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After over a decade, Doom still stands the test of time

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: June 01, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Doom(1995). The Playstation rerelease of the 1993 classic, and also including the expansion, Ultimate Doom, and its sequel, Doom II.

In this day in age, it's not that hard to take first person shooters for granted. They're EVERYWHERE in every shape and form on every system, literally clones of clones in a sense. What's even harder now is spotting the true gems that stand out within the genre. However, back in 1993 the FPS was unheard of commercially, and as difficult as it is to believe, the genre was a major revolution to gaming. Out of nowhere, the company iD Software showed up and introduced Wolfenstein 3D, the first real FPS. While it does stand as a gaming milestone of the early 90s, it didn't quite take off in the public. What did succeed however was their next project, which consisted of heavy weaponry, lengthy levels, demon slaughtering, BFG 9000s, and key collecting: the legendary Doom.

Anyone who first experienced the game back in its height of popularity knows that Doom wasn't just a game, but a phenomenon. It has always consumed gamers (and continues to do so) into its ever addicting gameplay without compromise. The premise here is really simple: A base on Mars is attacked by Demons through a portal from Hell, and so the higher ups send the whole military platoon in to take care of the situation while you stand guard at the portal entrance. Of course, everyone gets wiped out except for you and now it's your job to go in and eliminate every last one Hell's minions. Yeah, it's a dumb story and it was eventually improved drastically with Doom 3 many years later, but the one aspect that makes these older Doom games superior to Doom 3 is that its simplistic storyline allows you to pick up the game from the get-go. There's no 30-minute CG cutscenes to introduce the game to you. There's no hour-long tutorial demonstrating how to play the game. No, immediately upon starting you're thrusted right into gameplay, and quite honestly I wouldn't have it any other way. Doom is to 3D what Contra is to 2D gaming: an instant, immersive, and entertaining experience, albeit somewhat mindless.

Of course, most Halo and Unreal Tournament gamers of today will blindly slag off Doom simply because the game is old and because of its archaic graphics. Yes, the graphics do date this game a bit, plus its bloody, violent visuals look a lot more like a cartoon now than it did ten years ago, but people need to wake up and realize that a game is not fun solely based on how great the graphics are. The visuals are primitive, but you won't really care once you become immersed in the game.

Another common complaint about Doom from people now is that "all you do is shoot monsters and collect keys". True, newer FPSs offer different things to do, but people take Doom's simplicity merely at face value and they seem to miss the point. One thing that Doom has on most other FPS games is in its ingenious level designs. The creators really took the time to make its monsters, levels, and the overall experience memorable in a way that makes you want to come back for more. The differences between Doom and Doom II may only seem like cosmetic upgrades, but as the games go along, the mazes become more and more intricate and cleverly designed. Having story missions and goals to complete is fun, but not at the expense of completely non-linear gameplay. Doom never skimps out on this aspect.

Obviously the PC versions of the games are the best ones to play, but for those who happen to have a PS1/PS2 and caught onto Doom at a later date, this version will give you a real bang for your buck. With 2 games and an expansion, the whole package here offers about 60 levels, and 5 difficulty levels of nonstop action. One thing that is improved from the PC version is the sound. All the sound effects and monsters have improved noises, and all the droning level songs from the PC are replaced by an atmospheric, at times errie background soundtrack. As a Doom player for many years now, I believe this makes Doom that much better. Plus, the game feels very natural with a PS1 controller. Also, if you can ever find 2 PS1s, a link cable, 2 Doom games, and 2 TVs, the multiplayer option is well worth it.

While other FPS games after Doom added a few new things here and there, very few were able to capitalize on Doom's greatest strength, which is its design. In fact, the only other FPS series to really impress me besides Doom is Half-life. I know that this review sounds like a bunch of praise, but a lot of the popular complaints are really nothing but hot air. However, I do wish that you could save the game via memory card instead of having to copy down passwords. That's my only gripe though. I give Doom my highest recommendation to open gamers looking for a challenge and a way to kill time. It's one of my all-time favorite games. In time, you too will agree that there's nothing quite like taking out a room full of zombie soldiers with a single double-barrel shotgun blast, jumping out of your seat as a group of angry imps pops out of a "monster closet"(hahaha), and dodging ferocious attacks by Barons Of Hell while you find health and attempt to take them out with a shotgun.

Replayability: Very high. It's Doom. That's all that needs to be said.

Other recommendations:
-Final Doom (PC/PS1)
-Doom 3 (PC)
-Half-life (PC)
-Half-life 2 (PC)
-Jedi-Knight: Dark Forces II (PC)

One of the Pc classic....but not so good on the playstation.

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: November 11, 1999
Author: Amazon User

Doom is one the classics on the PC. It was one of the first blood&guts shooter. But with all the new shooters out there today like Bllod 1&2, Duke Nukem and Half-Life it really doesn't stand a chance. But since the playstation has such few shooteers, you might want to pick it up, if your not sure rent it first.

The best console version of Doom

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: June 03, 2003
Author: Amazon User

After the success of "Wolfenstein 3-D" and the birth of the first-person shooter genre, the intelligent, creative teams at ID Software would forge ahead with an even deeper game: Doom. John Romero is hailed for this classic game of monster hunting. Read on to see why this is a classic.

THE GOOD
Well, obviously it's the "granddaddy" of the genre. You get an array of weapons, my personal favorite being the chainsaw. There's nothing better than chopping up a red demon and watching the blood scatter. The music is also VERY eerie, as if something is about to pop out at you (even though it never does to the extent of, let's say, Silent Hill). Even though the graphics are outdated, the level designs are very well done and many of them are tricky and cleverly designed. THESE GUYS WANTED YOU TO WORK HARD TO PASS A LEVEL.

I also must add that the controls are very customizable. If you don't have Doom for your computer, this is your best bet on the console. After all, this has Doom, Doom II, AND Ultimate Doom!

THE BAD
Are you kidding?! IT'S DOOM!

OVERALL
Even outdated, this game stands the test of time. You have games today (not all of them, I'm not being politically correct, so bite me!) that all you do is... you guessed it, kill people. Doom not only had you kill monsters (and with bloodlust), you had to find the right key to open the door, face MORE monsters lurking behind it, and work your way through seemingly endless labyrinths. Sound hard? Yes, but that's the idea; this is a prime example of the way a first-person shooter game should be done. It's a shame that future games didn't follow a similar formula (although Red Faction and Half-Life are your best bets of today). In any case, Doom is a classic and should NEVER be forgotten. Grab your BFG and perhaps a Rocket Launcher and HUNT THIS GAME DOWN. You won't regret it.

One of the All Time Best

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: June 24, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Doom, Grand Theft Auto 3, Final Fantasy 7, Wolfenstein 3D, Resident Evil and Metal Gear Solid there are my favotite games of all time. Doom is definately a classic, the first time I played it on the computer, I was hooked. There's no telling how many hours I spent on this. As of many, I bought Doom the first day it came out on Playstation years ago. So too all you Halo players that have no clue what Doom is about, everytime you play Halo keep in mind that if Doom never existed most likely Halo wouldn't exist. The whole Doom series is definately worth owning. The Graphics and sounds are now way out of date but at the time they were amazing. This has some of the most complex levels imaginable, it'll keep you entertained for hours. So many games today are like so many other games. The ones that are special are the ones that stand out. This game took a risk to be different, and now it stands as being one of the best games ever created.

A mood game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: April 30, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Doom isn't a game with revolutionary graphics or sound effects. It doesn't try to be.It is, quite simply, a mood game.If you get really peeved off at something then just pop in one of the ol' Doom games (although the first will always be my fav)and kick some demonic bootay! Just think about it, the demons resemble people we all loathe. Mancubus is the big fat ugly smelly retarded school bully we all love to hate! Cyber Demon and Spider Mastermind are the school principal . The Baron of Hell is your stupid brother with his strange pants and retro boots and his goofy haircut . He's the brother who got sunburnt trying to tan. :) So next time you get mad , don't hit a punching bag, pop Doom into your playstation and fry some demons!P.S. It is a classic and you can't dis a classic! :)

A Classic

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: May 26, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This game broke new ground for the video game industry, and not just for the violence, but for the environments and gameplay. This PS1 game is Doom and Doom II bundled into one, and it's great. Playing it on a PSX or PS2 is just as good, if not better, than playing it on a PC. It's a blow to political correctness everywhere.

The best game of all time

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: February 02, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I saw Doom for the first time about 10 years ago when a friend of mine was playing it on his computer....and up until that point, playing old 8-bit Nintendo games summed up a fun day for me. Don't get me wrong, and I'm not knocking some NES classics here at all by any means, but I must say, I fell in love with Doom the moment I saw it. Too bad the (...) was so hooked too that he wouldn't let me play.
So....fast forward to the release of the Playstation....and the eventual release of Doom. I bought Doom the first day it came out....and my Playstation wasn't turned off for 32 straight hours. I ABSOLUTELY love first-person shooter type games, and aside from Rise Of The Triad (the first FPS I ever played) Doom turned my world upside down.
This is, by far, the best video game on the planet....hell, in the universe.

The translation from the PC to the Playstation was flawless....hell, in my opinion, it's even better. You get all of the Doom and Doom II levels, and an additional 5 secret levels custom-made for the Playstation only. That's 59 total levels of mayhem....an immersive quest that you can NOT tear yourself away from.

Sure, by today's standards, the graphics are primitive and full of sprites and look a little blocky when you're up close....the enemies and items are modeled in 2D, meaning you can never look at their backside....and heck, you can't even jump....but....WHO CARES? This game is heaven, and even today, will still scare the (...) out of you....even if you memorized the location of every enemy in the game, knowing what to expect around every corner.
Don't believe me? Well try this situation on for size: You just cleared out a room full of Imps and Sergeant Zombies with every last round of shotgun ammo you had. You turn the next corner and hello....there's a Baron of Hell. *Change weapon to BFG9000* (...), you only have enough ammo for one shot. You aim, shoot, and barely hit the moron. He's still coming at you....and, as you cycle through your weapons....you notice only your pistol has ammo left. Oh (...). *runs*
That right there is the definition of fun....excitement....and horror....all making this game the number one video game of all time.

11 out of 10....and yes I did that on purpose....as Doom is more than perfect....

Now this is where the legend all began.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: November 17, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Doom and Quake have been two of the most incredible FPS series ever. Along with Turok and Half-Life, and even Medal of Honor, Doom is still one of my favorites. I don't even own it anymore, and last time I played it I was about six. While you were all watching Barney the dinosour, my dad and I were blasting demons with rocket launchers and taking out whole armies with a shotgun. I think Doom 3 is really just a remake of Doom 1, but if I had to choose between the two, I'd likely choose this one. Doom 3 is awesome and VERY addictive, but it's so realistic it tends to often freeze up a lot, and don't even get me started on Quake 4... But anyway, Doom was probably the first FPS game I ever played, although with my age, I wasn't really good at it at first. But if I were to play it now, I'd probably be halfway through the game in one day. I never even played Doom II, though my dad did show me the first level of it a long time ago. I wish ID would come out with another game like this, with a simpler story, and gameplay that's simple like this. I miss these old games a great deal, and not owning Doom anymore is beginning to hurt my brain. There's just no originality anymore with anything nowadays, it seems like too many things are stereotypical, or just plain typical. Old games are the best, and we need to make sure we get all the classic old games like this while we can, because they won't be there forever.

Doom - Playstation version

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: May 09, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Doom for PS1 is a great game. Almost every level from Ultimate Doom & Doom II is here, plus some new levels never before seen on the PC. This game is dark, scary as hell, and can really get in your head. The soundtrack is totally different from the PC, and creates a very eerie atmosphere that few games ever do. The controls are easy to learn, that's a good thing. However, the only reason why I gave this game 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the graphics. Yes, as you may have already read, the graphics are a bit sluggish, especially when compared to the PC version. In my opinion, the best version of Doom is the PC version, period. Doom, Doom 2, and Final Doom are the best video games ever, in MY opinion.

A seriously macabre game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: May 21, 2001
Author: Amazon User

The game "Doom" has reserved itself a place in history as being one of the most popular games of all time, and why shouldn't it be? It has everything in it you could possibly want: lots of bloody violence and gore, ammo that would put Hussein's arsenal to shame, and a setting and characters that are surreal, disturbing, and altogether engrossing. There is no mystifying puzzle to discover, only lots of bloodshed to be had, and the game allows multiple levels of difficulty so you can have as little or as many villains as you want coming your way. The levels of play graduate from simple to hard, and finding your way out of some of these mazes is almost a puzzle in itself. If you like tearing things up, then this is the game for you!

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