DOOM | 1993
Doom is a first-person shooter game developed and published by id Software. Released on December 10, 1993, for DOS, it is the first installment in the Doom franchise. Players assume the role of a space marine fighting against undead humans and invading demons. The game starts on a moon of Mars and ends in Hell, where players explore each level to find exits or defeat the final boss. It is an early example of 3D graphics in video games, with enemies and objects represented as 2D images, often referred to as 2.5D graphics. Doom is id Software's third major independent release, following Commander Keen (1990-1991) and Wolfenstein 3D (1992). In May 1992, id began developing a dark game using technology to fight demons, leveraging a new 3D game engine by lead programmer John Carmack. Designer Tom Hall initially wrote a science fiction plot but was mostly excluded from the project, leading to a final game characterized by the action-focused designs of John Romero and Sandy Petersen. Id released Doom as a shareware model consisting of three episodes, distributing the first episode for free to market the full game. In 1995, GT Interactive released a retail version called The Ultimate Doom, which included additional episodes.
Doom achieved critical and commercial success, earning a reputation as one of the greatest and most influential video games in history. By 1999, approximately 3.5 million copies had been sold, with an estimated 20 million players within two years of its release. It is often referred to as the "father" of first-person shooters and is considered one of the most important games in the genre. Video game historians note that the game changed the direction of the medium and public perception, sparking the rise of online gaming and communities. It spawned numerous imitators and clones, leading to a strong modding scene and speedrunning community. Its high level of graphic violence sparked controversy from various groups. Doom has been ported to various platforms both officially and unofficially, followed by several sequels such as Doom II (1994), Doom 64 (1997), Doom 3 (2004), Doom (2016), Doom Eternal (2020), and Doom: The Dark Ages (2025), as well as films like Doom (2005) and Doom: Annihilation (2019).
Doom is a first-person shooter presented in 3D graphics. The environment is shown from a 3D perspective, but enemies and objects are represented as 2D sprites rendered at fixed angles. In single-player campaign mode, players control an unnamed space marine (later informally referred to as "Doomguy") exploring military bases on Mars and Hell. To complete levels, players must navigate maze-like areas to reach marked exit rooms. Levels are grouped into named episodes, with the final level of each episode focusing on boss battles.
While exploring levels, players must fight various enemies, including demons and undead humans, who often appear in hordes. Five difficulty levels adjust the number and damage of enemies, with the hardest settings making enemies move and attack faster. Monsters exhibit simple behaviors, approaching players if they see or hear them, and attacking using bites, scratches, or magical abilities like fire.
Players must manage supplies of ammunition, health, and armor while exploring levels. Weapons and ammunition can be found throughout levels or collected from defeated enemies, including pistols, shotguns, chainsaws, plasma rifles, and the BFG 9000. Players encounter pits of toxic waste, ceilings that crush objects, and locked doors requiring collectible keycards or remote switches. Power-ups include health or armor points, mapping computers, partial invisibility, radiation suits against toxic waste, invincibility, or a berserk state for powerful melee combat. Cheat codes allow players to unlock all weapons, pass through walls, or become invincible.
Two multiplayer modes are available over a network: cooperative mode allows 2-4 players to team up to complete the main campaign, while deathmatch mode pits 2-4 players against each other to kill as many opponents as possible. Multiplayer was initially only available over local networks, but a year after release, the DWANGO service provided 4-player online multiplayer.
Doom is divided into three episodes: "Knee-Deep in the Dead," "The Shores of Hell," and "Inferno," each consisting of about nine levels. The expanded version, The Ultimate Doom, adds a fourth episode titled "Thy Flesh Consumed." The campaign features minimal plot elements, with the story primarily conveyed through manuals and text descriptions between episodes.
In the future, the unnamed marine is assigned to a dead-end mission on Mars after refusing orders to kill civilians. The Union Aerospace Corporation (UAC), operating a radioactive waste facility, allows the military to conduct a deadly secret teleportation experiment. Phobos's base urgently requests military support, and Deimos completely disappears, leading the marine to join a combat unit to secure Phobos. He waits on the front lines as ordered, but the entire attack team is wiped out. With no way to escape the moon and armed only with a pistol, he enters the base for revenge.
In "Knee-Deep in the Dead," the marine fights demons and undead humans in Phobos's military and waste facilities. The episode ends with the marine defeating two powerful Hell Knights guarding the teleporter to Deimos. After the battle, the marine passes through the teleporter and is knocked out by a horde of enemies. In "The Shores of Hell," the marine navigates Deimos's corrupted research facility and defeats a massive cyberdemon. From an observation deck, he discovers the moon hovering over Hell and descends to the surface. In "Inferno," the marine traverses Hell itself, destroying the cybernetic spider demon that led the invasion of the moon. As a portal to Earth opens, the marine enters and discovers that Earth has been invaded. "Thy Flesh Consumed" deals with the marine's initial assault on the Earth invaders, setting the stage for Doom II.
