DOOM (1993)

Let's be clear about what this is: DOOM from 1993, the id Software original that essentially invented the first-person shooter as a mainstream form. You run through hellish corridors on Mars and beyond, shoot demons with a shotgun, a chaingun, a rocket launcher, and eventually the BFG 9000, and you do not stop moving. There is no cover system. There is no regenerating health. There is a chainsaw. The design philosophy is pure and brutal in a way that most modern shooters have quietly abandoned, and spending an hour with it makes that contrast obvious. The Steam release bundles the original episodes plus the additional content that came with the re-release: the Unto the Evil, Hell Followed, and Bloodfall DLC packs, which add multiplayer maps, modes, and weapons. An Arcade Mode sharpens the experience into score-chasing runs, and a Photo Mode lets you pause and frame the carnage if that appeals to you. Update 6.66 (yes, really) overhauled multiplayer progression and ironed out a number of long-standing issues, so the online side is in better shape than it has been in years. Multiplayer is fast, chaotic, and carries that old-school arena DNA where movement skill is the whole game. What holds up remarkably well: the level design. The non-linear maps reward exploration, hide secrets generously, and create tension through resource management in a way that feels deliberate rather than accidental. The sprite-based enemies read clearly even now. The soundtrack by Bobby Prince still hits. What shows its age: the engine quirks, the lack of vertical aiming in the true original sense, and if you are coming from modern shooters the absence of any handholding will take adjustment. Purists will want to look into source ports for higher resolutions and quality-of-life upgrades, though this Steam version runs cleanly enough for most players out of the box. This is the right entry point if you want to understand where the genre came from, or if you just want a shooter that respects your time and does not ask you to watch a fifteen-minute tutorial. It is also genuinely fun rather than purely historical, which is the thing that surprises people. The co-op support means you can drag a friend through the episodes, which remains one of the better ways to play. Partial controller support exists but keyboard and mouse is clearly the intended method. If you are a shooter fan who has never gone back to the source, this is worth the trip. If you are already a DOOM lifer, you probably own this three times already.

Alex · Scout Team

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