First Impressions: ‘Doom’ Closed Beta (PS4)
I’m probably showing my age when I remember the hype around the original Doom. While Wolfenstein 3D was the first-person shooter that made an impression, it was Doom that really made the genre explode – by not only throwing the blood around in a glorious explosion of brutality but brought multiplayer gaming into the mix too and tapped into something special. Now we have access to the Doom closed beta does it bring back the magic?
Right now I’ve managed to reach around level 13 in the game, I’ve played my way through the Team Deathmatch and Warpath modes and got a good feel for the game. While there is a slightly simple feel to battles, the good news is that the multiplayer at least is fun. The Story mode remains hidden away for now, so we’ll have to see how that shapes up.
The Doom closed beta I was invited onto was the PlayStation 4 version. The good news is the game-play feels smooth and the blood drenched levels available look suitably impressive. Not that you’ll be taking much notice of the world around you. Chances are you’ll be too busy aiming at your opponents and trying to get the best shot, or hitting a mêlée attack.
When it comes to the mêlée attack, this is where the game truly shines for me. For the person having to take the impact there is a certain humiliation when the beat down occurs. Some players also add to this by using an emote after the initial impact just to mock their opponent more. If you are the one dealing the pain though, that feeling of satisfaction you get from the decimation of your opponent is one of the highlights of the matches.
The weapons provided in the game range from the Rocket Launcher to the Shotgun, with more unlockable as you progress. My favourite weapon of choice is the Lightning Gun which provides plenty of damage. The “Demon Possession” that is available gives you control of a Revenant whose rocket launchers gives you plenty of chances to take down opponents, and the Power Weapon available, the Gauss Cannon gives a one shot kill that provides plenty of chance to rack up some kills.
As the levelling up system is in place in the Doom closed beta there is a feeling of progression, with plenty of unlockables being dealt out. This includes plenty of items to be added to your armour to be able to customise your character. Once the Beta ends, I bet I won’t be the only one missing the action. If anything this is a very good demo for Doom to once again get its hooks into you.
When it comes to issues with the Doom closed beta, as I mentioned there is a feel that the gunplay is a little basic. One thing I also noticed is the movement of the character feels a little too smooth. It’s something I did get used to, but if the retail version of the game were to add a a little realism in the movement of the camera it would be welcomed by me.
The real purpose of the Doom closed beta was for the developers to test out the servers and test the balancing of the weapons. Giving players the chance to have a try of the game though gives us a good impression of what to expect from the full game. Based on the multiplayer action I’ve seen so far; I know its caught my interest. Now to see what the Story Mode will bring to the game…