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Did a quick search and didn't see a topic for this series, and I figured I'd do my part to honor one of my favorite games. I swear that is the most badass cover ever. DOOM. One of the pioneers of the FPS genre, one of the first games to spark major controversy, and one of my personal favorites. This topic is dealing with the entire series - feel free to discuss your thoughts on each game, the spinoffs, the merchandise, the movie, etc. I'll start off. DOOM 1 - One of the finest FPS games ever. It's fun, challenging, and remembers to be a GAME, unlike modern shooters that try to be simulators of realistic situations. It's got a cool setting (Mars and Hell), cool monster designs (Cacodemon is classic), great music (a fantastic mix of rock tunes and genuinely creepy ambient tracks), and is overall just plain fun. It's got memorable level design, fun weapons and gameplay, and can be defined as a true classic. DOOM 2 - In several ways, this improves on the first. Adds a satisfying new weapon - the SUPER SHOTGUN! - throws in some new monsters (the Mancubus is a standout), more fun level design, and keeps the fun gameplay of the first. Though besides those small changes, it pretty much IS the first. It's pretty much just an expansion pack. But, as I say in the case of Super Mario Galaxy 2, getting more of something awesome isn't bad if it's not overdone. In this case we got more DOOM goodness, with some minor innovations and a better final battle. When discussing my favorite games, I tend to lean towards the original as one of my picks, but I often just group them together, since choosing between them almost seems pointless. DOOM 3 - Good. Just good. The shooting was satisfying, and it had some pretty good atmosphere for its time. I quite enjoyed my playthrough of it, but it does a ton of things to try and be more modern that end up making it less fun. The levels are almost all extremely dark and end up blending together in my memory. The majority of the game takes place on a very bland space station, with only a small portion taking place in Hell. The monster designs, while more realistic, end up losing some of that iconic feeling and recognition, since they all are hard to see and most of them are just shades of greenish-grey. And while the original game had a blend of atmospheric tracks and rock music, this one opts for almost no memorable music until the credits. And this is a personal nitpick, but I tend not to like old games (or any stories, really) that get re-imagined into something with way more technical science mumbo jumbo. They focused on the science and didn't spend enough time on the Hell aspects. The Hell parts that are there are pretty cool, but there should have been more. Overall it's good, but it could have been better. (Also, surprisingly little gore from the monsters. What gives? When I play DOOM, I expect guts to fly, not see the monster just fall over and combust. This and Mortal Kombat are some of the only games where I believe gore adds to the fun.) DOOM 4 - I am very much looking forward to this with anticipation. My hope is that it brings some fun and life into the hideously bland FPS genre of today. The recently leaked images, while not representing the final product, give me hope that the art direction in the game will keep the atmosphere of the originals while improving upon them. Though as I've said, I really like the Hell setting, and hope the game doesn't take place on a space station or city for too long. There should be a fairly equal balance between the man-made areas and the demonic underworld. Can't wait to see what id has to show us. Though if RAGE is anything to judge it by, maybe I shouldn't get my hopes too high. DOOM 64, RPGs, and other games - Haven't played 'em. I'd like to get 64 someday, but I don't really have interest in the others. The movie - As a standalone action flick, it's alright. As an adaptation of DOOM, it's god-awful. Remember when I said the games should have a better balance between Hell and science? Well, the movie has absolutely no Hell-related content whatsoever. It's all science gone wrong. No demonic activity. What is it with entertainment nowadays that everything has to be science? Also, I'm not a Dwayne Johnson fan. No real reason, I just don't like him very much. I admit the first-person scene was fairly cool and a nice nod to the games, but it couldn't save what was destined to be a huge failure. It's a shame, I think the source material could provide for a really fun action-horror movie if they play their cards right. Which they didn't, and most likely never will. Overall, DOOM has given me some of the most fun experiences from any game I've played. I love the weapons, the atmosphere, the music, the monsters, the levels, the gibs, the multiplayer, everything. I can only hope that someday we get some modern FPSs that provide experiences as fun as the first two. Now turning it over to you guys. What are your thoughts on these games and their impact on gaming in general?