PixlBit

DooM 64 is the real DooM 3.

Though it wasn't the first of its kind, the original DooM is often credited as the game that popularized the first-person shooter. With detailed graphics for the time, heaps of ugly baddies, a handful of cool weapons, and endlessly challenging gameplay, it's no wonder it was a hit. Despite a slower gameplay pace than the previous PC games, DooM 64 is a worthy followup and an enjoyable run 'n gun shooter in its own right. For better or worse, they don't make 'em like this anymore.

This is one of the games that I rented back in the late '90s. At this point my experience with the DooM series consisted of beating the Sega 32X version of the original, as well as trying the freeware version on the PC. DooM was one of the earliest games to leave an impression on me, as it may be the very first three-dimensional game I played, and I was excited to try out a version of it on a Nintendo system for once. I didn't have a Controller Pak at the time, and so I had no choice but to scribble out the 16-character passwords as I went along. It's probably a little too graphic for a pre-teen to play (though nothing compared to the detailed, over-the-top violence of today), but my parents thought that all videogames were meant for kids and never really noticed how violent some of them could be.

The game offers four difficulty settings instead of the usual five, with the omitted one being the “Nightmare” setting that caused downed enemies to eventually respawn. Supposedly, this mode required more RAM than the N64 had. Higher difficulty means not only more enemies, but also harder-hitting ones, and the two easier settings provide double the ammo for the pathetic shot beginners out there. It would have been nice if these three things could be adjusted individually to more specifically tailor the difficulty to one's needs, as some people might enjoy more enemy encounters but not want them to deal out more damage, for one example. Still, it's nice to have four instead of just two or three.

The gameplay is pretty straightforward: find the exit that leads to the next level. Oh, and watch out for demons. There are lots of 'em, in all shapes and sizes. The earlier levels start with the more basic enemies like the shotgun-weilding Zombiemen, fireball-spewing Imps, and close-range chomping Pinkies, and will gradually build to medium threats like the highly-damaging Barons of Hell, and eventually reach the powerful foes like the Mancubus and Arachnotron, to name a few. With no real intelligence, their biggest strength is numbers; it's pretty easy to sidestep the shots from a single monster, but coming from multiple angles takes fancy footwork and quick kills to survive. Sometimes their numbers can be their weakness however, as cross-fires might happen: if one is hit by a demon of a different type – especially if the Marine hasn't shot them at all yet – there's a chance they will turn and begin to fight it, battling it out until one of them is dead.

Most levels have color-coded keys that must be found, and usually require a little backtracking to find the corresponding door or switch. Fortunately, there is a map that shows every visited section, so it's never a problem to find a way back through a level. Some stages have simple puzzles involving switches, step triggers, or moving objects to mix things up a bit. There are even a few traps here and there, such as arrows shooting out of walls, or ceilings crushing down. Some might even have enemies warping in out of nowhere, which can be dangerous if they catch the Marine surrounded and off guard. Every stage also has at least a couple secrets to find, which contain ammo, super-health, or maybe even an earlier chance at a weapon.

The game engine is pretty similar to the earlier titles, with the main difference being that it is now a fully three-dimensional engine. This means that, for example, there could be a bridge that can be traversed over, and also under, whereas something like this couldn't exist in the original PC DooM engine. Unfortunately, the view is still locked dead-center, and it's possible to look only side-to-side and not up and down. If there is an enemy located above or below, then shots will auto-aim up or down at it when fired. This can be a problem in a few selects spots throughout the game, but for the most part, stages are designed around this limitation. It's a bit of a shame that the engine wasn't really expanded upon, but it works well enough as is it.

There are nine weapons in the game, which may not seem like much, but most serve a purpose and aren't just different skins. The chaingun is suited for mowing down weak enemies, and saving the better ammo for tougher foes. The shotguns are powerful at close range, with the double-barrel quite effective at taking out the bigger bads in close quarters. The rocket launcher fires relatively fast and is very strong, but requires moderate space as it can also deal heavy damage to its user if caught in the blast. The plasma rifle is basically a more powerful chaingun, though it unfortunately shares ammo with two stronger weapons. The BFG is once again disappointing, but can still take down the huge Cyberdemons in no time. The new weapon, only referred to in the game as “What the %&@! is this?!” but has become known as the “Unmaker,” is a fleshy laser rifle with the potential to be absurdly powerful. The last resort weapon is a chainsaw, which can be used against lesser foes with careful planning, but really shouldn't be used unless out of ammo and the berserk fists powerup hasn't been found. Only the pistol is ever truly replaced by another weapon.

The graphics are a good step above the PC games, with detailed textures and sprite work that look a lot more smooth than the pixelated masses of those versions. The lighting is nice as well, with things like light shining through an open door in a dark room, the flickering of candles, and the different colored light illuminating the monsters, to name a few. The graphics left an impression on me at the time, as I never really seen anything quite like it, and I find it holds up decently well. The animation of the sprites is rather choppy, but it was a better choice than using 3D models as it allows a lot more enemies to be on screen at one time without slowdown. Whereas the previous games contained fast-paced or mysterious music, instead it's mostly a collection of ambient sounds and creepy effects, with a few notes here or there in some of them. The track with faint sounds of babies crying is perhaps a bit tasteless, but overall it works to set the mood. Back in the day I was disappointed in this change in style, but now I don't mind it so much.

Playing it today, coming from modern shooters, it is a bit of an odd experience to go back to a game without regenerating health. It creates a real sense of urgency, as there's nowhere to hide like a coward and magically spring back to full health. The monsters are on the prowl. There's no choice but to tread carefully, dodge swiftly, and mow them all down with skill, hoping beyond hope that the next medipack is just around the corner. The lack of checkpoints may seem harsh, but that penalty is also further drive to play well, and a return trip through the level will be made easier with the knowledge of the previous failure.

After practice, even the highest difficulty setting may start to feel a bit of a breeze after a while. This is where one final challenge comes in: when a new level is reached, choose “Restart Level” to begin it with nothing but a pistol and 50 bullets, 100 health and no armor. Interestingly, it would appear that the stages were actually designed with this challenge in mind, as many of them contain most or all the weapons in the game, and all have just enough ammo to take down every enemy. Playing this way forces learning the ins and outs of the lessor weapons, and accuracy actually matters as there's little ammo left for mistakes. Without health and armor carrying over from a previous stage, it's especially tough in the outset, before finding the first available super-health or armor pickup. Sometimes it may even require running like a madman through hordes of enemies, providing an exhilarating experience.

It's a shame that run 'n gun shooters have gone by the wayside. Sometimes, it's nice to shed all the pretenses of sprint buttons, aim buttons, crouch buttons, and even reload buttons, and whittle a shooter down to its core essence of nonstop carnage. DooM 64 is such a stark contrast to the babying of recent shooters like the Call of Duty series, and it's refreshing. It's pure action, pure challenge, pure adrenaline. Even with its minor shortcomings and limited engine, it's still a joy today.