iPhone App: Doom Classic

November 8th, 2009

= 4 stars

The classic action shooter comes to the iPhone. Blow up increasingly scary monsters with increasingly powerful weapons.

The Good

Straightforward port; if you played the game before, it’s exactly as you remember. The level design still comes across really top notch – you’re subtly guided toward specific goals – and there are various contrasting moments to induce tension: moving platforms, dark passages, poisonous floors, and suddenly charing enemies. I enjoyed recognizing once-forgotten yet immediately familiar rooms concealing scary surprises.
The serviceable controls consist of a d-pad on the left and a fire button on the right. An action (opening a door or flipping a switch) is initiated by tapping the top of the screen.
Myriad of other control schemes, available under settings.
Multiplayer mode over your local network.

The Bad

Tapping the top of the screen to perform an action is a bit awkward, since it means momentarily lifting your thumbs from the controls. Also, the basic controls don’t include the ability to slide-to-either-side while facing forward (if memory serves correctly, this was originally performed by holding down shift while tapping a left or right arrow key). You’ll have to delve deep into the custom settings to remedy either issue.
Would be nice to have multiplayer via the Internet, like iMech.
$6.99 feels a little high.

Conclusion

Despite my complaints, Doom Classic is more fun than not, as I’m presently determined to re-encounter the game’s boss, which I vaguely recall was a horrific brain on robot legs. And that’s the whole point of Doom Classic: another terrifying go-round with a barely remembered digital nightmare.

iTunes App Store Link: