Doom Zero is intended to be the new third episode of Final Doom, released back in 1996. It is also considered a prequel to the new 2016 incarnation of Doom. This game works perfectly on the old engine and can even run on DOS. I personally played it using GZ-Doom, and it ran perfectly.
I had a blast. This was some of the best level design I have ever seen come out of a game this old. The tricks and traps of this game were sneaky and enjoyable all over. I think that, if I had to make a complaint, some of the maps were a bit too big and too confusing to work out. I still did it, but I had to spend a lot of time running around in areas that had no enemies (because I killed them already) trying to figure out where to go next. This didn't happen that much though.
Doom Zero also introduces a new enemy called the "Alpha Soul." They float around like the Lost Souls, however they employ more of a rapid fire attack using the big plasma balls that the Cacodemons use. They are pretty weak, but in large swarms, they can create a "bullet hell" situation. I loved them, and I wish they had been around longer.
Apparently the Alpha Souls were the original versions of the Lost Souls before they evolved into the final product. The two are different enough to make them distinct. One dashes at you, and the other has a nasty projectile attack. I think they work well together.
The way the episode ends is clever. The fact that it leads into more of a modern game was a brilliant idea. It's like going from a pixilated game into a beautiful one. Nice touch. I almost want to play the final level and then top it off with the first level of Doom 2016.
But I think the best thing I can take away from this is that I just played a canonized episode made for a nearly 30-year-old game. That is brilliant! I know of no other game that has kept its support for so long. I love how Doom has continued to survive throughout the ages. Even newcomers have joined in on the fun. Doom just won't die, and I hope it lives forever!
Doom Zero is worth your time. It is one of the highest recommendations you will ever get from me. There's no excuse not to play it. It's free. It will run on anybody's computer. (Heck, it will run on a computer from the 90's!) Load this one up and prepare to have a blast!
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Interesting that a game named "DOOM" never dies. It is never "doomed," if you will. Fascinating that one guy created his own level. I suspect he made what he wished DOOM would be when he first played it. Rather than be disappointed, he made the level he wanted. KUDOS on the guy for being creative.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I was super impressed. And I shrug off my own criticism of a few of his levels because there's always a few levels in every map pack I don't like as much. On the whole, its a great game!
DeleteMay Doom live forever! It is fantastic that the original Final Doom is still being added to, and why not? So many creators sell the rights and let their creations die, few keep the love alive like the creators of Doom.
ReplyDeleteThis happens nowhere else. It is extraordinary.
DeleteGames that last tend to be built around concepts that are simple and fun. The more complicated the premise or the gameplay is, the less likely it will hold its appeal. Once the enjoyment wears off, it will be forgotten.
ReplyDeleteDoom may never be forgotten. It has lasted so long that even if the company messes up in the future, the earlier games will still be played. They are just flat fun.
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