New Doom Demoed At E3: Prepare For A Bloodbath

If the first Doom game in 1993 had parents and religious organizations up in arms, they would probably have nothing on today's latest incarnation. Or re-incarnation, so to speak. At its pre-E3 2015 show, Bethesda, who know owns Doom maker id Software, unveiled to the public for the very first time the new Doom. Aside from getting in on the times in terms of graphics technology and player agility, this upcoming first person shooter is also getting an update in terms of gore and violence, in line with today's standards as well.

No, this is not Doom 4, which could have been the title if Bethesda had not decided the state back in 2007 didn't yet warrant a launch. Besides, Doom 4 is how John Carmack called it, and he is no longer with id. This "just plain" Doom is said to be an origin story, sort of a re-imagining or re-make,but the story remains as simple as the very first Doom. You are a space marine activated to get rid of the demonic infestation plaguing a Martian UAC facility. In short, you get blast demons back to hell. Or tear them apart with your bare hands.

That last bit isn't an exaggeration either. The original doom was already controversial because of its depiction of violence, but compared to this, that would have look tame and even only suggestive. Demon blood sputters everywhere, maimed body parts lay scattered. And this time, you really do yank weapons out of corpses instead of just picking them up from evaporated remains on the floor.

Gameplay-wise, Doom has also evolved. You are able to carry more weapons and cycle through them through a time-slowing mechanic. As player's own dexterity improves through evolution, so do the game characters, now able to double jump and climb onto platforms. The game is also more interactive in a sense. The demo reportedly showed the player character ripping out the arm of one victim in order to use it to open a locked door.

In addition to Doom itself, Bethesda also announced DoomSnap, possibly a Doom modder's dream come true. As you'd expect, players will be able to create their own maps of death and share it with others. This is distinctly separate from the multi-player mode that comes with Doom itself. Doom, not 4, launches in Spring 2016 for PCs, Xbox One, and PS4.