Summary
More than 30 years on from the release of the original game,Doomremains one of the most influential games in video game history. Not only is the series still going strong, but its fingerprints can be found throughout the industry. The originals hold up too and are still played so much thatBethesdacontinues to support them. Support might be an understatement in this particular instance as the Doom studio surprise dropped a Doom + Doom 2 bundle with a tonne of new content and upgrades, and if that sounds good to you, there’s a strong chance you can claim it for free.
The Doom + Doom 2 bundle isavailable right now across multiple platforms, stitching together the first two games in the series for the definitive Doom experience with a bunch of new stuff, and it’s just $9.99. However, if you already own either Doom orDoom 2or your platform of choosing, you should be able to download the new bundle as a free upgrade rather than pay $10. That’s a whole new game for free if you only own one of them on top of all the new stuff that’s been added.
Not only does the bundle let you play these 25-year-old games at 120 fps and in 4K if you have the hardware to support it, but it also includes an entirely new episode. Legend Of Rust, a single-player episode created by developers from Nightdive, MachineGames, and ID Software is a part of the bundle, as is the Sigil episode created by John Romero in 2019 for those of you playing catch-up. If that’s not enough new single-player stuff in a game that was released almost three decades ago, there’s also a built-in mod browser you can use to change the original games up as much as you see fit.
$10 For All This Doom
The Doom bundle’s co-op and deathmatch modes can support up to 16 players, and while that was a feature included in previous versions of the game, the bundle update has added 25 maps into the mix. That more than doubles the previously available maps, bringing the total to a staggering 43 deathmatch maps. As if all of that wasn’t already enough - a reminder that you’re paying $9.99 for this at worst and getting it for free at best - the bundle also brings new music with it from the composer who curated the Doom Eternal: The Ancient Gods DLC soundtrack.
Doom + Doom II
WHERE TO PLAY
Doom + Doom 2 doesn’t only combine the original two games. It adds a new episode, 25 more deathmatches to its multiplayer mode, and even new music, among other things.
I would say that this is an attempt by Bethesda to get more people playing Doom ahead ofDoom: The Dark Ages' arrival in 2025, which I’m sure it is, it never really feels like there’s a time when people aren’t playing Doom. It will have been five years sinceDoom Eternalby the time The Dark Ages is released, but at no point has it felt like the Doom hype has dwindled in that time. As for the bundle, any excuse to play two of the most iconic first-person shooters of all time, especially when it’s potentially free and with so many new features.
