QuakeCon’s best trailers are the ones that end with Available Now. Following in the footsteps of Quake and Quake II’s enhanced editions, Doom + Doom 2 is not just another Doom port. It’s everything it claims to be: The definitive release of two genre-defining shooters—and, yes, it’s available now.
The first thing you need to know about Doom + Doom 2 is that if you purchased Bethesda’s ports from 2019, you won’t need to buy this one again. Whether you play on Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo Switch, your game (either Doom or Doom 2) will upgrade to Doom + Doom 2. If you haven’t already bought in—and at this point, I don't know anyone who hasn't—you can grab the collection from any of the aforementioned platforms, as well as GOG and the Epic Games Store, for only 10 bucks.
The second thing you need to know about Doom + Doom 2 is that there’s a lot more than just two games. Proceed to the main menu and you’ll be greeted by Doom, Doom 2, Final Doom’s two episodes, a brand-new episode, and a lot more. There are also exclusive maps for deathmatch, which is available for up to 16 players online and features cross-play. Factor in those and the single-player levels, plus dozens of mods available through the built-in mod browser, and you’re looking at north of 200 maps to play, all in one package.
Unless you’re new to Doom, the main course on offer is Legacy of Rust, the new collection of Doom 2 maps exclusive to this collection. They’re divided across two episodes and pit you against familiar foes, some new ones, and some that id Software dug up from their archives, such as the original Lost Soul from Doom's beta period in 1993. Fortunately, you’ve got the trusty double-barreled super shotty at your disposal, along with two new weapons that replace the plasma rifle and BFG 9000, respectively. The BFG's replacement doesn't pack as heavy a punch, but it's novel and fun to use.
Legacy of Rust’s levels are challenging, clearly aimed at players who have been navigating id's brand of Hell for the last 30+ years. The Lost Souls from Doom’s beta are a little too fast and their projectiles hit a little too hard to make them fun to fight, especially on Ultra-Violence difficulty. I had more fun playing on Hurt Me Plenty purely because it cut down on the number of them that appeared.
As for extras, Doom + Doom 2 includes a vault of art assets and other materials from the making of both games. These come with notes that give some context to what you’re seeing and are a treat if you’re interested in a peek behind the scenes. There were tidbits that surprised me, and not much Doom trivia can do that. There’s also an accessibility menu with options such as eliminating the screen flashes that occur when you get hit or pick up items and changing Doom’s trademark font to a more modern one. These options aren't as robust as ones you'd expect to find in a modern game, but Doom, while always on tap, is no longer modern. I found myself using some of them to smooth out some of the experience, such as making the font more readable on my TV from across the living room.
Doom + Doom 2 is a joint effort from id Software, Nightdive Studios, and MachineGames. Those studios came together to create what they’re calling the definitive Doom experience, and it shows. A solid 60 frames per second, 4K resolution on supported hardware, loads of mods including John Romero’s SIGIL, a bevy of customization options, a free upgrade on most platforms—it doesn’t get any better than this for Doom fans, at least until Doom: The Dark Ages ships in 2025.
This article is based on the Steam and Xbox X|S versions of the game purchased by the author.
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replyDavid Craddock posted a new article, Doom + Doom 2 is the pinnacle of ultra-violence
