Doom 2016 Game Review #01 – Is it playable in 2025?

Hell’s gates creak open once again, but this time, I’m not a fresh-faced marine stepping into UAC’s facility for the first time. Instead, I’m a seasoned player starting Doom 2016, for the first time, nearly a decade after its revolutionary standing in the gaming world. The year is 2025, and while newer titles boast ray-tracing and neural rendering, there’s something magnetic about id Software’s 2016 masterpiece that keeps pulling players back into its blood-soaked corridors.

When Doom 2016 first landed, it didn’t just resurrect a franchise – it performed a glory kill on the entire notion that first-person shooters needed to be slow, cinematic affairs filled with chest-high walls and regenerating health. Today’s gaming landscape is radically different, shaped by titles like Cyberpunk 2077’s recent quantum leap and the hyper-realistic physics of modern shooters. Yet here I am, drawn back to the raw, primal combat that made Doom 2016 special.

Through this review, Gaming Tech Series will dissect every aspect of the Slayer’s revival – from its still-impressive technical performance to its brass-knuckled gameplay loops, atmospheric sound design, and the pure adrenaline rush that newer games sometimes sacrifice in favor of complexity. Most importantly, we’ll answer the burning question: does this demon-slaying symphony still sing in 2025, or has it finally run out of ammunition?

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The demons await, and so does our verdict. Let’s rip and tear into Doom 2016 Game Review #01 – Is it playable in 2025?

Gameplay – Doom 2016 Core Experience

In 2025, where many shooters lean heavily on cover mechanics and tactical positioning, Doom 2016’s combat feels like a refreshing shot of pure adrenaline straight to the heart. The game’s “push-forward” combat system remains its crown jewel, creating an aggressive dance where standing still means certain death. Your survival depends on constant movement, split-second decisions, and the satisfying rhythm of switching between weapons mid-combat.

The Glory Kill system, which rewards aggressive play with health pickups, hasn’t aged a day. In fact, it feels more relevant than ever, as modern games still struggle to match its perfect blend of risk and reward. When you’re down to your last sliver of health, that blue glow around a staggered demon isn’t just a visual effect – it’s hope. The way the game forces you to dive into danger to survive creates moments of triumph that still get your pulse racing years later.

The weapon roster deserves special mention. From the humble combat shotgun to the room-clearing BFG, each weapon feels distinct and purposeful. The mod system, while simple by today’s standards, offers meaningful choices that change how you approach combat. The Super Shotgun’s meathook might not be here yet (that came with Eternal), but the basic double-barrel still packs a punch that makes modern shotguns feel like peashooters.

The level design works in perfect harmony with the combat system. While newer games offer vast open worlds, Doom 2016’s carefully crafted arenas prove that sometimes less is more. Each combat encounter feels like a deadly puzzle box, with multiple layers of vertical and horizontal space to use while you dodge, weave, and eliminate threats. The Foundry and Argent Tower still stand out as masterclasses in level design, offering plenty of opportunities for both strategic thinking and pure carnage.

Enemy AI might show its age slightly, but the varied demon types and their distinct behaviors create a combat ecosystem that keeps you on your toes. The way Imps flank while Hell Knights charge straight at you creates natural combat priorities that feel organic rather than scripted. It’s not the most sophisticated AI by 2025 standards, but it serves its purpose perfectly within the game’s combat philosophy.

The difficulty options remain well-tuned, offering everything from a relatively casual experience to the brutal Ultra-Nightmare mode. What’s particularly impressive is how the difficulty scaling affects not just damage values, but the speed and aggression of enemies, making higher difficulties feel like genuine tests of skill rather than just damage sponge festivals.

My Journey in Doom 2016

Through gritted teeth and white-knuckled grip on my controller, I embarked on the Ultra-Violence difficulty – Doom’s way of saying “Welcome to the real demon-slaying business.”

But playing these games with a controller wasn’t the best option for me, so I grabbed my mice and keyboard – you can get the best wireless mice for shooting games, here.

Every encounter became a heart-pounding chess match played at breakneck speed. Imps no longer just threw fireballs; they became deadly snipers. Hell Knights transformed from intimidating brutes into relentless predators that could end my run in seconds. The glory kill system wasn’t just a cool mechanic anymore – it became my lifeline, forcing me to make split-second decisions between staying safe or diving into a demon’s face for that precious health pickup. After dying for the twentieth time to a particularly nasty Mancubus ambush, I realized something: Ultra-Violence wasn’t just as difficult as it sounded, though it was Doom 2016’s way of teaching me to become a better player, one brutal lesson at a time.

I am skipping the story part to avoid spoilers – but to summarize it, the story could be improved by a huge margin. It was too predictable by this time, yes the elements of hell and UAC, were something many didn’t know about, but some elements of suspense would’ve been great.

Doom’s Graphics and Performance (Visual and Technical Aspects)

Running Doom 2016 on my AMD 7700XT is like watching a seasoned athlete return to the field – there’s still plenty of power in those old bones. The game’s idTech 6 engine, while no longer cutting-edge, demonstrates remarkable staying power in 2025. With every setting cranked to maximum at 2K resolution, the frame counter rarely dips below 240 FPS, making the action feel smoother than a freshly polished Chainsaw cutting through demon flesh.

The art direction deserves special praise for aging gracefully. While newer games might boast more polygons or fancier lighting effects, Doom 2016’s commitment to a distinct visual identity pays dividends. The marriage of industrial sci-fi and hellish horror creates environments that still catch the eye. The way light plays off the scratched metal surfaces of the UAC facility, or how the fires of Hell cast dancing shadows across gore-stained walls – it’s atmospheric rather than technically impressive, and that’s precisely why it holds up.

Demon designs remain particularly striking. The Revenant’s skeletal frame still inspires dread, and the Baron of Hell’s towering presence hasn’t lost its ability to make players pause in their tracks. The glory kill animations, rendered in brutal detail, showcase just how much care went into making violence feel visceral and impactful. Blood splatter effects and particle systems might not push the boundaries of what’s possible in 2025, but they serve their purpose with unwavering efficiency.

The game’s technical optimization feels almost prophetic. In an era where many modern titles struggle to maintain stable performance even on high-end hardware, Doom 2016 runs like a well-oiled machine. The scalability of the engine means that even modest gaming rigs can experience the carnage without compromise. On my 7700XT, features like screen space reflections, volumetric lighting, and high-resolution textures barely make a dent in the performance, speaking volumes about id Software’s technical expertise.

Immersive Doom 2016 Sound

Mick Gordon’s hellish symphony remains the gold standard for action game soundtracks in 2025. The way “BFG Division” kicks in during intense combat sequences still sends shivers down my spine, proving that well-crafted music transcends technological advancement. The dynamic music system, which seamlessly transitions between ambient tension and full-throttle metal as combat intensifies, creates an audio experience that many modern games still struggle to match.

But it’s not just about the music. The sound design team created an audio landscape where every weapon feels like it’s tearing through the fabric of reality. The Super Shotgun’s thunderous boom echoes through corridors with devastating authority. The Plasma Rifle’s electronic hum builds to a satisfying crescendo before releasing a torrent of energy. Even simple sounds, like the squishy pop of a Glory Kill or the distant roar of a Baron of Hell, contribute to an audio tapestry that remains unmatched in its ability to convey power and violence.

The voice acting, while sparse, serves its purpose perfectly. The UAC facility’s corporate announcements drip with dark humor, while VEGA’s calm, artificial voice provides a stark contrast to the chaos unfolding around you. Samuel Hayden’s commanding presence in cutscenes never overstays its welcome, keeping the focus where it belongs – on the action.

Replayability of Doom 2016 – Lasting Value in 2025

Nearly a decade later, Doom 2016 still offers compelling reasons to return to Hell. The game’s array of difficulty modes isn’t just about tweaking damage numbers – each level presents a distinctly different experience. Ultra-Nightmare mode, with its permadeath mechanic, remains a holy grail for FPS enthusiasts, while the more moderate difficulties allow players to experiment with different weapon combinations and strategies.

The collectible hunt feels refreshing in 2025’s gaming landscape, where many titles overwhelm players with markers and waypoints. Finding classic Doom levels hidden within modern environments or discovering a particularly well-hidden upgrade point provides a sense of genuine exploration that newer games often sacrifice for accessibility.

What’s truly remarkable is the modding community’s continued dedication. While official support may have waned, passionate modders have kept the game fresh with everything from visual enhancements that push modern hardware to its limits, to total conversion mods that reimagine the entire campaign. Some standout mods even incorporate features from Doom Eternal, bridging the gap between the two games and creating hybrid experiences that feel both familiar and fresh.

The Arcade Mode, which turns levels into score-attack challenges, adds another layer of replayability that stands the test of time. Competing for high scores on individual levels, trying to maintain kill streaks while managing resources, creates a completely different way to experience the campaign that remains engaging even after multiple playthroughs.

Final Verdict

Time hasn’t dulled the Slayer’s blade. After spending weeks revisiting Doom 2016 through modern eyes, I’ve found a game that doesn’t just survive in 2025 – it continues to set standards that newer titles struggle to match. The raw, kinetic combat system remains a masterclass in player engagement, forcing you to earn every victory through skill and determination rather than hand-holding mechanics or artificial progression gates.

While some aspects show their age – particularly the AI behaviors and certain visual elements – the core experience remains remarkably fresh. The idTech 6 engine’s exceptional optimization means the game runs beautifully on modern hardware, with my AMD 7700XT pushing frame rates that make the action feel more fluid than ever. Mick Gordon’s soundtrack continues to be the perfect accompaniment to demon slaying, and the sound design still delivers an auditory experience that many contemporary games fail to match.

What truly cements Doom 2016’s lasting appeal is its purity of vision. In an era where games increasingly blur genre lines and pad themselves with open-world activities, Doom 2016’s focused approach to action gaming feels refreshingly honest. Every element – from the level design to the glory kill system – serves the singular purpose of making you feel like an unstoppable force of nature.

Final Score: 8/10

The game loses two points only because of certain elements, like story, multiplayer, some visual aspects, show their age. However, the single-player campaign remains an essential experience for any FPS fan.

FAQs

Q. How long is Doom 2016?

Your mission as the sole DOOM Marine is simple: eliminate every single one of them. When will Doom end? With the primary goals in mind, Doom takes approximately eleven and a half hours to complete. To get 100% completion, you’ll probably need roughly 27 hours if you’re the kind of gamer who wants to see everything and explore.

Q. Is Doom 2016 the sequel to Doom?

This timeline is based on the fact that Doom (2016) is a soft reboot of the series, continuing from Doom 3, but focusing on the protagonist of the 1990s trilogy (Doom, Doom II, and Doom 64), retroactively called the Doom Slayer. But if you ask that Is Doom 2016 the sequel to Doom, both are the same game, unless you want to consider the 1990s Doom.

Q​. How many levels in Doom 2016​?

Doom 2016 has 13 levels or stages and additional Secrets and Collectibles. When I played Doom 2016 recently, I won’t say that it has a long long story, the duration is just short to mid.

Q. What year does Doom 2016 take place​?

Doom 2016 takes place in the 22nd century and to be exact, 2149.  Tom Hall made a comment about it, and that linked with the backstory for Doom’s main protagonist – makes sense.

Q. Does Doom 2016 have DLC?

Yes, Doom 2016 has 3 DLCs i.e. Downloadable Content in 2025 but they are now free. Back during the game release, these DLC packs were paid, but in July 2017, Bethesda made them free. DLC packs include:

1. Unto the Evil (August 4, 2016) – The demons rise, and the Slayer’s blade thirsts for their blood—hell’s reckoning begins.
2. Hell Followed (October 27, 2016) – The hordes of the underworld surge forth, but the Doom Slayer stands unbroken, a storm of rage and fire.
3. Bloodfall (December 14, 2016) – The final battle erupts, as heaven and hell collide, and the Slayer carves a path through the chaos to seal their fate.

Q. Is Doom 2016 co op?

Unfortunately, there is no campaign co op in Doom 2016, but it is available for snapmap created maps. So if you are planning to finish Doom with your friends, stop right there for you will be disappointed.

Q. Is Doom Eternal better than Doom 2016?​​

Well, I haven’t played Doom Eternal yet but based on my knowledge and reviews, Doom Eternal is literally an upgrade. Doom developers always make their new game, better in various aspects. I am really excited for Doom the Dark Ages.