DOOM arrives as a reboot of a franchise that id Software itself invented, and it lands harder than a series that old has any right to. Bethesda Softworks published it for PlayStation 4, PC, and Xbox One in May 2016. A Nintendo Switch port, co-developed with Panic Button, followed in November 2017, with a Stadia version in August 2020.
Trailer, via Bethesda Softworks.
The Doom Slayer Wakes on Mars
The setup is lean. The Union Aerospace Corporation runs an energy-mining facility on Mars in 2149, refining raw Hell energy into Argent energy. When Olivia Pierce opens a portal, demons overrun the place. Samuel Hayden, a UAC scientist who moved his consciousness into an android body after terminal brain cancer, wakes the Doom Slayer to clean it up.
You are that ancient warrior. You kill demons. That is the whole pitch, and the campaign never pretends otherwise.
Chainsaw, BFG 9000, and No Reloads
Combat is the reason to be here. Movement is fast, and the game rewards pushing forward rather than hiding. The arsenal leans on the classics:
- Chainsaw — instantly kills an enemy when it has enough fuel, and refills your ammunition
- BFG 9000 — the series’ signature heavy weapon
- Glory Kill — a melee finisher on stunned enemies that restores health
Weapons never need reloading. Mods picked up during the campaign augment them.
SnapMap and the Multiplayer Problem
SnapMap, the level editor co-developed with Escalation Studios, lets players build, play, and share their own content. The online multiplayer, made with Certain Affinity, is the weak half. It drew significant criticism, and it is the part of DOOM we would happily trade away.
| Mode | What it offers | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Single-player | 13 levels, multiple pathways, secrets, upgrades | The reason to buy |
| Multiplayer | Competitive modes, co-developed with Certain Affinity | The weak link |
| SnapMap | Player-made levels, shared online | A genuine bonus |
13 Levels and a Hidden Lever
The campaign spans 13 levels, most with branching routes and open arenas built for exploration. Collectibles include Doomguy figurines and data files that expand the setting. Each level hides a lever that opens an area lifted from a classic Doom map. Easter eggs nod to Commander Keen, Skyrim, Fallout 4, and Terminator 2. An arcade mode, added in October 2016, unlocks every upgrade from the start.
Mick Gordon’s Soundtrack
Mick Gordon composed the music, with contributions by Richard Devine. It is not decoration. It sets the tempo the combat wants you to keep.
What DOOM Gets Right
DOOM sold over 500,000 copies and was the second best-selling game in North America and the United Kingdom in its release week. The single-player campaign, graphics, soundtrack, and gameplay earned considerable praise. That split — adored campaign, disliked multiplayer — is the honest shape of this game. The campaign is one of the cleanest shooters of its decade; the multiplayer is filler bolted on out of obligation. Buy it for the demons.
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