When you talk about shoot-em-ups, there is one game that can be said as the originator (well ok Castle Wolfenstein 3d came before it) DOOM.

DOOM is so central to shoot-em-ups that for years they were referred to as Doom clones.

You want a plot? Ok here it is……

You’re on Mars. They were experimenting with teleporters and accidentally opened a portal to Hell.

NOW GO KILL DEMONS!

That’s right, there is no moral conflict. No complicated conspiracy. Just demon killing on Mars.

And later Hell itself with a variety of guns from a simple hand gun to the all mighty BFG (and it doesn’t stand for big friendly giant).  If you run out of ammo you can punch the demons in the face with your bare hands or cut them in half with a chain saw till they are a bloody pulp.

The game is split into 3 (or 4 if you have Final Doom) chapters each with a variety of different levels and one secret level which you play through on the various different difficulty levels:

• I’m too young to die
• Hey not so rough
• Hurt me plenty
• Ultra-violent
• Nightmare

The game starts you right in the action from the very first level, armed initially just with your hand gun as you take down the reanimated corpses of fellow marines. There are no chest high walls to hide behind, just you taking them down.

You run towards the enemy faster than any human should while also never growing tired and filling them with lead with guns that never need to be reloaded (though you do need ammo, that would just be unrealistic now wouldn’t it?) all while 1993 digital metal plays.

Once each level is completed it gives you percentages:

• how many of the enemies you killed
• how many of the items did you pick up
• and how many of the secrets did you find

Oh yes, each level is filled with secrets for you to discover. It’s going to make you work hard to find that sweet, sweet chainsaw on the second level.

As well as this the end level screen will show you the time it took to complete the level and next to it a Par with a time.

You want to speed run levels? Well it’s got you covered, complete with a time to beat (good luck beating the first level in 1:30 on your first play through)

The enemies come in many forms, from the undead who have handguns and shot guns, quickly followed by fire breathing imps, charging pink demons, invisible demons, flaming skulls that fly at you and giant floating demonic one-eyed beasts till you get to…..

…..the Barons of Hell…

…..mighty Cyberdemon and finally…

…..the Spider Mastermind. ALL of whom want you dead.

If you’re a fan of first person shooters, I can’t insist enough that you should play this game.

Yes it’s over 20 years old now, but who cares this game kicks so much demonic ass.

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