XBOX 360: DOOM

A week ago while browsing Xbox Live Marketplace I found a pleasant surprise in the new Xbox Live Arcade games section: DOOM. Not to be confused with id's recent DOOM III title on the Xbox, this is the retro 1993 version of DOOM where your objective is to shoot up some spawns of Satan all without using a vertical analog stick.

Immediately heading into online deathmatch after the quick download, I wasn't surprised in the least to hear a kid ask "how do you aim up and down?" Let's just say, this ain't your Halo 2 or current-gen FPS. This Live Arcade download is a direct port from the classic version on the PC, with some added fun: smoother graphics with 1080i HD support (though it won't look like much, after all... it is the 360), 5.1 Surround Sound, as well as 4 player Live deathmatch and Live 2 player co-op where you and your friend can play through the campaign together. Be warned, you can't unlock achievements in online co-op.

As far as the game goes, this is plain and simple: classic DOOM. You've 4 episodes to choose from, and each offering 5 different levels of difficulty. The game well set you at "Hurt Me Plenty!" difficulty which is the equivalent of normal. The next two, Ultra-Violence and Nightmare are the two most difficult. Whoever beats the game on Nightmare seriously deserves a cookie or something. I died twice on the first level just trying to fly through it to unlock the achievement for beating a game on Nightmare.

Single player is single player, not much to it. The highlight of DOOM on the 360 is going online and playing 4 player deathmatch. There's nothing more fun than dominating everyone because you spawned by the chain gun or rocket launcher and they can't ever get to the good guns. Believe me, this is the most frequent occurrence and people bitch and bitch when they can't get a good gun. Too bad. Not to mention, online co-op with a friend is awesome fun! It's a great change of pace by going old school and blasting Hell's Army with a friend on Xbox Live.

DOOM offers an unlockable 200 achievement points, all which are relatively easy, and has endless amounts of replay value with deathmatch and co-cop on Xbox Live. With some pretty lame Arcade games available for download, Activision definitely came through with this port and for 800 Marketplace points, it is worth every penny.

Final Score: 9 out of 10