Bethesda kicked off its inaugural E3 press conference with a bang – and a hell of a lot of blood – revealing in-game footage from Id Software’s Doom, a modern refresh of the classic shooter series.
Set on Mars and throughout the depths of Hell, the game looks to be a return to the classic Doom gameplay – super fast, hyper-violent action against nightmarish demons – all rendered in detailed visuals, courtesy of the game’s Id Tech 6 engine.
Shotguns, plasma rifles and a chainsaw once again play a part in the slaughter – and the gore factored has been dialled up considerably. In the onscreen demo shown during the event, the player shoots through a furnace-like space base, blasting demons into pieces with the shotgun, then punching their heads off or stamping them in the brains. Blasting at barrels causes collateral explosions, which take out reams of enemies in one blossoming ignition. Players are even able to grasp and pull apart the skulls of downed enemies, while chainsaws can be used to slice through their limbs and chests.
The bloody violence is already causing social media controversy, with feminist critic Anita Sarkeesian tweeting, “This level of extreme violence shouldn’t be considered normal. It’s not an excuse to say it’s expected because DOOM. That’s the problem.” The original Doom itself provoked considerable debate over the depiction of violence in first-person shooters, with US army colonel David Grossman famously labelling the game a “mass murder simulator” and claiming that this, and similar titles, were teaching children how to kill. Attempts were made throughout the 1990s to link game violence to real-life spree shootings. Recent studies, however, have questioned links between games and violent crime.
Beyond this familiar debate, the most intriguing element of Doom is its Snapmap mode, an intuitive level editor intended for fans rather than skilled mod (modification) makers. Players will be able to design and build their own multiplayer maps using a simple grid-based system, as well as applying different game types such as co-op horde and classic four-player deathmatch. With one button participants can then play or share new maps online.
There look to be plenty more nods to old school Doom, including the famous door opening sounds, familiar demon types, and armour and health pick ups. There are new tricks too, including wrenching an arm off a dead body and using its finger prints to open a locked door via the security panel. But this looks to be very much a game for confirmed fans looking for a knowing sequel that references the original.
Bethesda finished its Doom presentation with a clip from the single-player campaign, revealing a new area set in Hell. The vast sulphurous landscape, with craggy mountains spewing gas into the greenish air, is jammed with rocket pack zombies and ends with a mega demon bearing down at the player.
The game is due out on PC, Xbox One and PS4 in spring 2016.
- Keith Stuart attended E3 on a press trip with accommodation and travel provided by Bethesda
