I’ve talked about how much I love DOOM and DOOM Eternal before, and having played through both of those games has led me to return to the original games. This has also brought me into the world of total conversion modifications for DOOM and DOOM II. Even though they were released in 1993 and 1994, respectively, the mod community has been incredibly active since the beginning.
This has given life to a whole slew of minor changes but has birthed complete games that continue to push the capabilities of id Software’s Doom engine, hence the total conversion. These mods work with what id Software started but change fundamental elements, giving us a world of unique instances to play through.
Ultimate Simpsons Doom by Myk Friedman & Walter Stabosz
While The Simpsons may not have the same grasp on society that it once did, you can’t deny its power during the 1990s. This, naturally, means that it works together with one of the biggest names in video games from the same era: DOOM. The game exchanges Doomguy for Homer Simpson, placing you in a version of Springfield where you have to fight through hordes of clones rather than demons. The Barons of Hell has turned into Sideshow Bob, Groundskeeper Willie replaces the Mancubus, and instead of health and armor pickups, you eat donuts and sprinkle donuts, respectively.
Bloom by Drugod, Rolls, and Ozymandias81
At the same time as DOOM and its engine became household names, 3D Realms’ Ken Silverman was engineering the Build Engine. Popularized by Duke Nukem 3D, the engine also powered 1997’s Blood. Bloom combines elements of Blood, bringing over protagonist Caleb, and teams him up with Doomguy. Following the events of DOOM II, a portal is opened, pulling through the Tchernabog worshipping Cabal, who quickly start the process to control the Icon of Sin. When this fails, the War of the Void kicks off, forcing an alliance between Doomguy and Caleb to defeat the manifestation of evil.
Total Chaos by wadaholic
Total Chaos makes DOOM II an almost unrecognizable game. The conversion scales back the amount of shooting, opting instead for a greater focus on melee combat. Horror is the name of the game, and the mod feels on par with many high-budget, AAA titles that come out these days. The game takes place on Fort Oasis, an island that once was home to a coal mining community. The miners have disappeared, and when you arrive on the island, you’re greeted by a mysterious radio signal. Naturally, it’s time to explore the horrors of Fort Oasis, and find out who wants you to find them.
Siren by Dithered Output
Even though there have been some great video game experiences based around the Alien film franchise, the currently-in-development Siren might do it best. Set in a research facility on Mars, you are answering a distress call that brings you to said facility. The experiments that they’ve been researching have broken loose, and you are tasked with killing your way through the facility. The game features an enemy that takes the form of a deadly black cloud called Siren which can’t be killed, keeping you on your toes throughout the game.
The history of modding DOOM games harkens back to the introduction of the first game and shows no signs of stopping now. These four are all a ton of fun, and there’s no doubt that the mod community will continue to deliver awesome content in the future!
