Category
š¹
FunTranscript
00:00Welcome to Mojo Plays, and today we're taking a look at the best level in every Doom game.
00:07Before we begin, we publish new content all week long, so be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
00:16The Doom franchise has boasted a plethora of examples of fantastic level design, but which ones shine the most in each game?
00:24Think another map should have been on here? Let's discuss in the comments below.
00:29E1M1 Hangar, Doom 1993
00:39It's extremely hard to think of a single level that isn't anything below decent when discussing the original Doom.
00:45They all bring something unique to the table with different visuals and layouts.
00:49E1M1, on the other hand, does everything that defines the series.
00:54It encourages exploration while also setting your expectations on how levels are going to be laid out.
00:59It teaches you to anticipate enemies in unexpected places, investigate those nooks and crannies that seem suspicious, and do so at whatever speed you want to play at.
01:09Of course, it also helps to have that iconic tune playing the entire time, too.
01:14E1M2, Doom 2 Hell on Earth
01:20The Living End, Doom 2 Hell on Earth
01:28Doom 2 is arguably the hardest game in the franchise.
01:32Many levels end up becoming a massive labyrinth, and enemies are significantly more aggressive.
01:37The map before the Icon of Sin here stands as a true test of your skills as the Marine.
01:42Demons are crawling all around every single corner and can shoot you from halfway across the map.
01:49The constant teleporting can overwhelm and get you lost easily, too.
01:53To make things worse, you can't move around a whole lot because of how narrow most of the rooms are.
01:58And yet, this obscene challenge, the Living End, has kept players coming back to it all these years later.
02:05Open Season, TNT Evolution
02:23Yes, we will be talking about both portions of Final Doom as separate entries.
02:27Of the levels in TNT Evolution, we have to give the spotlight to the sixth map, Open Season.
02:33With a name like that, one has to wonder, who is really hunting who?
02:38It's a tough question to answer, as you're constantly finding tight rooms with a few explosive barrels, as well as plenty of ambushes.
02:45Like a hunter, you'll have to find ways to trick your prey while keeping your aim steady.
02:50Running and gunning this map is simply a bad idea, and it's this concept that makes Open Season so enjoyable,
02:57despite being somewhat antithetical to the quick pace of the Doom formula.
03:04Odyssey of Noises, the Plutonia Experiment
03:17Odyssey of Noises has been widely regarded as the most frustrating and difficult level out of an already tough Plutonia Experiment,
03:25and it's one of the harder levels out of the entire Doom franchise.
03:29We can't blame their frustration, either.
03:31Odyssey of Noises is very much a level that feels like it's out to get you.
03:36The map is expansive, and it leaves you feeling completely vulnerable while demons get to shoot from afar within the comfort of various buildings.
03:44Like Open Season, you're forced to pace yourself and figure out your vantage points.
03:49Know when it's time to shoot and when it's time to run like a madman.
03:53And of course, always anticipate a flank.
04:02The Terraformer, Doom 64
04:11The first level of Doom 64 does a great job at making players feel right at home,
04:15but the Terraformer is where Midway turns around and says,
04:19Nah brah, this isn't just another Doom, this is OUR Doom.
04:24Terraformer's layout makes it clear how players should approach the rest of the game in contrast to previous installments.
04:30Secrets are very well hidden, and the dark rooms force you to be on the edge of your seat constantly,
04:36ready for the next enemy to pop out.
04:38It also tells you through a few puzzles that Doom 64 is going to require some speed and platforming skills in order to conquer it.
04:52Primary Excavation, Artifact Dig, Doom 3
05:00Primary Excavation, Artifact Dig, Doom 3
05:05The problem with Doom 3 is that most of its levels are more focused on scaring the player,
05:10or forcing them into an unexciting puzzle.
05:13That isn't to say we're putting the final level on here because,
05:17Oh thank god it's over, ugh.
05:20No, on the contrary, Primary Excavation serves as a wonderful payoff.
05:25As a veteran player going in blind, you spend so much time in the game wondering how terrifying the Cyberdemon is going to look
05:32compared to all of the other monsters who got redesigned.
05:35Turns out, he's very terrifying, in all of his ugly polygonal glory.
05:40Final boss status aside, Primary Excavation also does an excellent job at putting pressure on the player with its small arena and limiting space.
05:49It's like a very slow dance with death.
05:55Titan's Realm, Doom 2016
06:04The 2016 reboot had so many fantastic levels to choose from, but in the end, we have to go with Titan's Realm.
06:11This was the level that showed us Doom was back with a vengeance.
06:15For starters, the opening area looks like someone managed to breathe life into a heavy metal album cover,
06:21and the only way to leave was to dive straight down the corpse's mouth.
06:25Gross, but sick. Really sick.
06:29From there, the environment tells you that you aren't anywhere close to the UAC anymore.
06:33You are deep into the bowels of hell, and the demons are ready to tear into you.
06:38Be prepared for lengthy and exciting fights.
06:43Doom Hunter Base, Doom Eternal
06:54The best levels in gaming make sure that the player has understood the game's mechanics and concepts before sending them into the Great Aether, the Great Unknown.
07:03It's why E1M1 is on this list, it's why the Terraformer made this list, and it's why the game is so good.
07:10It's why the Terraformer made this list, and it's exactly why Doom Hunter Base makes the list.
07:16Doom Hunter Base makes it clear that you cannot play the rest of Eternal like you would any other Doom game,
07:22and to ensure this, it requires a lot of aerial maneuvers not just for combat, but navigating the level in general.
07:29The way it's built forces you to know how to control your dashes, how to spot traps, and overall, how to maintain control of the fights.
07:38By the time you reach the dreaded Hunter itself, the level has done its job.
07:42You're ready to rip and tear until it is done.
07:53Check out these other great clips from Mojo Plays, and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
08:08Thanks for watching!