DOOM 2014 (previously named DOOM 4 and of late simply known as DOOM alone) is finally here...
Well not exactly, it's some corners away at least. Nonetheless sooner than we had hoped, since Doom 4 seemed for a long time a dead project that was sluggishly finding its way to late 2015 if that. When the teaser came out, I was excited to say the least but didn't heed much to expectations with regards to seeing it any time soon.
The teaser surely took me by surprise, news on development on the new Doom were till now elusive and covered in a haze of mystery and smoke. With the project scrapped and rebooted at least once that we know of, and id software making statements of the likes "we will reveal information on the game when we have something to reveal..." all hope of getting it any time soon seemed futile. Of course we also had the occasional "it is going to be great" comments and the tease of what it "might" include or be like. But all we could do is push back release dates in our minds and make empty speculations of what it might be like or when it would arrive.
Until now.
Doom is indeed closer than we think, and from the sounds of it, is shaping up into a great experience created around fun and plenty fan service unless I am mistaken. Fingers crossed, but the horizons look good with the latest reveals and sooner that we had hoped.
First the teaser trailer popped and a beta access to the new Doom with any pre-ordered copy of Wolfenstein: The New Order.
That alone by itself says a lot. You don't start to even think about beta phases unless the game is up to it. It was indeed a great surprise, not only we got a teaser (which usually that is all you get, hanging on after that in patience to see some more information released through time) we also get talk of a Beta Access. First thoughts I had were that they could be simply trying to sell the new Wolfenstein and although they mention a Beta Access, they don't say anything about dates... Which ultimately means it could still be a heck of a long wait.
And then footage hits the screens of QuakeCon revealing that, the new Doom, has in fact more development miles under it's sleeve than we suspected. Having not seen actual footage of it myself I can't exactly say much on the visual side of things (living in another continent altogether makes it a little harder to get around), but as many have already noticed, leaked information is shaping up to a pretty clear image of what is in store for us in the next chapter of the Doom franchise. Lastly, judging by the last titles using the older engine (Rage and Wolfenstine: TNO with id tech 5) I would say the visuals for this title will be nothing less of stunning.
The Setting
Coming to some familiar grounds when compared to Doom 3, this reboot is set on Mars again, as the demo started outside a UAC research facility and went on to what is seemingly a massive outdoor environment. One that is invaded by the forces of hell.
The setting sounds familiar and keeps to the lore, as does a lot of the rest of the design, with enemies that include classics such as Cyberdemons, Hellknights, jetpack wielding Revenants that fly whilst firing rockets at you and other additions of the evil we grew to love.
To take them down, an arsenal reminiscent of the classic weapons in Doom is also present, with a double barrell shotgun, plasma rifle and rocket launcher along with the chainsaw being revealed.
Gathering from what was seen in the teaser trailer itself, enemies are the good old "flesh with machine" demons of old bringing together what sounds like a horrifyingly hellish experience as it should be... Oh, and very bloody, very gory... As it should be.
With the new neat treats that today's technology can bring us there is a lot of extra stuff also added to the title, where we have seemingly close range executions now with different variations, and some that are also for your own character when killed (something about a Revenant ripping our arms off and sticking a fist through our characters head and helmet I hear? Spicy!) Along with other sequences were you are required to rip a corpses hand off to use the fingerprints for unlocking a door...?
It sounds gorier than ever whilst keeping to classic ideas and new, all combined to bring us the hell that we have been waiting for in this title all this time.
The Gameplay Mechanics
More than the setting of the original franchise as we know it we also have a return in classic first person shooter style mechanics that include no reloading and unlimited weapons picked up, as well as health and ammo pickups along with no regenerating health.
That alone by itself says a lot. You don't start to even think about beta phases unless the game is up to it. It was indeed a great surprise, not only we got a teaser (which usually that is all you get, hanging on after that in patience to see some more information released through time) we also get talk of a Beta Access. First thoughts I had were that they could be simply trying to sell the new Wolfenstein and although they mention a Beta Access, they don't say anything about dates... Which ultimately means it could still be a heck of a long wait.
And then footage hits the screens of QuakeCon revealing that, the new Doom, has in fact more development miles under it's sleeve than we suspected. Having not seen actual footage of it myself I can't exactly say much on the visual side of things (living in another continent altogether makes it a little harder to get around), but as many have already noticed, leaked information is shaping up to a pretty clear image of what is in store for us in the next chapter of the Doom franchise. Lastly, judging by the last titles using the older engine (Rage and Wolfenstine: TNO with id tech 5) I would say the visuals for this title will be nothing less of stunning.
The Setting
Coming to some familiar grounds when compared to Doom 3, this reboot is set on Mars again, as the demo started outside a UAC research facility and went on to what is seemingly a massive outdoor environment. One that is invaded by the forces of hell.
The setting sounds familiar and keeps to the lore, as does a lot of the rest of the design, with enemies that include classics such as Cyberdemons, Hellknights, jetpack wielding Revenants that fly whilst firing rockets at you and other additions of the evil we grew to love.
To take them down, an arsenal reminiscent of the classic weapons in Doom is also present, with a double barrell shotgun, plasma rifle and rocket launcher along with the chainsaw being revealed.
Gathering from what was seen in the teaser trailer itself, enemies are the good old "flesh with machine" demons of old bringing together what sounds like a horrifyingly hellish experience as it should be... Oh, and very bloody, very gory... As it should be.
With the new neat treats that today's technology can bring us there is a lot of extra stuff also added to the title, where we have seemingly close range executions now with different variations, and some that are also for your own character when killed (something about a Revenant ripping our arms off and sticking a fist through our characters head and helmet I hear? Spicy!) Along with other sequences were you are required to rip a corpses hand off to use the fingerprints for unlocking a door...?
It sounds gorier than ever whilst keeping to classic ideas and new, all combined to bring us the hell that we have been waiting for in this title all this time.
 |
| Even the cyberdemon seems to mimic the classic style more (as much as it can) depicting the mounted weapon on the left hand rather than the right as seen in Doom 3 (middle). Small details perhaps, but all details count. |
The Gameplay Mechanics
More than the setting of the original franchise as we know it we also have a return in classic first person shooter style mechanics that include no reloading and unlimited weapons picked up, as well as health and ammo pickups along with no regenerating health.
Provided this was all present in Doom 3 as well (except for the no reloading part).
Foes can teleport at locations to ambush you, again also present from a range of enemies in Doom 3, and new mechanic additions include alternate fire modes for weapons (at least for the shotgun so far), double jumping and even climbing (if I got that right).
The Gameplay Style
Wishlist
With the above mechanics in mind, it is obvious that they are going for an action paced run and gun title as opposed to the slower and more jump-scare frightening Doom 3, and they are quite open to making a point on this, as executive producer Marty Stratton claimed "Doom is not about taking cover."
Quake 3 Arena styled "no-reloading" might have many pondering over the realism on this game, but honestly realism is the last thing a title like this should be trying to aim at. Not to mention that, for those aching for some realism, no reloading can be expressed into a realistic form as well. As also seen in the Quake Live version of Q3A, weapons do not reload, but the maximum amount of ammunition per magazine are reduced to mimic perhaps a one full magazine at all times.
This could come with it's own level of realism, as running around with so many weapons and so many ammunition on them one would become, well, quite cumbersome and "laggy". An approach of the like could provide for the fast paced shooter experience the new title is aiming for, whilst also pack a couple heart-jumping moments when running out of ammo and not being able to reload.
We will have to wait and see how it all plays out.
Under the Bonnet
Powered by id Tech 6, the latest version to id Software's cutting edge engine, Doom will be released for PC, PS4 and Xbox One at 1080p @60fps.
Judging from all previous engines, we can expect a very responsive shooter, as the id engine simply seems to agree to being a first person shooter engine more than anything else it seems. And if id Software has kept true to their "apology" for the console mess that was Rage (although again a very fun and responsive shooter) Doom should be better aimed and specked for PC standards. One can hope, but either way, the new consoles make the gap easier to bridge as they use similar technologies albeit not as powerful as PC's.
The new Doom has, in a matter of such a small time, popped as one of the most anticipated titles in my wishlist. Judging from all that we know, the game goes back to the routes to reboot them, and this means more than simply changing or remaking an origin story. In the case of Doom 2014 this also means bringing back the action paced shooter we were introduced to back in the day, with classic mechanics and a new added spice to make it even more fun. All in what should be a very successful (fingers crossed) engine with stunning visuals and dead accurate responsiveness in a hellish world that we have all grown to love over so many years.
Almost another 10 years since the last instalment (Doom 3) here is to hoping this new title in the franchise will fill our voids for a very long time to come. Speaking for myself at least it sounds like it might do just that. I know Doom 3 did, even though it was in a slightly different direction to that of the originals, whilst Doom 2014 is shaping up to be giving homage more and more to the originals and to the fans.
Mark your calendars everyone, the experience that spawned them all is back...
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