DooM, the father of all first person shooters, the one by which all others are judged by and spawned countless clones and imitations. A game, despite being over twenty years old, and newer graphics, it is till beloved by fans and the community that surrounds it, and is more vibrant than ever. Fans still create custom "WAD" files, and it has been modified to work on everything from game consoles to printers and ATM machines. DooM is a testament to not only what makes a good game, but how loyal a game community can be and the creativity that can come from it. Few games will reach the height that DooM has risen to. I've been playing the game since I was six years old when my father first showed it to me, I've been playing the game ever since and haven't looked back.
In spring of 2016 we will be getting the next installment in the series, simply named Doom. A game that is harkening back to the days when DooM was a fast paced and bloody action shooter game, mowing down hundreds of enemies, and moving away from the more horror style that was Doom 3. I will not say that Doom 3 was a bad game, I would say that the game helped try to give DooM a bit more of a complex story, but also did a decent job in blending the two genres of horror and action together. It also did help in expanding Doom's modding community and help keep interest in the series, not that it really needed any. But it didn't inspire like the original did, but led to a movie, that aside from FPS sequence and the credits, most would like to forget. The new game could breath new life in to the series and with it's creative level editing tools could create a new era for the DooM community.
So, what do I mean by, "DooM: The Unmaker Edition"? A new years back we got, DooM: BFG Edition, released on PCs and consoles, it included Doom, as well as it's to expansion packs "Resurrection of Evil" and "The Lost Mission", and DooM and DooM II. Next to the "id Anthology", probably larger collections of id games put together. My issue with the "BFG Edition" is that I want a DooM game that includes all DooM games, an anthology of DooM games. Not only the games mentioned earlier, but also Final DooM, and the forgotten but still beloved by those who played it DooM 64. The entire Doom anthology in one place, named after the ultimate weapon from DooM 64. It would be a nice release before the next installment arrives.
DooM 64, almost released under the title "The Absolution", and developed by Midway under id's supervision, is probably the most neglected game in the franchise and the most unique of all the games. While "Doom 3" didn't do a bad job at blending horror and action, DooM 64, however, did it perfectly. The game created an unsettling atmosphere with the use of colors to create a disturbing atmosphere enhanced by it's subtle sound track to create a frightening ambiance. But it didn't take away from the action, it was still fast paced and the atmosphere kept you on the edge of your seat and your heart pounding. The enemies were remade to be pure nightmare fuel, and in the case of the "Pain Elemental", almost "Lovecraftian". Sadly, because it was only released on the Nintendo 64 and id quickly moved away from it to games like Quake with modern 3D engines, it was lost to the sands of time. Thankfully, members of the DooM community have brought it back for us to play on the PC (link below), but it still deserves treatment that the other DooM games have received.
Future of DooM most would say is fairly secure. The original games will live on forever in the hearts of those who have played it, especially those who have played it since the beginning. That legacy will only enhanced by the new installment's, hopefully, successful launch. There is a bit of trepidation and doubt when a beloved series gets a new installment, will it live up to it's name? Bethesda and id have fairly good reputations , and as long as the footage shown for the preview is what we get or better, it should be good. However, it would be nice to have all the DooM games, the remember and those lost to time, together in one place; id, make it happen!
Credit goes to id Software for creating the game.
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