Watch the opening levels of the new Doom game, you know you want to

13 May 2016

Screengrab from YouTube

The much-anticipated latest iteration of Doom is released today, so how about you watch the opening few minutes and see what all the fuss is about.

The name Doom is perhaps one of the most nostalgic in computer gaming history. What Super Mario Bros brought to platforms, what The NewZealand Story brought to scrolling levels, Doom brought to bloody first-person shooters.

Alongside Wolfenstein and Quake – developed by some of the same team as the original Doom – everybody knows what the game is about: shooting weird monsters in the face, waiting for the blood splatter to clear from the screen, repeat ad infinitum.

So today’s release is a biggie, and IGN has posted a walkthrough video of the opening levels of the game.

First impressions aren’t everything, but it looks clean and quick. Sure, the pixelated world of the original Doom or Wolf 3D will remain firm favourites, but there’s clearly a lot going on in this new reboot of the franchise.

Incidentally, Galway-based John Romero of Romero Games, who worked as a designer on the original game and will also be a speaker at Inspirefest 2016, has recently released a teaser of his new project Blackroom, which he’s crowdfunding.

According to a Kickstarter campaign that Romero hopes will raise $700,000 – which will be topped-up with industry support should the goal be met – the gaming community will be involved in some of the level creations, too.

The kicker? The scenery will be inspired by Romero’s Irish surroundings.

Gordon Hunt was a journalist with Silicon Republic

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