Doom Music

Hailed by many as one of the forefathers of first person shooters today, id Software’s Doom is a title that needs little introduction. Initially lighting up PC’s in 1993 and 1994 before making its way across the vast field of home consoles available at the time, the simple story of a stranded space marine determined to make it home was destined to become a classic. However, despite the accolades the game received in its heyday, something peculiar occurred in the years that followed. Unlike classic side scrollers like Super Mario Bros.3 and Mega Man 2 that command respect when brought up in conversation, Doom has encountered the opposite scenario. Honestly, I can’t count how many looks I’ve gotten for bringing the game up when the subject turns to the FPSs, even from game store employees who advertently or inadvertently tout their knowledge of video game history like a name tag. Is it such a stretch to connect Halo to Doom? Does Doom have the computer equivalent of cooties? When did it acquire this case of cooties and why wasn’t I notified? I can totally understand puzzled looks when pulling an obscure and downtrodden title like SaGa Frontier out of the hat of video game reminiscence, but this is a game that had an immense cultural impact.

This leads to the inevitable question: do fans of first person shooters even savor their games? This is not to insinuate that all fans of the genre are fickle or shallow, but this is the feeling one gets from some of them and members of the industry. Still, as bright and shinny as games have become, there is something to be said about the beautiful simplicity of Doom. In fact, I’d go as far to say that I’m more impressed with what id was able to do back then when compared to what developers are currently capable of. Such admiration may teeter on the edge of fanboyism, but it’s not limited just to the gameplay and the world built around it but to the music as well. However, before one can explore what it brings to the experience, one must explore the rich tapestry behind it.

~ Robert Prince: Composer, lawyer and… rapper extraordinaire?

One of the most interesting aspects about the music of Doom and Doom II: Hell on Earth is the use of “sampling” by composer Robert Prince. Sampling, the process of lifting recognizable riffs, beats and notes from previous works to bolster new works, became a relevant topic with the emergence of rap and hip-hop in the early 1990’s. As would be expected, this practice has led to numerous lawsuits centered on copyright law and intellectual property. Although it may not seem like it, the music of both games is loaded with beats and riffs lifted and inspired from various heavy metal outfits like King Diamond, Pantera, Slayer and even Metallica. Utilizing his past experience as a lawyer, Prince was acutely aware of how far he could encroach on these original works before a legal line was crossed. Clever as these small musical asides may be, they account for little of what the music has to offer.

~ Doom: Original PC MIDI

Odd as the comparison may seem, the original PC MIDI of Doom reminds me of the NES. Both are quite primitive in the sound department, but that’s about all they have in common. More often than not, NES music has a certain quality to it that makes it charming. This fails to be the case with Doom's crude functionality. However, in the heat of the moment it doesn’t detract from the experience as the infamous “At Doom’s Gate” quickly proves. Regardless, there are certain times where it seems like Prince wrote the bulk of these tunes without considering the limitations of the format, or that they were conceived using a completely different and superior sound spectrum before they were retrofitted for use in the game. This results in lows that don’t sound low enough and percussion that doesn’t sound punchy enough. While some tracks like “Kitchen Ace (and Taking Names)” and “Sign of Evil” lose out because of this, there are those that make out like bandits. The thin nature of the sound greatly adds to a fleet footed piece like “I Sawed the Demons” and the electronic nature of the instruments only enhances the drive that helps “Deep into the Code” define a level like Pandemonium. In the end, the means used to present Prince’s devilish depiction of Phobos, Deimos, and Hell is unimpressive, but it does little to dilute its message.

~ Doom: Doom Music

Cut and dry as it may sound, Doom Music’s greatest advantage happens to be its greatest shortcoming; namely, that while the enhancements to the overall audio quality are nice, they are meager. The aforementioned “Kitchen Ace” and “Dark Halls” are some of the best examples, their beats still remaining a bit too shallow despite what the additional reverb brings to the table. It’s this that makes the inclusion of “Sinister” and “Suspense,” tracks that are dead ringers for the names assigned to them, no-brainers since they are predisposed to revel within such tweaks. As important as is it to present this side of the score to the listener, the improvement is moot since the game’s MIDI had no real problem presenting them to begin with. Still, when it comes to really changing something to the point where it is undeniably notable, nothing surpasses “At Doom’s Gate.” In a love it or hate it move, the track has been infused with (higher sampled) sound effects. Hearing these classical noises in such clarity is a hoot – especially when the shotgun coincides with the percussion – but with it being the only track presented in such a fashion, it’s understandable why it feels like an unwelcome intruder. Be that as it may, while the story of the original game’s music would appear to have reached its conclusion, rest assured it’s only just begun.

~ Doom: The Super Nintendo Port

Much like Capcom’s Street Fighter Alpha 2, Doom also happens have some strong links to the 16-bit arena. Like the aforementioned one-on-one fighter, id’s incarnation of the game on the fading SNES is of little note beyond its uncommonly superior soundtrack. Really, beyond the slight stumble in “At Doom’s Gate,” the Super Nintendo’s SPC700 fixes nearly every deficiency outlined above. Topping off the curious, bouncy bass in “The Imp’s Song”? Check. Fulfilling the need for more piercing percussion in “Kitchen Ace”? Affirmative. Giving gritty life to the mournful cries heard throughout “Sign of Evil”? You bet. Adding that slight mystical edge to “They’re Going to Get You” and “The Demons From Adrian's Pen”? Done. Evening up the intensity within “Facing the Spider”? No problem. The list goes on and on and on. It is a bit of a let down that “Deep into the Code,” “I Sawed the Demons” and “The End of Doom” had to be cut due to memory limitations, but whoever was responsible for the sound programming at Sculptured Software during this port’s development deserves a round of applause for adding the finishing touches to Robert Prince’s vision.

~ Doom: The PlayStation and Saturn Ports

In one final stop before tacking the music of Doom II: Hell on Earth, we explore what happens when one does a one eighty with the musical identity of a game/series. So, what does happen when you replace Prince’s presidio-rock with a newly concocted ambient score? You change the object and feel of the game substantially. Gone is the in-your-face concept of shooting everything that moves and in comes the idea that slow, methodical cautiousness will win the day. It’s like night and day, it’s like North and South. Anyway, while I’ll be the first to admit ambient music is not my thing, some of these pieces (like the one that presides over the Halls of the Damned) stir an interest in me even though I favor Prince’s work. Those that don’t however should do themselves a favor and check out this work by Aubrey Hodges.

~ Doom II: Original PC MIDI

With Doom II, Robert Prince would find himself not only musically depicting the forces of Hell, but depicting the havoc they were raising on the earth itself. Crawling with dark, moody and action packed numbers, this soundtrack is home to the same kinds of compositions as the original, but differs in two major ways. The first is the improved usage of the MIDI, which makes itself apparent from the outset and gives the listener the impression that these tunes were written and programmed with the limits of the format in mind from the beginning. This makes signature moments like the clunk of the percussion in “Running from Evil” feel as if they were a choreographed part of the track from the beginning. This doesn’t seem to be born out of the game’s need or use of slightly more advanced hardware (than its predecessor) either, meaning it appears to be the result of a composer finding out what works and what doesn’t. Lows are appropriately low, beats sound thin when they need to sound thin and thick when they need to be thick. The other aspect that’s been added to the formula has to do with the increased track length, the gothic “Into Sandy’s City” providing an appropriate illustration. Within its nearly five-minute time frame, the core composition repeats a total of three times, but in switching up the leads and instruments on each repeat an illusionary amount of girth is created. It’s hard to tell how much this really adds to the experience, but with the music of the first game succeeding without such a support structure it falls behind the other improvements to be found here.

~ Doom II: Doom Music

Just like the selections from the original game, the music of Doom II doesn’t gain much from its upgrade either. In fact, there is even less to gain since the in-game versions have such an advantage in the sound department, but then who is going to complain about improving them even more? The main attraction here lies in the trifecta formed by “Running from Evil,” “Doom” and “Into Sandy’s City” when they’re taken in as a whole. Great tracks like these combine with key levels and bring the game’s subtitle “Hell on Earth” to life. There's a lot more at stake with the remaining picks however. Where's a sadistically fun and entertaining track like “Between Levels”? There’s no room for such a scrumptious anomaly but there's room for the long and monotonous “Opening to Hell”? Please. This musical backdrop is the least memorable thing about The Icon of Sin, although in Prince's defense I think any piece of music would get lost in a level with such a congested boss situation. Regardless, with the track representation being twelve to eight in Doom’s favor, a weak link is a weak link.

~ Final Doom TNT Evilution: Original PC MIDI

Before wrapping up this journey through space, hell and earth, it feels appropriate to comment on an even less represented chapter of Doom's musical history. Unlike its spawn-of-Satan counterpart The Plutonia Experiement, the TNT Evilution campaign of Final Doom contained a handful of new compositions from the members of Team TNT. Unfortunately, while some of the details about this score have been lost to the ages (composing credits for all these tracks aren't known) this work deserves a quick nod. Powerful compositions like “More” (credited to Tom Mustaine) and “Death’s Bells” drip with a flavor that would initially suggest Prince’s involvement. Other tracks like “Smells Like Burning Corpse” and “Into the Beast's Belly” feel like the spiritual successors to “Kitchen Ace (and Taking Names),” but it’s the slow, almost jazz-like burn heard throughout the Steel Works ("Cold Subtleness") that delightfully challenges everything one has come to expect from the series musically. Needless to say, it you like what you hear on Doom Music, TNT Evilution is another mandatory pit stop.

CONCLUSION:

While most will obviously question the value of a release that bears little improvement over the material it recreates, those that explore and become enamored with the music of Doom and Doom II: Hell on Earth will find little reason not to acquire this sole, official record of Robert Prince’s contribution to the PC phenomena – if they can find it. Still, such rarity should not deter anyone from tracking down and listening to the in-game MIDI that’s been derived from the game itself in lieu of such an acquisition. That said, Doom Music is not just a fragment of a soundtrack that paints the portrait of the hostile world the Doomguy has been thrust into; it’s the soundtrack to the hostile world you have been thrust into when you play the game.

Overall Score: 8/10

Final Doom (PS1)

“A different kind of fun…”

I have to admit, despite not being a fan of the first person genre, I love Doom. There is something about the exploits of a lonely space marine single-handedly taking on the forces of hell that draws me in and refuses to let go. Still, as enjoyable as Doom and Doom II were, these games generally don't deliver on the challenge front for a seasoned player. While some may consider that a drawback, it was a non-existent problem to me since challenge isn't the most important thing I look for in a game. However, for those that do, they can easily up the ante with Final Doom.

To some, Final Doom for the PlayStation will never be anything more than a haphazard potluck. This port doesn't contain every level from the two thirty-two level PC campaigns nor does it contain every level from the twenty-one level Master Levels expansion. In other words, out of pool of eighty-five possible levels, only thirty make an appearance here. So how does this affect the experience? The answer depends on which episode one's talking about and which levels made the cut.

Things start out with The Master Levels where thirteen of the possible twenty-one levels make up the core of Final Doom. These levels are meant to test one's mettle with relentless enemy attacks and complex level design, something they do quite well. Players will find a level like Vesperas is hard to tackle regardless of what difficulty level their playing on. Still, the real attraction of the master levels beyond the challenge is the fact the player can carry their status and weaponry from level to level. This isn't possible on the PC since the data for each level is its own file, something that was purposely done so each map would be considered its own separate entity by players. Final Doom on the PlayStation proves how unnecessary this was since each level still feels like a separate experience even though they follow one another.

Next up is TNT Evilution, the first of the two Doom II follow-ups presented in the PC version of Final Doom. Taken as a whole, TNT Evilution is an excellent and balanced expansion that just can't make its case with the eleven levels presented here. It could have been better with a better selection of levels, but it's just better to buy a copy of the Doom Collector's Edition for the PC and play it in its entirety. Additionally, while I have nothing against the ambient score whipped up for the PlayStation versions of Doom, I just don't have patience towards it when reflecting back on the wonderful midi-based soundtrack Team TNT created for the PC original.

Last up is Plutonia with six levels. Cruel as it may sound, I'm absolutely thrilled this episode got the short end of the stick. Take the challenge of the Master Levels, throw in every cheap shot and tactic in the book and you've got Plutonia in a nutshell. Challenge quickly eclipses entertainment when it comes to levels like Congo, Ghost Town and Onslaught. That said, if you're really serious about tackling the hardest levels Doom can throw at you, I'd again suggest going the PC route so you can save your progress at will. Regardless, while the levels are still well designed at this point I have no problem billing Plutonia as Doom's weakest and ugliest link.

CONCLUSION:

The shortcomings of its experiences aside, Final Doom is a worthy and refreshingly different follow-up to Doom. At it's simplest level it may be more of the same, but those who immerse themselves in what it has to offer will find it contains a feel all it's own. It's not always fun, and some parts are of more value than others (The Master Levels being the main draw here) but those with a little patience will have no problem in adding this to their collection.

Overall Score: 7/10

Doom (PS1)

"Easily the best 90’s port of the game available, but once you go PC it's hard to come back"

As one of the forefathers of modern-day first person shooters, Doom is a title that needs little introduction. Initially lighting up PC's in 1993 with its presidio 3D worlds and engaging multiplayer, id's hot property would make its appearance on every video game console known to man in the years that followed, even on those with less than suitable hardware. While such proliferation is nothing new, the history and differences between these ports and the original represents an interesting side story in an already engrossing tale. At the top of the 90's ports lies the PlayStation edition, which, despite having to bow to some restrictions of its own, has a little more going for it than most would expect - even fourteen years later.

One of the first things that will strike one with Doom on the PlayStation is the new, ambient soundtrack provided by Aubrey Hodges. Gone is Robert Prince's in-your-face metal-influenced MIDI, which brings up the first real debate to be had with this port: the music. While some will point out the obvious shortcomings of Doom's sound capabilities on the PC, there was a abstract charm to many of Prince's tunes that drove the gameplay forward, making the game feel looser and edgier than it really was. In contrast, Aubrey Hodges' backdrop makes the game feel a lot more methodical and reserved. It's quite remarkable how each set of tunes, music being an element most would classify as a secondary concern, has such a big effect on the world being presented.

Another difference that's apparent early on are the updates to the graphics engine, the employment of “all-new ambient lighting effects.” It's nowhere near as impressive as the back of the box makes it sound since the transitions in light are as rigid as they've always been (which has never been a problem since it has always played into the type of game Doom is) but at the same time you have to laugh at the idea that the graphics have been upgraded, even two years after Doom's first appearance. It's true there's a slightly wider color palette at work here, but once you realize how many compromises have been made to reach such a plateau it means next to nothing. The number of textures a level uses is dramatically lower than the PC and, as a result, the levels don't have the same pop. Not soon after, especially if you dip back into the PC version between PSX run-throughs, you'll start to notice that these more repetitive textures, coupled with the slightly lower screen resolution, makes objects in the distance ripple when moving around. Other graphical changes made to accommodate the hardware revolve around alpha channel blending, making those pesky Specters a little more inconspicuous and altering the look of weaponry when one's under the effects of a blur artifact.

Much more pressing than the above is the editing or complete removal of key levels to maintain a consistent level of performance. While it's not the first level to have changes made to it, the editing of the Containment Area is just down right depressing. This is an extremely entertaining and complex map in its original form but to have it reduced to where it stands here does it no justice. A similar situation reigns over the Spawning Vats, although in its defense the changes (the retexturing, the removal of the ceiling that allows the animated sky from the title screen make an appearance) make it an interesting take on the level. Still, the biggest blow to the level set-up occurs in Doom II and centers on the omission of the Downtown map. This map is instrumental in driving home the story and setting of Doom II and easily eclipses the omission of The Icon of Sin, which, taking in why the above edits where made to begin with, would make the PlayStation choke faster than swallowing an unchewed biscotti.

However, when it comes to the PlayStation and Doom in general, one would honestly think that Sony's new machine could handle a bit more than this. In a general sense, one could say 1996's Final Doom proves that with its psychotic Plutonia and Master Levels. That extra year may have enabled Williams to crank a little more power out of the system, power that could have been used to push these above levels beyond their current configurations. Be that as it may, while Doom may have been pinned as a three-dimensional game when it debuted, most know it's a two-dimensional game at heart. While there have been some excellent 2D games for the PlayStation such as Konami's Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Capcom's Mega Man X4 that made their debut despite Sony's erroneous - and down right moronic - philosophy of only wanting to publish 3D games to show off the console's hardware, its RAM limitations with such games has been well documented. It's not hard to believe that PlayStation has an easier time with three dimensional games, and given that Doom came out the same year the PlayStation launched, perhaps I'm being a bit harsh considering the games available when a system launches are usually eclipsed by those that appear at the end.

Wrapping up the subject of the levels included in this port, it's the maps presented here that are not present in the PC version that are the main reason to track this version down. The first new level, Hell Gate, is pretty disappointing, presenting a level not unlike the Fortress of Mystery where the main goal is just to kill everything that is thrown at you. Such feelings are quickly reversed when playing through the alternate version of Hell Keep and the last two levels of Doom, Twilight Descends and Threshold of Pain. The layout of the former is especially impressive and deserves to be played by any Doom aficionado as it undoubtedly feels like it should have been part of Doom from day one.

As far as getting around the levels, the PlayStation controller is spot on when it comes to control, making important combat tactics like circle-strafing a breeze compared to the PC. The drawback is the game's age means that analog control is out of the question, and there is little doubt how well such control would work. Other nitpicks revolve around things like the archaic password system. I can see how this could have been useful given that the PlayStation and its accessories weren't as affordable in 1995 as they were later on, but not allowing saves via the memory card is ridiculous. Couple this with how flawed the password system is (one time after messing up a character or two I ended up with 300% health) and it's plain to see while Williams took advantage of some of the more underused features of the PlayStation like the two player link cable, ignoring simple features found in almost every other game was short sighted. Other disappointments revolve around things that are rather superfluous in nature. The removal of the intermission maps, while understandable considering the previously mentioned edits, is bit of a buzz kill as is the removal of the events that take place at the end of Phobos Anomaly, which easily lie amongst the best beginnings/endings in video game history.

CONCLUSION:

Despite its problems, Doom is a blast to play on the PlayStation and excluding the more recent ports of the game found in the Collectors Edition of Doom 3 and Xbox Live, is the best port you'll find. Beyond the system's controller lending itself well to action (which can be replicated on the PC without much trouble) the sole attraction here are the levels that don't appear elsewhere. However, even when one takes this into account, it can be hard justifying such an acquisition, especially when the PC version is – by most accounts – the epitome of id's vision. PlayStation Doom is solid, but certainly not “the best Doom yet!”

Overall Score: 8/10