Boomer Shooter December Misses and Misfires: Doom 64 (Nightdive Studios)

I thought you said there’d be no Doom games? After some last minute cuts, Doom 64 pushed its way onto the list. I’ve never played it before, but I’ve heard a lot of good things about Nightdive Studios’ PC port and remaster. Doom 64 seems to sit in this weird space where people either call it “the real Doom 3” or say that it plain stinks. You’ve read the title, I think you can tell where I’m headed with this. I’m a big fan of the original two Doom games, I finished both recently and had an absolute blast. The increasing chaos, the speed and that top tier metal MIDI banger soundtrack that takes you along for the ride. Man, I’m gonna have to rip through them again. Doom 64 was originally released in 1997 by Midway Games under the supervision of id Software for the Nintendo 64. Nightdive Studios later released a port and remaster for PC and consoles in 2020, building on the game’s cult following and years of fan-made source ports. Doom 64 introduces new or… uh… different enemy and weapon sprites, dynamic lighting and a noticeable shift toward puzzle-based level design.

I’ll cut to the chase. Doom 64, for me, feels like a cheap Doom knock-off that’s borrowed some gameplay elements from Hexen. Not good elements of Hexen either. I’m talking about the tedious, relentless switch hunting which made Hexen such a dull slog. The sheer amount of switches required to get through a single door definitely took me back to when I cut Hexen earlier this month. Now, there’s a few reasons why Doom 64 feels like a knock off. The weapon models are entirely different, which isn’t a problem on its own, but the animations also suffer. The super shotgun is a prime example here, outside of the shells firing it lacks any real animations and that iconic reload from Doom II is sorely missed. The enemy models don’t fare much better. They’re clearly similar to the originals, but they just don’t look look quite right. The zombie and the imp in particular have this off-brand look to them that just doesn’t land for me.

It’s a decent port, but Doom 64 still feels pretty clunky to play. The controls themselves are fine but movement feels heavy and overall less responsive than Doom or Doom II. Nightdive manages to smooth out some rough edges, but it just never quite shakes that awkward, sluggish feeling. For me, the combat just doesn’t have that classic Doom rhythm the earlier games had and feels noticeably less sharp. The soundtrack is another big part of the experience that’s just plain missing. That iconic, high-energy MIDI metal music that drives Doom from the very first level is replaced by uninspiring ambient noise. It’s clear they were shooting for a much more moody horror angle here, but it strips away a core part of what makes Doom feel like Doom. What we’re left with is some low droning hums, occasional groaning and it makes the game feel slower, flatter and far less satisfying to play.

The level design only amplifies those issues as Doom 64 leans HARD into slower, more methodical progression. Constant switch hunting and backtracking pull the game away from the fast, forward momentum I’d usually expect from Doom. It just doesn’t feel like you’re carving a violent path through Hell, leaving piles of blood and guts in your wake. Instead, you’re often forced into solving a series of dull, mechanical chores just to keep yourself moving forward and mowing down monsters often ends up feeling like an afterthought. The pacing feels off throughout and I’m definitely no purist, but Doom 64 clearly shifts itself away from the fast, reactive reflex-shooter we know into something else entirely. It ultimately ends up feeling like a slower paced Doom spin-off that visually looks more like Quake, borrows elements from Hexen and somehow manages to feel slower than both of them.

Verdict:
Doom 64 opts to be slower, darker and moodier. In doing this, it kinda ditches everything that makes Doom… Doom. Instead, we’re left with sluggish movement, tedious switch hunting and a lifeless soundtrack that actively drains the fun out of the game. The changes to the core experience leaves the game feeling more like a Doom-shaped chore.

Deck Compatibility: 10/10
Overall Game Rating: 5/10 – Doom-Shaped Chore