DOOM

[retroed]

Only for this week, though, I think. 

[Jimboxy]

The future is great. I'm sat having a poo in a pub in the middle of Wales whilst my PS4 downloads the doom demo from the psn app. 

 

EDIT

 

Just to clarify, I'm in the toilet having a poo, not some kind of dirty protest in the middle of the pub. 

[DisturbedSwan]

Played almost 3 hours of this earlier.

 

At the moment I'm very disappointed with it, its alright but nothing special really, the guns don't seem to have much weight to them and it just seems like an endless cycle of going into a room, clearing out Demons and then moving on really.

 

It can be cool when the music ramps up and all the demons are in your face and you end up running, dodging and shooting about like a headless chicken but it just never seems to come together or feel satisfying enough for a sufficient amount of time. With the melee kills too it's just got quite repetitive already really, I'm looking forward to facing different enemies thee further I get into the game for some added variation.

 

It reminds me of Quake 4 and Duke Nukem Forever really, I'm actually having less fun with it at the moment then I had with the first few levels of DNF.

 

It's only saving grace is the exploration and secrets, it makes it a metroidvania type experience at times and is a welcome repreive from the repetitiveness and rote combat.

 

Fingers crossed it gets better as it goes on.

[Duck]

I played some Doom today, reminds me of Superman 64 and Bugsy 2 really. But I'm thinking I'm actually having less fun than I did with ET: The video game.

[DisturbedSwan]

Guess I'm not allowed to dislike the opening 3 hours of a game everyone else adores according to Duck 

[Duck]

I wonder who negged me. 

 

I didn't say you couldn't dislike it. My joke was aimed at you saying DNF was better. 

 

[DisturbedSwan]

Needless comments that don't add to the conversation deserve negging in my view  

 

Also, I still think the first few hours of DNF were better than this, you may think I'm crazy, but I think the first half of DNF was a fantastic game, the 2nd half you could see where the ideas ran out and it just descended into repetitious brown corridors. Just so everyone can have a giggle I've trawled through another forum to find my first 2 and a 1/2 hours thoughts playing through DNF back in 2011 for your reading pleasure:

 

Quote

I can happily report that the demo was a poor one IMHO, the first part with the boss battle in the stadium in the demo is a decent representation of the game but the second part in the desert valley isn't IMHO, it shows a rather generic FPS-style section of the game....which i can happily report this game is not.

I played for 2 and a 1/2 hours earlier and each level has something unique about it (i won't spoil the surprises in store) that makes the game an absolute blast to play, it just keeps things feeling fresh and unique...

The physics engine is also incredible, you can play basketball, pinball, lift weights, piss, write on stuff and pick up alot of the items in the envrionment...it has honestly impressed me no end.

I'm very surprised to find it's this good and distinctive an experience as i was expecting a generic FPS that's like Quake 4, but fortunately 3D Realms/Piranha Games/Triptych Games and Gearbox have delivered and surprised me significantly.

DNF is honestly one of the most distinctive and fun games i've ever played, the level variation, physics engine and the sense of humour that this game has in abundance makes it one of the most fun games i think i've ever played, had a smile on my face the entire time i was playing through it today, and honestly can't wait to play it again tomorrow.

I just hope that the game keeps this variation and pace up, as the rare sections when you are just shooting aliens is generic, but luckily they are few and far between enough that it really doesn't matter 

 

There's just little fun to be had in Doom so far, everything just seems overly gruff, grey and sensible, there's no humour and there's no joie de vivre about it, sincerely hope it gets better as it goes on.

[Duck]

24 minutes ago, Blakey said:

Needless comments that don't add to the conversation deserve negging in my view  

BS. Didn't neg Lakitu's comments, did you? You only negged my post because you don't like that someone had upvoted my joke. That's all it was Blakey, a joke... If you going to make crazy statements got to expect that right? 

 

I've only played Doom's demo but there was definitely some humour there. Pushing away the screen when the guy was speaking to him etc. I'm guessing there's more stuff like that later on too. 

[DisturbedSwan]

28 minutes ago, Duck said:

Pushing away the screen when the guy was speaking to him etc.

 

Yeah I was laughing my arse off at that bit 

[Duck]

That joke alone was funnier than all the jokes in DNF put together dude..

 

2011 that came out. 2011. 

[DisturbedSwan]

I honestly found that video rather funny  guess my sense of humour is just a bit different to yours Duck, humour's subjective man.

 

The bit your talking about in Doom where he shoves the screen away adds some much needed personality to 'Doom Guy' but there's not enough of it I don't think.

 

I won't say anymore until I've played more now anyway, I'll look like a right goon if I end up liking it in the end 

 

Also, a couple of Ultra 1440p screenshots for your viewing pleasure:

 

 

[DANGERMAN]

Seems like it's all settled down but don't ruin the 'MFGamers Game of the Year'  Doom thread, lads 

 

@BlakeyI'd second what @mr lakitusaid, I hope you end up enjoying it, but if you're not enjoying the first 3 hours you're not going to enjoy hell 

[DisturbedSwan]

Surprisingly enjoyed it a bit more today, I thought the last level I did on Mars was fantastically well-designed and reminded me more of a first-person platformer than an FPS really, there were so many platforms to jump up to and so many secrets to find, some new enemies were introduced as well and I found the combat more satisfying. Finding secrets was made easier by a new addition to my suit that buzzes the compass when a secret is nearby, that level was the first that I actually started having fun in the game I think.

 

After this I ventured on into Hell and goddamn, Hell is beautiful! The particle and lighting effects in there are incredible, the textures are still a bit muddy (even on Ultra) but the lighting and particle effects in the game are fantastic, it runs incredibly smoothly too. Hell reminded me of arena-FPS style Multiplayer maps almost sewn together and with secret paths and collectables strewn between, I was fighting all the demons there and I couldn't help but think 'this is like playing unreal tournament with bots' a bit.

 

The Rune trials are quite cool as well, I mean its not a new idea to put a mini-game/challenge in a level, but they're all quite easy, quick and satisfying and have some great benefits to your combat. Haven't found any of the classic areas though, I've been keeping an eye out for them but haven't managed to find any thus far.

 

Also, some more Ultra 1440p pics for you all to peruse:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DisturbedSwan]

Day 3 of my Doom escapades, 8 hours played in total.

 

Bit of a mixed bag today really, I enjoyed the 3 hours I spent with it earlier overall but couldn't help look at the clock after a while to see what the time was.

 

I'm definitely having a better time with the combat now, it has clicked a bit more with me and when shit hits the fan, the music ramps up and you're desperately avoiding demons left right and centre whilst simultaneously attempting to massacre them it can be fantastic, the enemy variation now I'm a fair way through the game is great and I'm now having to use everything in my arsenal to avoid dying.

 

The level design has continued to be fantastic, I just love finding all the little secrets, it's just so incredibly satisfying seeing a Rune or something behind a door, checking the map to see if you can see a path to it, searching around for a way to get in then after 5 minutes or so you find an innocuous vent on the wall or floor and it's the eureka moment of achievement and satisfaction. In some ways I wish there was a way to stop enemies from spawning just so I could explore and get utterly lost in these cavernous levels id has created.

 

But, there's just something about it that stops it reaching greatness for me, it just hasn't got any highs and lows and the game doesn't ebb and flow very well. You get dropped off in a level, explore for a bit (maybe fighting off a few easy enemies along the way) then you'll reach a kill room or Gore Nest where you'll have to eliminate everything to get some peace and quiet again to explore some more, then another kill-room up ahead, rinse and repeat. As mentioned above these kill rooms can be fun, but I just wish it wasn't so predictable in the pacing, throw in an on-rails turret section, a driving section or a few more boss battles here and there and the game would be perfect.

 

It just leans too much on the same kind of combat, and while the combat is enjoyable I just can't help but feel it needs some variation to it, it just feels like a bit of a slog after a reasonable length of time, maybe I should cut back to only playing 90 minutes/2 hours a day I don't know, but I feel playing 3 hours a day may be a bit much.

 

Couple more pics as well:

 

 

[DisturbedSwan]

Finished it just now, took me 12 hours in total.

 

It's a strange kind of game and one that's very difficult to score.

 

The beginning is not very accommodating really, it introduces you to the core mechanics, gameplay and weaponry but it doesn't really let you know how the game works and its intricacies, you have to figure this out for yourself.

 

It's kind of a stumbling beginning, imagine someone with a handful of M&Ms in their hand, eager to be generous and give a few away to each of their friends but they stumble and spill a few only leaving you with a couple each, that's kind of how Doom's opening few hours were for me. Extremely bewildering, stagnant and ordinary really, after those first 3 hours I thought to myself 'why is everyone making such a fuss about this game? It's just rank average'.

 

But I was wrong, it's definitely not an average game and the more you play Doom the more you get used to its mechanics, gameplay, combat, weaponry and the intricacies of how all of these systems work together and the more you learn to appreciate it.

 

After a few hours the game takes a predictable path, you'll kill a load of demons (in a kill room or gore nest) then you'll be left to your own devices to make your way to the next objective, exploring if you wish, then a load more demons will turn up and rinse and repeat until the end of the level. Doom continues this predictability right until the last few levels where things very much turn towards the combat rather than the exploration side of the game.

 

In the early hours the combat doesn't feel very satisfying, you're facing similar kinds of enemies with a small arsenal of weapons and it just doesn't seem to click very well, but as the game ramps up the action towards the end the combat clicks into place. When the music ramps up, you've got your back up against the wall and you're having to use every weapon in your arsenal to avoid dying that's when Doom is at its best, it's just fantastic when it's in this kind of form. It's frenetic, exciting and exhilarating at the same time and really gets the adrenaline pumping.

 

The true star of the show though is the level design and exploration, you'd think a game like Doom would be almost non-stop batshit crazy FPS action from start to finish, but that isn't the case at all, for huge swathes of every level you're largely left to your own to devices to seek out Runes, Collectables, upgrades and other secrets hidden in the level and often that's what I enjoyed the most. Seeing a Rune on the other side of some glass, searching around for 5 minutes and eventually finding a hatch that will take you under the glass and enable you to play the Rune trial is an incredibly satisfying feeling, the same goes with finding the Doom Guy collectables, Praetor upgrades from fallen allies or Argent energy balls which up your health, ammo or armour.

 

Throughout the first 2/3rds of the game I often found myself thinking 'oh god, I have to beat this set of demons before I get some peace and quiet again', and I think that is true now, it's not that the combat is bad by any means, but that the exploration is utterly engrossing and fantastic, the combat (and enemies) at times just felt like a needless distraction, something I needed to get through in order to carry on with what I wanted to do, which was exploring the levels.

 

As more enemies and weapons are introduced the further you get into the game though, the better the combat gets. The latter Hell levels in particular really ramp up the action, there's hardly any exploration or down time at all just kill-room after kill-room, surprisingly though, I didn't mind this, the level design and enemy placement in these particular levels was so 90's, so old school that I found it incredibly hard to dislike, and actually applauded id for having the balls to employ 90's-style levels in a 2016 game.

 

Furthermore on the Level Design, it is excellent throughout. When on Mars quite a few of the levels require a certain degree of first-person platforming which I thoroughly enjoyed, coupled with that the levels are designed with such finesse that finding secrets and collectables is incredibly satisfying and something that you'll want to seek out and pick up rather than being a needless background distraction. The feeling of finding a hidden vent, to then venture down and find a doomguy collectable is just amazing. 

 

When in Hell id tend to employ an entirely different style of level design, collectables are still fun and satisfying to pick up but the maps in Hell often remind me of a multiplayer map or something ripped straight from the 90s (in a good way). There's such a degree of verticality, launchers which can launch you to multiple different platforms, a whole multitude of ammo, health and armour dotted about that it sometimes feels as if you're playing multiplayer levels with bots. The latter Hell levels subvert this trend somewhat and go for a more 90s 'kill everyone in this small room' approach to the levels, they're purposefully smaller, more intimate and aimed to intimidate the player more in the latter stages.

 

The only issues I have with it are that it becomes incredibly predictable for 2/3rds of the game. As mentioned above, you'll kill a load of demons, explore, kill a load of demons, explore and rinse and repeat. The combat in the early hours didn't feel anywhere near as satisfying as it should do either, it felt very rote, very ordinary to me, but the further you go on the more weapons you unlock and enemies that present themselves the better it gets. A few variations to the combat, an on-rails section, a vehicle-section, a flying-section and/or more boss battles would've alleviated a lot of these problems and freshened things up, as at times, it can feel a bit of a slog.

 

I'm not usually a massive fan of boss fights, but I feel this is a game that needed more of them. There's only two throughout the entire game and they're fantastic, I can't help but feel it was a missed opportunity that the Developers didn't include more, if id had included more inventive boss fights at every other level it might've helped with the games predictability and brought more enjoyment as a result.

 

Overall, Doom is a fun game that stays true to its 90's roots in terms of level design, combat, aesthetics and story overtures, it doesn't do anything new but id should be applauded for having the guts to utilise this old school style of level design in a 2016 game.

 

8/10

 

More pictures:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jimboxy]

I wonder if (and I'm making a few assumptions here..) that the people that have really enjoyed it, played the original DOOM around original release perhaps. From the demo it has a nostalgia and similar feel to the original games, but with modern improvements, instead of a modern FPS game with the DOOM branding. I might be wrong, just putting it out there as an idea. 

[DANGERMAN]

I did, but I think illdog might even like Doom more than me and he doesn't seem the type to have had a pc as a kid 

[Jimboxy]

Well, that shit all over my theory then. 

[DisturbedSwan]

I may of played Doom as a kid in Debenhams (when GAME had a separate area in their stores) but I can't be sure, I may of just seen a trailer for it on repeat on one of the PC screens they had on display.

 

Goldeneye was the first FPS game I properly played though on the N64 I think, remember playing countless hours with friends after school and getting stuck a lot throughout the campaign. Played Duke Nukem 3D on PSX but got stuck soon after, loved playing Quake 3 arena on the PS2 with friends too.

 

Parents bought me Unreal Tournament around 2000/2001 as well to play on the family PC, then Halo came along around the same time and properly blew me away, it was so damn innovative, played incredibly well with a controller and I never looked back.

[Craymen Edge]

I was gifted this on Steam for my birthday. I wasn't really expecting that my PC would be able to run it - the motherboard / CPU is probably at least 7 year old tech these days.  

 

But, after fiddling with the graphics options and turning some of the more intensive settings down, it runs >30 fps, and still looks pretty nice. 

 

I played a couple of levels, and damn it's ridiculously fast.