Developer: Midway Publisher: Midway Release: 04/04/97 Genre: Action
In the mid-90s Doom was an institution unto itself. It was not the very first fps but it popularized the genre to the point Doom clone became a phrase. And just like any title that has such an impact on its genre it was ported to any system that could handle it, including some that could not. The Nintendo 64 was no different except in this case it received an exclusive in Doom 64 that is pretty awesome in every respect. You could even say it was Doom 3 almost a decade before that game officially released.
Doom 64 is a loose sequel to Doom II. The Doom Slayer is victorious over the forces of Hell and returns to Earth. But instead of a hero’s welcome he learns that a few demons have survived. The government uses nuclear bombardment to wipe them out but it fails. Even worse, the remaining demons begin to resurrect their kin. As the hero of two campaigns you are sent back for one last mission to wipe them out.
The numerous ports of the original Doom vary in their quality. The PlayStation version is one of the best meanwhile the 3DO edition is dreadful (and the story behind why is both sad and hilarious). The SNES game is surprisingly competent considering the constraints they had to work with. Sadly the Saturn version could have been a slam dunk but a series of unfortunate decisions ruined it. Doom 64 uses the N64 hardware to improve the game like never before, creating one of the best single player campaigns in the series for its time. If you like multiplayer you have to look elsewhere however.
The presentation in Doom 64 immediately stands out. The environments are constructed out of polygons rather than sprites which allows for a number of effects. There are more moving parts as the levels shift and change due to your actions. Textures are more varied and objects stick out from walls. The colored lighting effects are stellar and the game also makes extensive use of transparency. Enemies are anti-aliased and do not pixelate when up close. They look cleaner so you can appreciate the art but unfortunately the animation did not receive the same attention. The jerky sprites stand out in an otherwise amazing visual package. I will note that the game by default is overly dark to the point of distraction and needs some adjustment. But that is a minor quibble.
The move to true 3d benefits the game more than just visually. The levels and their construction are more advanced as rooms can stack on top of each other. As such the stages are more complex with scripted events at every turn. Flipping a switch might cause enemies to appear, the walls to break away revealing a cadre of demons or unveil hidden passages. The size of the stages has also increased and they are massive; some levels can take up to thirty minutes to complete. These added elements do wonders for livening the simplistic gameplay. The general premise remains the same: find three colored keys and reach the exit. The blistering pace does wonders for distracting you from this repetitive goal but it is still there. The final levels add light puzzle solving that I wish were more prevalent throughout but I can see how purists might cry foul.
In addition to better level design the tension and mood also benefit from the increased production values. The colored lighting helps to obscure enemies in the environment and with the ambient sound will leave you on edge. When you can hear the audible groans of enemies but can’t see them hitting a switch becomes a frightening prospect. As much as I would have liked to see full polygonal enemies a la Quake the sheer number of sprites that attack simultaneously makes a strong case for the game’s design. The game tends to rely on sudden monster spawns that are unfair but overall I found the challenge to be slightly high but entirely manageable.
Doom 64 only suffers in two areas, enemy variety and lack of multiplayer. Make no mistake; the game has fantastic level design with some of the best maps in the series. However as a single player game Doom is not exceptional and the years since its release make that more evident. Titles like Turok and Duke Nukem 3D were adding adventure elements to the genre which makes this feel old. The missing enemies from Doom II make the campaign feel repetitive as you will face the same five or six demons for the majority of its run. Some are in reserve until close to the end but it does not help the fact that eventually you will feel like you are going through the motions.
The lack of multiplayer is an obvious stain that cannot be ignored. As much as we appreciate Doom’s fast gameplay and jump scares multiplayer is what gave it it’s longevity. I can understand the hesitation around split screen deathmatch but it is better than nothing. Its absence is even more egregious considering the N64 has four controller ports and would soon become the party system. I think it would have been worth delaying the game to add it and it remains a huge missed opportunity to spread its reach further.
In Closing
Doom 64 feels both new and familiar at the same time. While it borrows elements from the first two games the new levels and underlying technology give it a fresh coat of paint. If you enjoy killing hordes of enemies at a fast pace Doom 64 delivers. If you are not a fan of the series and its gameplay nothing here will change your mind.
