iPhone Review: Doom Classic

Developer/Publisher: iD Software
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Price: $6.99
Acquired: Review Copy Provided
Verdict: If you own an iPhone, you should own this game
Pros: Everything about the classic is back and hiding in your pocket
Cons: It would have been nice to see an up-rezed version of the sprites and textures

With a name like Doom, how could you go wrong? Lets face it folks, this is one of those classics that not only defined a genre, it marked a cultural milestone that is looked back upon by gamers with reverence and politicians with ire. No longer was gaming something that was “just for kids.” For the first time, parents had to genuinely be concerned about what their babysitter of choice was teaching their children. Simultaneously, the responsive controls and groundbreaking perspective cemented the first person shooter as the genre of choice for an entire generation of impressionable youth. In short, Doom kicked off a revolution in the world of gaming. The question is, can Doom Classic bring about a similar insurrection on the iPhone, or is this nothing more than vacant nostalgia?

Knowing that Doom Classic was in the very capable hands of John Carmack, the granddaddy of all things BFG, was a comforting thought. Seeing the application’s development as a self-introduction to development on the iPhone, every pixelated sprite and painfully static texture has been re-rendered with the utmost care. If you were not a fan of the glorious VGA visuals back in 1993, you will be gravely disappointed to see that the last fifteen years has provided an answer as to why every enemy on screen shares the same variety in appearance as a two-sided cardboard cutout. This may be more nit-picking the design of the original game more than the iPhone app, but it’s like they always say, “one man’s repugnant is another man’s retro…”

One of the selling points of the original game was the nearly perfect attention to the control scheme. In this respect, the most recent iPhone incarnation delivers in spades. There are three primary configurations that are available by default, all of which are nearly as configurable as its PC counterpart. The primary control scheme is actually a bit on the unwieldy side, involving all of the movement controls assigned to the left stick. The other two configurations are slight variations on a standard dual stick control method, with the notable exception of not being able to move the camera vertically. Initially, there might be a slight period of disorientation, but most players will be chainsawing through hordes of demonic Martians in no time flat.

Also thankfully making its return is the arsenal that was so diverse and extreme that it would strike fear into even the most hardened militiaman and inspire Charlton Heston to disarm. Everything from the pistols and shotguns to the rocket launchers are screaming out to your itchy trigger finger, but the stars of the show are clearly still the chainsaw and BFG 9000. There may be nothing that has been more satisfying in all of gaming history than the first time you run your adversary through with the lumberjack’s best friend. Often imitated, never duplicated, but now recreated, all from the comfort of the palm of your hand.

As much as it would be nice to say that this is a game that can be played in the brief chunks of time that are normally associated with playing on a cell phone, this is not the case. The 36 stages available will keep you busy crawling through monster closets and dimly light corridors for quite some time. When you add in the stellar multiplayer component that helped make Doom a household name and up to four player co-op via local wi-fi, it becomes obvious that Carmack wanted to remind everyone that playing with friends is what made the franchise so great.

iD Software has once again shown why their games are so great. The timeless appeal of Doom shows through on the iPhone, making this a perfect fit for both the retro enthusiast and curious bystander. If this has proved anything it is that regardless of whether you prefer pixilated or photo realistic, as long as the gameplay remains the same, the masses will enjoy your game.