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‘DOOM’ Beta Open All Weekend: Multiplayer Impressions Divided

By Bryan Star
Published on: 13:25 PST, Apr 16, 2016

The DOOM beta opened up yesterday, giving players across PS4, Xbox One, and Steam access to the game.

An upcoming first-person shooter video game that is a reboot of the original that was released in 1993, DOOM is set to take the stage as one of this year’s most anticipated titles. The game follows the adventures of a space marine who apparently has no name, sent to Mars for his violent act against an officer who outranked him when his unit was told to open fire on a group of civilians. There, he discovers demons and the call to eliminate them. Multiple games have been released over the years since the first, and the latest from Bethesda promises to bring back the guns and gore that fans old and new have come to love. With that in mind, the DOOM beta has received mixed reviews.

While the DOOM beta had high hopes to be different from your average shooter, some Steam users have been highly disappointed with their experience. Only hours before it was opened to the public, reviews were coming in from players who had participated in alpha/beta functions prior. According to WCCFTech, reviews were left on the Steam page that expressed that the game wasn’t as different as they’d have liked to believe. Only 68 percent of the reviewers recommended it, mentioning that it appeared to be too shallow to be a proper DOOM beta.

Of course, the final product of the game has yet to be released. This is the first major installment since Doom 3 was released in 2004, and the multiplayer is set in an arena-style environment. Bethesda is developing this aspect of the game alongside video game company Certain Affinity, whose work includes developing multiplayer levels for games such as Halo 2.

In Doom, players will be able to run and gun in traditional modes such as Deathmatch, Domination, and Clan Arena. While the original DOOM games made use of picking up weapons along the course of levels, the DOOM beta introduces weapon loadouts that players are able to customize for brutal combat. This is a source of conflict for many of the beta’s participants, feeling that it reminds them too much of Call of Duty and Halo.

In traditional arena combat, players would need to find weapons throughout the level and use the map to their advantage. To the dismay of many, this no longer appears to be the case. Players can simply adjust a loadout to their advantage, spawn into the level, and engage in violent combat. On the positive side, the DOOM beta contains many weapons that make for an interesting kill. There are even taunts in the game, giving an aggressor the ability to poke fun at an adversary on the receiving end of their trigger or melee.

One can only wonder if Bethesda will take note of the reviews and make changes to the DOOM beta where many players believe it is lacking. This isn’t to say that the beta is without those who enjoy the game. Fortunately, not all of the reviews have expressed disappointment with the “modern” touch of loadouts. According to WhatCulture, there are many reasons why the DOOM beta is worth playing. The most noteworthy appears to be the leveling system, which differs from other first person shooters in that unlocking weapons and the like are not as tedious and slow. Every weapon feels different, and players are given a plethora of ways to approach each encounter. Some would even suggest that the DOOM beta provides more enjoyment to players who may not want to focus on map awareness and weapon spawn points. The beta will be available until April 17, giving the curious plenty of time to play and experience the mix of modern and retro action.

How do you feel about the DOOM beta? Do you prefer its original style of combat, or are you happy that they have included weapon loadouts? Let us know in the comments section.

[Image via Lauren Elisabeth / Shutterstock.com]

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