The general question when it comes to an electronic device is “Can it run DOOM?”. We’ve seen it on pretty much everything from all manner of computers to even payment terminals and sex toys. Basically, if it has a screen, someone out there will try and run DOOM on it.
But can they run DOOM as well as the Xbox can. It was unlikely before, but with the recent DOOM + DOOM II release that packages so much additional content in, they definitely cannot now.
The DOOM + DOOM II package is a free upgrade to anyone who owns either recent re-release from 2019. If not, fear not Xbox gamers, as this collection also jumped straight into Xbox Game Pass at launch, so it is awaiting your perusal there.
The DOOM games loosely tell the tale of a space marine being shipped off to Mars and its moons where secret teleportation experiments have been taking place. Needless to say, the proverbial hits the fan and the portals allow the denizens of hell to enter through it. It is then up to your marine, armed only with a pistol to start with, to blast through the hordes of enemies and reach the ends of the levels.
The DOOM games are famous for their arsenal and secrets to uncover, and it all started back with the first game. Whether this is your first time playing these games or your hundredth, this new compilation marks the new highpoint for these games.
It is far from just another release of the two games, with more content than you will probably ever need. Joining the complete DOOM + DOOM II are official releases for Sigil, No Rest for the Living, Master Levels for DOOM II, TNT: Evilution, The Plutonia Experiment and Legacy of Rust. The latter being a brand-new episode created by the guys at id Software, Nightdive Studios and MachineGames. For DOOM fanatics, this is reason enough to return to these games.
These can all pack a punch too. There are enough spider-demons, revenants, cacodemons and lost souls within to warrant all the firepower strewn across the floor. You may even find some new enemies to blast away at as well.
The fun doesn’t stop there though with mods enabled. In amongst these is Sigil II, the official sequel to Sigil, amongst plenty of other, more bizarre mods. A quick browse will show mods based on The Simpsons, Super Mario, Final Fantasy, GoldenEye, and… Margaret Thatcher?!
Now, I’ve tried to do a thorough job here, but the sheer amount of mods already available is huge. What I will say is that the GoldenEye one is a superb recreation of the Nintendo 64 classic in DOOM, the Final Fantasy one is neither a good DOOM or Final Fantasy game, and Thatcher’s Techbase, well, if it is good enough for Jeremy Corbyn it is good enough for me. Seriously though, this mod is fantastic, regardless of your stance on the Iron Lady.
But a word of warning: This current mod store is very badly maintained. Not only does it frustratingly reset back to the first page every time you open a mod, but the mod moderation means that all manner is currently being passed through. Original developers of mods have commented saying that with anyone allowed to upload a mod, they are not getting the credit they rightfully deserve. So, if you start to see the same mods popping up, this is why, and a bit of due diligence is perhaps the best course of action.
Then there is the multiplayer, which is playable both locally and online. This is multiplayer in its purest form: no killstreaks, battle passes of anything like that. Just pure frantic fun. No speed is lost as you play multiplayer, so you can blitz around the arena shooting other Doomguys until your eyes bleed.
All that accounts for 187 missions and 43 deathmatch maps, not counting whatever mods you download. And there is still more.
Launch any game and you can take a trip to the id Vault. This contains a ton of concept art, detailed descriptions of the various aspects of DOOM and a lot more inside. It isn’t quite a digital museum that has been a welcome addition to many recent retro re-releases, but it’s a glorious collection for those DOOM fanatics.
And, if all that wasn’t enough, there are a choice of soundtracks to choose from. The original soundtracks are still present in all their MIDI glory, alongside newer ‘IDKFA’ versions. Personally, I haven’t felt the need to switch from the OG MIDI versions, but the newer versions sound good enough for those that perhaps didn’t grow up with these vintage sound chips.
All-in-all then, the DOOM + DOOM II collection is a must have. It helps to have a solid foundation – the fact that the original games are timeless. Then factor in the extra games, additional content and mod capabilities, and you have a bumper compilation. This really is the Ultimate DOOM.
