- NA release: 4th April 1997
- JP release: 1st August 1997
- PAL release: 2nd December 1997
- Developer: Midway
- Publisher: Midway (US) / Gamebank (JP) GT Interactive (PAL_
- N64 Magazine Score: 77%
A name like DOOM 64 gives the impression that this is a port of the popular DOOM – especially as the original game did get a lot of ports. However, this is a sequel to the first two DOOM games, featuring completely new models. I played the very faithful remaster from Nightdrive (it doesn’t add any gameplay features, just some optional extra levels), along with a mod that restored a few more minor things from the N64 game.
As far as DOOM goes, this is considered to be a great version, with some refined gameplay and graphics. The levels focus more on puzzles and horror, although the “horror” is more just really dark levels (I ended up turning up the brightness to see) and the puzzles are a lot of pressing buttons and trying to figure out what part of the level changed. The soundtrack was also changed to a more ambient sound, so it lacks the rocking soundtrack of the original games.
If this was a launch title on the N64, it would have been even more impressive. However, Turok beat this to be the first FPS on the N64 and DOOM 64 feels very flat in comparison. Very low walls blocking the player now seem much more ridiculous and it seems like you’re still playing on a 2D plane, even when some stuff is higher – you can’t look up or down, but bullets will automatically move upwards.
For fans of DOOM, this version is definitely worth playing. However, the genre had evolved by the time it was released and this doesn’t do much to update the gameplay of DOOM.
Fun
You seem quite incapable of stepping over even the lowest of obstacles or kerbs. Which is annoying. To compound the sin, Midway actually then go and use some of these low-level obstacles as removable puzzle pieces, blocking your way to later parts of the level. Look, it’s eighteen inches high! A toddler could get over that no trouble at all. Stupidity.
James Ashton, N64 Magazine #7
Remake or Remaster?
The current remaster goes a great job at making the game nicer to play without changing so much.
Official ways to get the game.
The DOOM 64 remaster is available on GOG, Steam, Xbox One/Series, Switch and PS4/5.
N64 Games by Date
1997: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
1998: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
1999: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
2000: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
We REALLY liked it! It’s one of more recent episodes.
Doom 64 was the victim of some unfortunate launch timing. Coming after Turok and Quake? It comes across as outdated and behind the times, but it actually ends up aging rather more gracefully than most of its polygon peers on the console.
The name is also very unfortunate, as it gives off the impression that it’s just yet another port of the original game; when it’s actually a completely original Doom title, and really should’ve been called Doom 3. The shift to a more horror-based oppresive atmosphere, over its metal-inspired predecessors, is also something that would later be co-opted by the actual Doom 3 (which ironically is less of a proper Doom game than Doom 64).
While it doesn’t re-invent the formula to any major extent (the core gameplay is essentially more of the same) the switch to a true 3D polygon engine now allowed the game and level designers to add proper scripting to each stage, with events now able to be triggered that dramatically alter level layouts in a way that couldn’t be done with the original raycasted 2D sprite engine. There’s also a few new weapons and enemies not seen in any other Doom game, you can now do things like shoot through grates in walls, shoot switches from a distance, and there are also booby traps like spikes and dart blocks (how very Tomb Raider!). It’s a look at what a more conservative jump to 3D would’ve looked like for the FPS genre (and ironically, its style is now back in fashion as the modern “Boomer Shooter”).
If there’s any real major flaw with the original game? It’s that it’s just too bloody dark to see properly! This is something thankfully corrected in the modern Nightdive remaster, but if you’ve ever played this game on original hardware? It’s virtually impossible to play on anything but a CRT (or a high quality modern display with the brightness cranked up to max). This video below was captured on real N64 hardware to give you an idea of how difficult the original version would be to look at properly…
Doom 64 is a game that went largely unappreciated in its own time, but has since gained a bit of a cult following; and deservedly so. It’s a good quality Doom game that does things a bit differently, without straying far from its series roots. A look at the road not travelled within the genre that ends up being rather unique within the N64 library.