Doom
PC
Nostalgia Factor:
Back in the early 90s, Doom was "the ultimate game" in my mind. I was strictly a console player, but I was aware of Doom and I knew that it was being ported to various home consoles. But my problem was that I was a Genesis owner and I would never get the chance to play it. It seemingly came out for every console except the Sega Genesis. The more I read about Doom and the more I saw about the impact it was making, the more I desperately wanted to play it.
Random Dan trivia. When I was a teenager, our family took a drive all the way from Wisconsin down to Florida. It was a very hectic vacation. I want to say it was 1995 or 1996. On our way back, we stopped in Ohio to visit some random relative or friend of my stepmother that I did not know. We ended up staying there for a night or two. I remember that, in order to keep me occupied while the parents hung out and the other kids played with each other, I was put in front of a computer that had Doom on it. They showed me that there were other games and applications on there too, but it was only Doom I was interested in.
I stayed up as long as they would allow me, playing Doom and soaking it all in while I had the chance. I never ended up beating the game, or even making it through one set of levels, but I remember being entranced by the game and wanting to play it more more more.
Later on in life, I'd end up renting Doom for the PS1. I would finally be able to play through the entire game and complete it. I enjoyed the game, but I wasn't nuts about it like I thought I would be. I think so much time had passed that Doom wasn't as relevant as it was anymore, and I had played many other first person shooters in the meantime.
Off and on in life, I'd play through this game. My PS3 trophy info shows that I last played through it back in January of 2013, so about 2 years before I started this blog. I knew it was only a matter of time before I came back and gave the OG Doom some love. And here we are. Let's dive in, shall we?
Story:
No one really cares about the story of Doom, do they? Maybe there are more story elements in the manual, but not much is explained in the game itself. You're the good guy and you are dumped into the middle of a battleground. You have to shoot through hordes of both humanoid and demon enemies. Something about hell. Something about space stations.
I like how when there is text (like at the end of each mission pack), the game goes so hardcore in its vague description of what is going on.
YOU HAVE HELD YOUR OWN AGAINST MANY OF HELL'S MINIONS. BUT BUCKLE UP, GRAB YOUR CHAINSAW, AND STRAP IN BECAUSE SATAN HAS MORE TRICKS IN STORE FOR YOU, BUCKO! PREPARE TO DEPART INTO THE DEPTHS OF HELL AND BRACE YOURSELF FOR THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE!!
or something like that.
Gameplay:
I was a little worried that I would not find this game fun to play in the present day. I hate the phrase "aged poorly", but the truth of the matter is that sometimes games aren't as fun as we remember them being when we were younger - whether it be wonky controls or terrible graphics. However, it turns out that I had nothing to worry about. I had a blast with this game.
Right away, I was able to comfortably dive into Doom. It's very easy to pick up and play. Gameplay is smooth. The controls are simple. The action is very fast paced and addicting. I had been knee deep in several other games at the moment, and I didn't intend to beat Doom. I just kind of wanted to dip my toes in it and come back to it later after I was done with the other games I was playing. That didn't happen. I ended up tossing those other games (Far Cry 5 and Legend of Dragoon) to the side and fully devoting myself to Doom. That's how much fun I had.
The game is composed of four level packs. Each one contains about 9 or so levels within. So approximately 36 stages in all. It's a first person shooter. Action is fast and furious. The levels are essentially giant mazes. You fight through swarms of enemies while trying to navigate these mazes. As you play through each stage, you will collect keys. They come in three different varieties: red, yellow, and blue. Each one opens up a new area within the level you are playing. Oftentimes you have to collect all three colored keys in order to make it to the level exit. Adding to the puzzle aspect of the game are other things, like switches that open doors, platforms that go up and down, and teleporters that can zap you to other parts of the map. There are also lava and acid pits you can fall into. They very quickly will drain your health, unless you find a labcoat power-up that makes you temporarily invincible to its effects. There are often secret items and areas in these pits and tunnels. The whole game is filled with secrets, really.
It's true, some of the levels can be big and confusing. But if you look hard enough you should be able to figure things out. I played through the entire game without having to "cheat" and look to the internet for help. I didn't even come close to finding all the secrets, but I didn't really care about that. When I play games, I play the game to beat it and have fun.
And what makes the game fun is its intense and addicting combat. Enemies are scattered all throughout each level. Sometimes, the sheer amount of them can seem overwhelming. Often, when you collect an item like a key, a wall will come down nearby that has a bunch of enemies behinh it, and they can ambush you. Or they just come teleporting in. Whether you are entering a new room, rounding a corner, or basically doing anything in this game: you ALWAYS have to be on your toes.
I love the weapons you can use in this game. The chainsaw, the pistol, my personal favorite the trusty shotgun, the chaingun, the rocket launcer, the plasma shooter, and the BFG. Each weapon has its own unique strengths. You quickly learn which weapon to use against each enemy.
Doom had me hooked from the moment I first fired it up. In fact, I've already started a playthrough of Doom II. So expect to see a review for that popping up soon. Suffice it to say, I had a really good time with the game. And it is almost 100% due to its gameplay.
Graphics:
I think this game still looks really good. Obviously, it can't compare to the super realistic graphics we see in games today. But the atmosphere of the game more than makes up for it. It's haunting. There's a wide variety of enemies to look at, and somehow all of them they've managed to make intimidating. The stages are varied in design and never begin to feel "samey".
I hope graphics snobs don't have a look at Doom's screenshots and turn their noses up at it. Never once while playing this did I think "oh jeez, if only this game had better graphics!" I was too busy having fun.
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Sound:
Doom has such an iconic soundtrack. The title music has survived in some variation for years and years now. As soon as I heard it when I fired the game up, it got me super pumped to play. Stage music goes back and forth between kind of upbeat and "techno" while other stages have more of a dark and eerie vibe.
My favorite part of this category, however, is the sound effects. The sounds of your weapons firing, the grunt of the enemies when they notice you. You can tell which enemies are in the area just by their sound, which seems common nowadays but was a big thing when this game as released. All the sound effects of the game are so iconic, from the sound it makes when you pick up armor to the sound it makes when you die.
If you were to blindfold me and put me in a room with Doom playing, I would be able to identify it anywhere. And I love it.
Overall:
I'm so happy I played this. I haven't breezed through a game this quickly in a long time. It's so fun. It moves quickly. It's addicting. At the end of each playing session, I always found myself wanting to play just one more level or explore one more area.
I liked this game so much that I pushed all the other games I was playing off to the side so that I could play through it. And I've already fired up Doom II and began playing through it. Usually when I beat a game, I wait a little bit before diving into its sequel. But not here. Doom has its hooks in me!
There's a reason this game became so popular in the 90s: because it is awesome! I'm struggling to find anything negative to say about it. If I liked it this much in 2025, imagine how people must have felt back in the 90s when it was new and shiny. It's a groundbreaking game for a reason.
I came into this review expecting to give the game an A. But I think I've talked myself into something higher. For being such a fun, addicting, and revolutionary game that anyone can pick up and play, Doom gets my highest recommendation and a final score of:
THE GRADE:
A+
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