Doom and Doom II have continued to improve since their disappointing launch on Switch, PS4, and Xbox One, but have received numerous updates since that have turned them into fantastic ports. The latest series of changes for the PC, console, and mobile versions have improved these classics further, adding several new features and a new level set for some players.
These updates launched September 3, so you should update your versions of Doom and Doom II to reap the benefits.
If you own Doom and Doom II on Steam, you’ll now have access to these versions automatically. The original DOS versions of the games will still be available, however, so don’t worry if you want a classic experience. All versions now have widescreen rendering support, so the game can now be rendered at 16:9 without letterboxing if you so choose. This is applicable across the entirety of both games.
The game’s split-screen deathmatch has changed to “Deathmatch 3.0,” which changes some respawns and makes all guns perpetually available–just because someone has already picked up a chaingun doesn’t mean that you can’t also grab it. Items and ammo respawn on 30 second timers now, while invulnerability and invisibility do not respawn after being picked up. This should better balance the experience of the classic multiplayer. An option crosshair is now available across the game, too, letting you aim with improved accuracy.
The PC, Switch, and PS4 versions now support gyro aim, too, letting you aim by moving your controller. The PC version will only let you do this if you connect a DualShock 4, however. These controls were a lot of fun in the Switch version of Doom 2016, so it’ll be interesting to see how they translate to these classic versions. The touch screen controls of the iOS version have also been changed for improved precision.
A new skill level, Ultra-Violence+, has been added, which adds a heap of weapons and makes enemies much faster. You’ll get a BFG and Rocket Launcher straight away in Doom II, but you’ll absolutely need them. Finally, the Back to Saturn X campaign–previously only available to Doom II players–is now available in the original Doom, too.
The most recent Doom game, Doom Eternal, is due to expand in October with the Ancient Gods DLC campaign.
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