9 reasons why you need to play DOOM this weekend

If you’ve been brave enough to tackle DOOM since it released last week, you’ll know that there’s more to the demon-bothering shooter than at first blood-soaked glance. Here are a few reasons the 2016 revamp of the all-time classic has made us grin like maniacs. Got some of your own? Let us know in the comments below…

That fist-bump feeling

DOOM is packed with secret areas and hidden collectables. Some games’ idea of “secret” is stashing something behind a pillar and surrounding it with a none-too-subtle glow, but not DOOM. These are hidden in the old-school gaming sense; placed way out of reach so you really have to work for them.

Each level is home to two Imp Models – little action figures of DOOMguy in various guises, including a Vaultguy homage to Fallout, and this little fella who clearly has some affinity with our hero.

Running like hell

Just like the original DOOM, this revamped version is fast. Very fast. Dodging in and out of cover with a couple of Hell Knights in hot pursuit is one of the more intense gaming experiences I’ve had for a while. Fortunately, unlike the original, DOOMguy can now jump and climb in a parkour style to make a swift escape.

Classics never die

The 2016 edition of DOOM pays homage to the 1993 classic in many ways – none more direct than recreating the original levels for those players eagle-eyed enough to find the hidden levers and doorways that lead back in time.

Once you’ve found the doorways in each level, the full version of that classic level will be unlocked and available to play from the main menu – complete with the nostalgia-soaked soundtrack.

Guns, guns, guns

Weapons are upgradable as you traverse the many levels of your DOOM nightmare, but you’re under no obligation to stick with an enhancement once you’ve applied it. Pressing up on the D-pad lets you cycle between upgrades, so, for example, your shotgun can be both a rapid-fire slayer and an explosive pump-cannon at the same time.

Put yourself on trial

Throughout the game, you’ll sometimes come across markings that give you access to Rune Trials – intense, timed challenges that turn up the pressure yet another notch. Fulfil the objectives (like killing a certain number of demons with a specific weapons in the allotted time) and you’ll be rewarded – and can revisit the trial to beat your time from the main menu.

Let them know who’s boss

DOOM has got some of the best multiplayer taunts I’ve ever been subjected to. Where else can you dance like Carlton Banks from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air over the bloodied corpse of your rivals?

Your own personal hell

If you manage to blast your way through the campaign and are thirsty for more, DOOM’s Snapmaps are a whole other world of punishment. These player-generated levels offer a virtually unlimited number of new challenges, with combinations of weapons, demons and environments only limited by the community’s twisted imaginations. You’re free to create and upload your own vision of hell too, of course.

Termination

The Foundry is overflowing with white-hot vats of molten metal; accidentally find yourself going for a swim in one, and your end will come with a familiar salute: