The impact of the original Doom on the games industry can never be over emphasised. It wasn't the creator of the first person shooter genre as we know it, but it was the game that made the general public aware of the genre. So much was its influence that we called all other FPS games "Doom Clones"
Over the years the genre has evolved from something that was more action based to something that is more story and set piece driven. It's the whole moment's verses scenes argument, and which one can create the better gaming experience.
When I first saw Doom at E3 2015, I thought the game visually looked great but something felt off about the gameplay; and because I was wasn't there to play it myself I could never put my finger on why it felt so off. When the multiplayer beta came out I logged in and experienced a so-so game. It felt generic but with the odd extra gimmick that didn't seem to gel together right.
So because of this, I thought that Doom was going to be a failure and would be forgotten about after a week or so. Then the game released....
A few days after the game came out I was browsing around the net and kept seeing that people were raving about the Doom single player. That it was an old school game dressed in modern FPS visuals.
So I decided to take the plunge and bought the standard edition. What I was treated to was a fast-paced, high-octane shooter that knew and adored it's old school PC roots.
The story is simple, yet effective. There's a demonic invasion on Mars. Kill anything that moves, and that's about it. If you want to dive deeper there is lore to explore, but it is never shoved in your face or makes the action stop.
From there you are brought into large multi-leveled kill rooms against intelligent enemies that will try their best to kill you. No more standing in the one spot and picking people off. The key to life in Doom is movement. If you stand still, YOU WILL DIE.
The weapons feel great to fire, from the small pistol to old Doom favourites like the shotgun. The sound design is fantastic and lets you know when your shot packs its full punch.
The gore kills can become mundane after the first few but are an important gameplay element as they are used to getting extra health packs. A must in the higher difficulties.
This is probably one of the best FPS's I have ever played. It shows how far the genre has moved from its origins that an old school style shooter feels fresh and original.
For those who are still on the fence about the game, I recommend at the very least download the demo that is available on all digital stores (PSN, Steam, XBL).