Doom  

by Activision  Reviewed by: Rob Cummings  

Overview

So you thought a BFG-9000 was portable fire power -- you were wrong. Now you can take all those familiar levels, great weapons, and nasty monsters with you wherever you go. The superior resolution of Game Boy Advance gives Doom as clean and clear a look as it ever had on your PC. PC Doom players (like myself) will find this game familiar. I am not sure that everything is exactly the same, but it sure feels like old home week. The fun part is re-discovering all those little secret places filled with good stuff. There are two ways to play each level, either cut and run for the end to beat the par times or take your time to clear the level of all evil and find all the secret areas. I always like to find all I can. Clearing a level too fast deprives me of some good carnage. Doom for GBA is a very faithfully-executed rendition of the classic original Doom for the PC. I had forgotten how much fun this game is.

Gameplay, Controls, Interface

There are still four difficulty levels of gameplay: “I’m Too Young to Die,” “Not Too Rough,” “Hurt Me Plenty,” and “Nightmare!” The difference between the levels is how much they can hurt you and how many of the bad guys are in your way. The gameplay is almost exactly the same as playing on your PC. However, instead of being able to choose a weapon by pressing a number you need to cycle through your list. This is not much of an issue, as I found that most of the time I used the same weapon until I ran out of ammo or I found a better one. There are three gameplay modes: single player, cooperation mode, and death match. I found the button assignment easy to use and reasonable. As in the classic PC version, this version of Doom has basic controls which are easy to master quickly.

Multiplayer

There is a good multiplayer mode. You can play in cooperation mode with a second game pack and a link cable, which allows both of you to battle through each area. It's always fun to share some good carnage with a friend. The only thing that tops this is dishing it out to a friend in head-to-head play. My only concern would be whether the game link cables are long enough, since I found myself bobbing around while I played. There is support for linking up to four GBA units, each with a Doom game cartridge, and going head-to-head in a four-player death match. Linking up the games and getting it all running is documented well in the book and, hey, no network problems! Let’s just say it is a lot easier than it was to get PC’s to talk to each other when Doom was first released.

Graphics

The graphics are comparable to the original game -- it looks like a direct port. I am glad they did not try change the graphics, even though handheld technology is more advanced than PC technology was when Doom was first released. If they had, it would not have been Doom. By comparison to some of today’s games the graphics are weaker, but that is what Doom is all about -- rough carnage. For the day it was written, it was cutting-edge. Now on the GBA you have the right time and the right platform for a rebirth.

Audio

The sound brings it all back home. The music and sound effects are the same as in the original. If you are looking for something “new and improved” you will be disappointed. I, however, was very pleased with how true to the roots the audio was. I play this game with the volume up and it really pays to listen. You can often hear things coming long before you can see them. Keep your ears tuned in and you will live longer.

Documentation

Reading the instruction booklet is helpful if you have never played Doom before. If you have played Doom, the front where it shows you the control layout and the back if you are linking GBAs together are all you will need. If it has been a long time, you may want to skim through it to refresh your memory on what is good and what is not.

Bottom Line

This game is rated T for Teen, so I cannot recommend it for everyone, but if you are old enough, this will be a hot title on your wish list. This is one game that does not get warm and fuzzy on you. I am glad "Id and Activision" decided to release this game for the GBA. I love first person shooters and this was just one more chance to get into the fray again. Still a great game! Score 94: well done, nicely ported over and well suited to the platform. It also happens to be my favorite GBA title now.

Review Posted On 10 December 2001.