When I first gave this a shot many years ago, I felt very indifferent about it. For people who know me, it's no secret that a lot of the older FPS games I've played tend to get me motion sick. It may be a result of low FOV or low-res graphics. It just depends on the game, really. DOOM made me nauseous with its mix of pixelated graphics (which were no doubt impressive for its time), and maze-like level design that had me wanting to projectile vomit as I turned the same corner for the 10th time, completely lost.

Little did my dumbass younger self know, the game has a map! I recently decided to give this another shot, and after switching to a 4:3 aspect ratio and learning of said map, I was off, and I could not stop. Something about this game just works in a way that not even the 2016 reboot did for me (which I loved). I already knew just how influential this game was for the FPS genre, but I didn't really get it until now. Absolute peak level design, and with satisfyingly simple gameplay. Using the shotgun for most of my first run was pure ecstasy. These shotgun blasts felt somehow punchier and more satisfying than using any weapon in the modern DOOM games. I can already see myself replaying this every once in a while for funsies while trying new loadouts and hunting for more secrets.

It's raw, it's unhinged, it's freakin' DOOM, baby!

The Shores of Hell > Knee-Deep in the Dead > Inferno