Not many games can claim to have single-handedly created an entire genre, but Doom did just that.
Id Software's Wolfenstein 3D may have been the first-ever modern shooter, but Doom and its rampant stranglehold on the gaming industry of the '90s is what really kicked things off. At one point, it was estimated that the original Doom was installed on more computers than Microsoft's Windows 95 operating system — simply put, only a few select games can claim to have had as much influence as Id Software's demonic FPS.
Of course, with that level of success, it was only a matter of time before imitators started popping up. They may be known as "first-person shooters" today, but back in the mid-'90s, the games were labeled as "Doom clones" more often than not.
Additionally, while there were plenty of garbage shooters released during the '90s, there were also plenty of games that helped push the genre forward. These were titles that took the basic formula of Doom — run around and shoot stuff — and built on it. With the 2016 Doom reboot fast approaching, we figured it's time to look back at some of the most influential "Doom clones" ever created:
Marathon
Release Date: Dec. 21, 1994
Developer: Bungie
The Alien franchise has been struggling to find its footing in the video game industry for years now — which is strange, because Probe Entertainment absolutely nailed it back in 1996.
Everything about the game screamed Alien. The enemies, the weapons, the sound effects, the environment — all of it looked like it'd been ripped straight from the movies. Fans were no stranger to licensed games, but Alien Trilogy was one of the first examples of a developer truly understanding what made the franchise work in an interactive medium.
Not only that, but Alien Trilogy helped modernize something that most gamers take for granted: mission objectives. Progress in most shooters was still measured by how many enemies had been killed, but Alien Trilogy changed things up by giving players something more to do. It went a long way to making players feel like they were doing more than clearing out hallways with a shotgun, something that some shooters still struggle with today.
Now, after years of waiting, everything comes full circle: not only does the new Doom reboot take influences from the classic games, but a number of more recent FPS franchises as well. Hopefully, the blend of classic Doom and modern shooter comes together — otherwise, it might be another decade before fans see another entry in the series.
Bethesda's next-gen Doom reboot is set to hit store shelves on May 13.
