Looking back: Ultimate Doom (PC) (Ultimate Doom (PC))

Member Name: thole09

Product:	Ultimate Doom (PC)
Date:	28/03/09 (32 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Graphics, Multiplayer Modes

Disadvantages: Obsolete?

The Ultimate Doom is a "Doom" expansion released to the personal computer in 1995. This title contains the original three Doom "episodes" released in 1993 and adds a fourth, notably difficult, episode known as "Thy Flesh Consumed". Its system requirements did not phase from the original Dooms series and include a processor capable of 66 MHZ, 8 MB of RAM and 40 MB of available hard disk space. It is also slated as requiring a "100% Windows Compatible computer system including 32-bit drivers for video card, sound card and input devices". I have tested it to run under Microsoft Windows XP but performance is very poor, choppy and slow. It is therefore recommended that a user plays using a DOS emulation program such as "DOSBox". It received an age rating of "15" from the BBFC in the United Kingdom. It is mostly a single player game but does support multiplayer combat through IPX LAN networking or the a now defunct premium pay service through telephony modems.

The Doom series has a long standing history of controversy and criticism due to its violent nature filled with occult symbolism. This controversy includes its gameplay being a heavy part in the lives of the Columbine High School mass murders in the United States. It is also restricted from advertisement or sale to minors in Germany. The story begins with the player taking control of an unnamed space marine, fictional military personnel who operate from outer space. This man was incarcerated on the moons, Phobos and Deimos, of Mars after disobeying his commanding officer in combat. His punishment is to work alongside other personnel in advancing research into inter-dimensional travel. Throughout his research and development, the gateways and other teleports fault and creatures from Hell emerge on the moons. Military personnel respond to the incident but are all killed in action, prompting the player to single handedly respond combat the incident as he is unable to escape Mars and is ultimately spiraled into the depths of Hell itself to combat this evil invasion.

Gameplay is presented through the first person view and handles very well for an older game in this genre. It is the player's objective to simply navigate from the beginning to the end of the map while avoiding all obstacles, including monsters and other environmental hazards such as radioactive waste. The player also begins armed with small weapons and has access to an extensive, almost prototypical range of arsenal to eliminate various enemies with. The default controls are easy to grasp and do not require much by the way of a learning curve; They remain standard from earlier titles such as "Wolfenstein 3D". There does appear to be some difficulty in the game but the level of play can be selected prior to combat, ranging from very easy to very hard.

The graphics are also remarkably improved from predecessor titles in the first person shooter genre. Programmers created a somewhat swaying effect of the weapons to simulate what would perceived to be running through the game. The level of detailing was also high for a game of this era, though very grotesque and featuring high levels of simulated blood and other items of that nature. Attention to the environment is clearly observed and made use of a wide range of shades and tints. Sound, likewise, was of a very high standard and accented the environment well through a wider range of weapon and interaction effects.

Doom has remained a steady cornerstone to computing overall and is a widely played game today through various "open source" ports and other matchmaking devices. It would likely not be overly enjoyed on a single player basis under today's conditions but the multiplayer mode continually breathes new life into this very hellish game.

Summary: Thumbs up