content more than I usually would, so much so that when I realized I missed one collectible... I restarted the mission right near the end. Kind of annoying that certain parts of the map do eventually get "locked out" so you can't go back and grab anything you missed, but only a real drag to secret hunters.

The optional Rune Trials are pretty neat. You're given a simple objective like "kill 15 dudes" or "get from A to B", but they put a challenging twist on it. Something like you've got only 1 HP and there is no way to get more health, or you can only move when you kill something. They offer a nice break from the action while testing your skills. A few times I learned a new strategy too, so you might even learn something.

There isn't a ton of story here and I think that works out to the game's favor. The name of the game here is demon-slaying and having a blast doing it. They actually managed to get a ton of personality out of the protagonist - despite the fact that all you see of him are his two hands and the occasional boot. You've probably heard of one moment where a character tries to lore-dump you and the Doom Marine just shoves the monitor out of the way and ignores it. There's also a ton of lore to hunt for in the secret spots and other collectibles. It builds up Mars and why they're here - but the best part is that none of it really matters, you can skip all the fluff and still have a total blast.

I'd highly recommend this game to anyone who enjoys FPS games. I was tempted to drop a few hundred bucks on a new video card just for this game. I know for sure that when I eventually do get a new video card I'll be going back and trying this one again. 100% run!