Doom (2016)

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Cover art

Doom (previously titled Doom 4) is a reboot of the Doom series released worldwide for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on May 13, 2016.[1] It is the third major game released by id Software and published by Bethesda Softworks since their acquisition by ZeniMax Media, following Rage and Doom 3: BFG Edition. Early planning and development began in August 2007, and is still continuing with the release of patches, downloadable content packs, and planned updates. The game features a story detailing the invasion of the UAC Mars Base by the forces of Hell.

The new Doom has been built on a successor to id Software's id Tech 5 game engine which id Software has dubbed id Tech 6. Gameplay-wise the game resembles the action-oriented nature of the classic Doom games much more than the horror style of Doom 3,[2] with a heavy emphasis on strong weapons, fast and agile player movement, and quickly paced encounters with large groups of foes. From a graphic and architectural point of view, its advanced designs are aesthetically closer to Doom 3 in some regards, but with many deliberate nods to the original series, particularly with respect to its new enemy designs.

Story

Spoiler Warning: Plot details follow.

A team of UAC researchers has spent years on Mars developing technologies for interdimensional exploration after the discovery of an infinite source of power known as Argent energy, and its connections to Hell. Led by Dr. Samuel Hayden, former chairman of the UAC and director of the facilities on Mars, they built the Argent Tower, a huge device to extract this energy from Hell, filter and purify it, and make it usable by human technologies, solving all of Earth's ongoing energy crises. However, this came at great cost. Dr. Hayden was forced to transfer his brain and consciousness into a cyborg body after he developed brain cancer during the tower's construction. Regardless, research continued, with Dr. Hayden leading multiple expeditions into Hell, bringing back captive demons and numerous artifacts for study.

The corrupting influences of Hell could not be held back, and some staff members, particularly Dr. Olivia Pierce, would prove vulnerable to seduction by the dark powers of the demons. Dr. Pierce oversaw the transformation of the UAC into a regimented cult dedicated to the worship of the demons, and bent her sights on using the Argent energy to rip open a permanent portal to Hell.

During UAC expeditions to Hell, Dr. Hayden uncovered evidence in an artifact known as the Helix Stone of an ancient warrior trapped in Hell known as the Doom Slayer, who was feared and loathed by the demons for destroying vast numbers of them in battles waged across eons of time. He brought this warrior, who had been entombed in a sarcophagus by the demons, back to Mars to serve as a fail-safe in case the demons were to invade the base, with or without Olivia's help. As he feared, this happened when Olivia, after making a pact with the demons, unleashed a Hell Wave from the Lazarus Labs' Hell portal. The facility was invaded and most of its staff were killed or possessed.

The player awakens as the Doom Slayer, also known as the Doom Marine, at the beginning of the game with the invasion already in full swing, and must start out by reclaiming the powerful Praetor suit and fighting to find out the cause of the invasion. Meanwhile, Dr. Hayden tries to control the marine's actions to make sure he does things the way he wants them done, while Olivia continues to pursue the permanent opening of the Hell portal. The marine must try to stop her at all costs.

The Doom Slayer fights his way through the overrun facility and makes several excursions into Hell. He steals a magical blade called the Crucible, which he then uses to destroy the portal's power source. He shortly comes across Pierce, who transforms into the monstrous Spider Mastermind, and kills her. Upon the Doom Slayer's return to Mars, Hayden confiscates the Crucible, which he plans to use to continue his research. Despite all that has happened, Hayden states that Earth is too desperate for energy to give up. To prevent the Doom Slayer from interfering, Hayden teleports him to an undisclosed location using the tethering device, saying that they will meet again.

Spoilers end here.

Game elements

Official launch trailer
Work outdated.pngThis section makes use of facts and/or references about ongoing events and may need to be updated frequently.
Information here may become outdated quickly. Please help the Doom Wiki by keeping it up to date.

As the new Doom is still in the process of release, details may rapidly emerge and could likely change without warning. However, the following articles summarize what is currently known in the corresponding subject areas and will be updated when new information becomes available.

Monsters

Weapons

Single- and multiplayer

Multiplayer only

Items and mechanics

Powerups

Characters

Locations and missions

Level Mission
Site 03 (The UAC) Mission 01: Rip & Tear
Resource Operations Mission 02: Know Your Enemy
Foundry Mission 03: Meltdown
Argent Facility Mission 04: Beginning of the End
Argent Energy Tower Mission 05: Argent Tower
Kadingir Sanctum Mission 06: Into the Fire
Argent Facility (Destroyed) Mission 07: Hell on Mars
Advanced Research Complex Mission 08: A Brighter Tomorrow
Lazarus Labs Mission 09: Lazarus
Titan's Realm Mission 10: Titan's Realm
Necropolis Mission 11: The Crucible
VEGA Central Processing Mission 12: I Am VEGA
Argent D'Nur Mission 13: The Well

Lore

Development history

Doom, previously titled Doom 4, was confirmed to be in development by id Software as early as May 7th, 2008.[3] Very little information was given on the development process, and by 2013, Doom 4 was declared to be in "development hell" after reports of mismanagement. Those who worked on the early version of Doom 4 compared it to gritty, scripted military shooters such as Call of Duty.[4] Shortly after Doom 4 was declared to be in development hell, key members of id Software resigned. Todd Hollenshead, John Carmack, and many other employees resigned, leaving id Software short handed. Doom seemed as if it would never be released, until the multiplayer beta was announced.

People who pre-ordered copies of Wolfenstein: The New Order were promised access to the beta test for Doom. Although the information was vague, it was the first news regarding Doom 4 (now re-branded simply as "DOOM") since Kotaku's article in 2013. The game would go on to be shown to a private audience at QuakeCon 2014, followed by a public reveal with the first solid information on the game appearing at E3 2015, where publisher Bethesda held its first-ever full-scale presentation.

The closed beta test began on March 31, 2016, and ran through April 3.[5] A beta open to all Steam, Xbox Live, and Playstation Network users followed shortly after, beginning on April 15 and lasting until April 18.[6] The full game was released on May 13, 2016, to glowing critical reception.[7]

Influences

The atmosphere and design of the game's Hell levels was heavily influenced by the dystopian surrealism of Polish painter Zdzisław Beksiński, most renowned for his later "fantastic period," which featured disturbing images of gloomy environments with detailed scenes of death, decay, landscapes filled with skeletons, deformed figures and deserts.[8]

Creative director Hugo Martin cited Frank Frazetta's dark fantasy painting Death Dealer, and others in its series, as an inspiration for the game's method of story telling and characterization, with many details left in "shadow" so as to engage the player's imagination and to invite solutions to the plot's unanswered questions.[9]

Current events and ongoing development

Single-player demo

On June 12, 2016, a playable demo was released through Steam, allowing players to "Fight Like Hell through the opening level of the first-person shooter's single-player campaign."

Unto the Evil

The first multiplayer DLC pack, "Unto the Evil," was announced at the 2016 Bethesda E3 conference on June 12, and was slated to introduce three new maps, the harvester demon, and bring the UAC EMG pistol into multiplayer, amongst other minor perks such as additional armors, paints, and decals.

The DLC pack was released on August 4, 2016,[10] accompanied by a 'Now Available' trailer.

Free updates

Several free updates are pending release to all three major components of the game, including introduction of a centered weapon mode and artistic screenshot tool for single player, capture the flag and capture-and-hold modes for multiplayer, and new modules, items, props, and proper single-player mode support for SnapMap. A Hell-themed module set will be a welcome addition, and the ability to add skybox windows will help to open up layouts.

The first update arrived on June 30, 2016[11] and the second update on July 29, 2016.[12] The third update returned Deathmatch to the game and added the new Private Matches feature along with Campaign and SnapMap updates, and was released on September 22, 2016.[13] A new competitive addition to the Single-Player Campaign, called Arcade Mode, is scheduled for release some time during Fall 2016.[14]

Sources

References

  1. Bethesda Softworks (4 February 2016). "DOOM in May." Blue's News. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  2. The Escapist: John Carmack Sheds Some Light On Doom 4 on August 6, 2008
  3. Shacknews: Doom 4 announced on May 7, 2008
  4. http://kotaku.com/five-years-and-nothing-to-show-how-doom-4-got-off-trac-468097062
  5. Bethesda Softworks (9 March 2016). "DOOM Closed Beta This Month; New MP Trailer." Blue's News. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  6. Skrebels, Joe (6 April 2016). "Doom Open Beta and DLC Announced." IGN. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  7. "Doom Metascore." Metacritic. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  8. Hurley, Leon (5 May 2016). "New Doom art teases story stuff & THE ICON OF SIN." gamesradar. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  9. Takahashi, Dean (2 July 2016). "How Doom reveals its secrets like a Frank Frazetta painting." Venture Beat. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  10. Bethesda Softworks (4 August 2016). "DOOM: Unto the Evil Released." Blue's News. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  11. Bethesda Softworks (30 June 2016). "DOOM – Update #1 Now Available." Bethesda Softworks. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  12. Bethesda Softworks (29 July 2016). "DOOM – Free Update #2 Now Available." Bethesda Softworks. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  13. Bethesda Softworks (22 September 2016). "DOOM - Free Update #3 Now Available." Bethesda Softworks. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  14. Bethesda Softworks (8 September 2016). "DOOM - Deathmatch, Private Matches & Arcade Mode Livestream." Bethesda Softworks. Retrieved 24 September 2016.