This week we learned that Doom will be going back to The Dark Ages in 2025. Now that's exciting news. And it was while drooling over that new trailer when I started to wonder what Electronic Gaming Monthly thought of the Doom series. And not just Doom, but all of those Id Soft games, including Wolfenstein 3D and Quake. Did they have a favorite?
As it turns out, EGM reviewed a total of 20 games from those three franchises between 1989 and 2008. This includes pretty much all of the Doom and Wolfenstein games, with the obvious exception of the recent reboots. What makes this list unique is that EGM only reviewed console games, so their view of Id's first-person shooters came almost entirely from the various ports. This makes for a surprisingly competitive and fun list that may not end the way you expect. What we're going to do today is countdown the best and worst Doom, Wolfenstein 3D and Quake games using Electronic Gaming Monthly's own words and scores. There's no editorializing here, we're just going to focus on what the critics said back when these games first came out. I hope you packed yourself a BFG, because this is what happens when EGM Ranks Doom, Wolfenstein 3D and Quake.
DOOM (Super NES)
#20
“Doom for Super NES suffers from a lot of things. Not comparing it to the other versions of Doom, this one lacks as a game in general. The screen is too pixelated, and the sound is off. It'll seem like you are getting hit for no reason at all. Enemies are hard to see at a distance of more than a few feet. The control is okay. The music is outstanding on this cart, and I wish there was a CD of it. Doom takes the Super NES to the limits, but those limits just aren't enough for this game.” (5.4 out of 10)
Wolfenstein (Game Boy Advance)
#19
“Just like the recently released Doom, Wolfenstein 3D is a near-perfect port of a groundbreaking first-person shooter from the glory days of shareware PC gaming. While not as technically impressive as Activision's Doom port, Wolfenstein 3D is arguably just as much fun to play with its central theme of escaping an underground prison and kicking Hitler's ass during World War II. Despite all the joys that come with gunning down Nazis, all is not perfect in the land of GBA Wolfenstein. Like it or not, this is an OLD game, and the play mechanics are archaic by today's standards. What's more, you can only save at the end of each level. You'll spend huge periods of time squinting ‘til you make it through a stage, which is murder on the eyes. If you can stomach the flaws and antiquity through, Wolf 3D is a fun time and worth at least a rental if you're a fan of the genre.” (6 out of 10)
Final DOOM (PlayStation)
#18
“More Doom ... hurrah. I shouldn't be so harsh. Final Doom is actually a good Doom sequel, but don't expect anything more than that. The levels are a challenge to play through and most won't make it through on even the third or fourth try. The problem is that there really are no enhancements. Sure, it runs fast, but the graphics are hardly sharp. It may even well be impossible to get it any sharper. Plus, there aren't any new weapons or monsters. For the price tag, it's just more of the same. I'm more excited for Quake to come out. At least the graphics will be polygonal. Maybe you feel the same.” (6.1 out of 10)
Quake 4 (Xbox 360)
#17
“All the first-person shooter cliches are here – you've got your sewer level, you can't clumb anything without a ladder, the most direct route is always blocked and you know when you're about to face a big baddie by the scads of health packs and ordnance lying around. Enjoy all of this while suppressing both frustration and epileptic fits due to the unforgiving slowdown problems. The multiplayer is totally decent, but $60 is steep for a game that I feel like I've played before.” (6.3 out of 10)
Quake (Saturn)
#16
“Quake may be one of the best-looking and best-sounding first-person shooters on the Saturn. At the same time, it's also one of the dullest. Compared to a game like Duke, Quake has drab level designs and boring weapons. You can keep playing and keep playing, and you'll find nothing innovative with this game. This makes me wonder why Sega skipped making Quake Net Linkable – it certainly would've made this a better buy.” (6.5 out of 10)
Quake III Revolution (PlayStation 2)
#15
“This may be the best-looking Quake game of the bunch, but it's also the worst-playing one. The only ‘revolution' this has undergone is an aesthetic one. Once the novelty wears off, the tired game behind it rears its ugly head. Without an online component, Quake has no heart. The splitscreen multiplayer action helps to pump the blood, but the firefights are unsatisfying since the four-player split screen makes it hard to navigate. The single-player mode could have been a saving grace had the enemy intelligence been better. But they fight like this game is designed: Half-assedly.” (6.5 out of 10)
Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Operation Resurrection (PlayStation 2)
#14
“Do you enjoy shooting Nazis, destroying zombies and throwing switches? If so, then Resurrection is for you. Even if, like me, you're sick to death of switch-finding as the arbiter of progress through games, annihilating Aryans and massacring their macabre minions ought to amuse you throughout this pseudohistorical adventure. Entertaining as it is, however, Resurrection's unadorned action offers precious little replay value. And I hate to beat an undead horse, but the multiplayer modes that made the Xbox version so compelling have gone AWOL, and that's a capital offense.” (6.7 out of 10)
DOOM (Jaguar)
#13
“Although Doom is a good visual representation of the incredible PC game, there are some notable losses that diminish the fun factor. Most notably, some of the levels have been axed. Also, the music is missing, although it was never anything exciting anyway. The control is decent, but it does take some time to get used to the slippery control. Otherwise, it's a decent game and one of the better ones to come out for the Jaguar.” (6.75 out of 10)
DOOM (Game Boy Advance)
#12
“I'm not sure what's more impressive, that Doom is playable on a portable or that the game is still enjoyable today. Everything technically works, from the smooth 3D action to the four-player deathmatching. Too bad the system is too small for this big-time game. The eyestrain I got from just a half-hour of playtime was incredible. The screen is just too small for this first-person action, so be warned: Play in small time chunks or risk blindness. Besides that, this is the same game we played years ago. For mindless one-player action, it's fine, but just don't expect anything new or revolutionary at all.” (6.8 out of 10)
Wolfenstein 3D (Super NES)
#11
“As one of my favorite games on the PC, this Super NES version almost has everything in the sense of the gameplay. As we know, Nintendo has been known to be the ‘no violence' company. Many of the ‘bad' pictures and decorations have been taken out. Less gore takes you out of the game. The rotation and scaling may not be as good as the PC, but it's a good translation. Sound effects are OK, but I still like this one.” (7 out of 10)
Wolfenstein 3D (Jaguar)
#10
“Yes, it has been done on other platforms, but not this good. Everything has been kept intact from the PC version. The graphics are top-notch and the sounds are of exceptional quality. The only real complaint is that it scrolls way too fast. This can screw up your accuracy when you are trying to get somewhere, aim, etc. Jaguar owners are bound to go nuts over this good translation.” (7.25 out of 10)
DOOM 64 (Nintendo 64)
#9
“Sure, I was a little disappointed that Midway scrapped the four-player mode, but this is still the best version of Doom ever. The game's level design is top-notch and the castles and dungeons look amazing. Doom 64 is jammed with atmospheric touches, too, like thunder and fog effects. If only you could jump and look around, but then it would be Quake.” (7.5 out of 10)
Quake (Nintendo 64)
#8
“This is a great translation of Quake's single-player mode, but everyone knows that multiplayer combat is what made Quake popular. Midway included a deathmatch mode, but it's limited to two players. Compounding this problem is that there aren't enough deathmatch levels and what is there is too big for two combatants. If you don't mind its limited multiplayer capabilities, Quake 64 is a good game.” (8 out of 10)
Wolfenstein 3D (3DO)
#7
“Boy, does this game bring back memories. This title is a great translation from the original with new items like the backpack, flamethrower and rocket launcher. Unlike other translations to gaming platforms, the 3DO version is uncensored, from the pictures of Hitler and swastikas on the walls to the guards yelling “Achtung!” instead of “Hey!” With a total of 60 levels, this game is a must-buy for Wolfenstein fans.” (8.1 out of 10)
DOOM (Sega 32X)
#6
“Oh, yeah! Hours of fun! Just the thing a person needs after a rough day! This isn't the PC version, but it still does a great job with the first-person, point-the-weapon-and-shoot idea. This has to be the ultimate stress reliever.” (8.4 out of 10)
Quake II (Nintendo 64)
#5
“This is considerably better than Midway's effort with the original Quake. It looks great, but it has some slight gameplay problems, the biggest of which is only being able to save between levels. This will result in tantrum-inducing frustration as you have to keep returning to the beginning of a level when you die. Multiplayer is great – it easily outshines Turok 2 in four-player play, though it still doesn't beat 007.” (8.25 out of 10)
Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War (Xbox)
#4
“Despite its occasionally confusing level layouts, single-player Tides offers a rock-solid game of good ol' fashioned Nazi-killin': satisfying weapons, natural – and very customizable – controls, and objectives that make your straightforward tasks somehow seem more exciting. But we all agree that what elevates this Wolf above the first-person shooter pack is its online aspect. The different playable characters and match types give multiplayer a unique emphasis on teamwork that's a perfect match for Xbox Live's voice chat capability. Sure, I wish the graphics were a bit more detailed, but I'm having too much fun storming Nazi beach strongholds to really care.” (8.8 out of 10)
Quake III Arena (Dreamcast)
#3
“I was skeptical of how much fun I would have with this relatively old PC game, but my concerns have been squashed. I'm having a blast with Quake III, even though I pretty much suck at it. Sega has spiced the interface and graphics just enough to make it feel more at home on a console, while still keeping everything Quake-ish enough not to upset hardcore fans. The online play only allows for four people at once, but it's a small price to pay for the smooth online combat that makes it so great. The single-player arenas get boring, but that isn't what this game is made for. Regardless of your Quake strategy, make sure you arm yourself with a keyboard and mouse.” (8.8 out of 10)
Quake II (PlayStation)
#2
“You'll scratch your head wondering how in the hell Hammerhead made Quake II on the PlayStation ... not only that, they've made a kickass version of Quake II on the PlayStation. From a technical standpoint, this game is a masterpiece. The game's graphics are top-notch nearly all of the time, and the control is what dreams are made of with a PlayStation mouse. Plus, the multiplayer stuff is always a blast – especially four player. Overall, this game just feels right.” (8.9 out of 10)
DOOM 3 (Xbox)
#1
“I thought I beat my fear of the dark when I was 5, but there I was with sweat-slicked palms and a yammering heart as I crept through Doom 3's steel-and-shadows Mars base, my flashlight barely denting the coal blackness when – aiiieee! The game got me again, make me jump for the 20th time. Because when things go bump in Doom 3's perennial night, they're usually very bad things that pop out of floor panels, leap from ceilings or bust through windows. I haven't felt this kind of slow-burn dread since the original Resident Evil pioneered such frights.” (9.3 out of 10)
