Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The Doom: Collector’s Edition brings together three of the most influential first-person shooters in gaming history—The Ultimate Doom (link), Doom II (link) and Final Doom (link)—into one polished package. Each entry retains the frenetic, run-and-gun design that defined the franchise: lightning-fast movement, precise weapon handling, and an unrelenting onslaught of demons. Whether you’re storming the UAC facility on Phobos or navigating the labyrinthine levels of The Plutonia Experiment, the core loop of clearing rooms and hunting keys remains as addictive today as it was in the ’90s.

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Modern conveniences elevate the experience without compromising authenticity. You can now save your game anywhere, rebind keys and mouse buttons, and switch to true mouselook on the fly. Frame-rate smoothing and widescreen support keep the action fluid and responsive, while optional OpenGL rendering brings sharper textures and dynamic lighting. These enhancements make the old-school gameplay feel right at home on contemporary systems.

Each game offers a distinct flavor: The Ultimate Doom’s episodic structure eases you into the monster-slaying mayhem, Doom II dials up the challenge with larger levels and new enemy variants, and Final Doom’s TNT Evilution and The Plutonia Experiment deliver some of the most punishing designs in the series. Together, they provide dozens of hours of varied, replayable combat that will satisfy both completionists and speedrunners.

Graphics

The original Doom engine popularized 2.5D sprite-based graphics, and this Collector’s Edition preserves that retro charm while introducing quality-of-life visual upgrades. Enemies, weapons and environments retain their pixel-perfect artistry, which still holds a nostalgic appeal. The palette of harsh reds, sickly greens and industrial grays conveys a grimy, oppressive atmosphere that remains unforgettable.

Under the hood, you can toggle enhanced rendering modes that deliver higher resolutions, smoother animations, and improved lighting effects. For purists, classic VGA mode is just a click away, complete with authentic scanlines and palette limitations. There’s even an option to apply modern filters or let the original art shine in crisp, unfiltered detail.

Beyond the core trilogy, the Collector’s Edition includes a preview section for Doom³ (link), featuring a trailer and behind-the-scenes screenshots. These bonus materials highlight how id Software has evolved the series’ visual identity, contrasting the retro pixel work with fully 3D-modeled environments and dynamic shadowing. It’s a fascinating juxtaposition that underscores how far the franchise has come.

Story

At its heart, Doom’s narrative is minimalistic: you are a lone space marine stranded on Mars (and later, on Earth) as Hell’s legions breach UAC installations. The Collector’s Edition faithfully reproduces the text-based mission briefings and atmospheric interludes that bookend each episode, setting the stage for pure, unadulterated action.

The Ultimate Doom unfolds in four distinct episodes, each escalating the stakes: from the claustrophobic corridors of “Knee-Deep in the Dead” to the moon-base madness of “Phobos Anomaly.” Doom II expands the conflict to a war-torn Earth, introducing new boss encounters and environmental set-pieces. Final Doom’s two mega-wads—TNT Evilution and The Plutonia Experiment—push your resource management and mapping skills to their limits with maze-like levels and unexpected traps.

While the storyline is light on character development, it excels at environmental storytelling. Blood-splattered walls, eerie tech readouts, and organic hellscapes convey a sense of dread that words rarely capture. This stripped-down narrative approach has inspired countless modders to build on the lore, ensuring that Doom’s universe remains vibrant decades after its release.

Overall Experience

Doom: Collector’s Edition offers unbeatable value. You get three seminal games that defined an entire genre, retro-style presentation, and modern enhancements in one seamless package. Whether you’re revisiting these classics for nostalgia or discovering them for the first time, the gameplay thrills remain intact.

The inclusion of bonus content—trailers, screenshots and developer notes on Doom³—adds depth to the set, turning it into more than just a simple reissue. It’s a small museum of id Software’s evolution, letting players appreciate the technological leaps from sprite-based action to real-time per-pixel lighting.

Installation is straightforward, and the menu lets you jump between titles effortlessly. Community mods and custom WADs are still compatible with the underlying engine, ensuring near-infinite replayability. Leaderboards, speedrun timers and achievement support (on select platforms) provide additional incentives to master each level.

For newcomers, this Collector’s Edition serves as both a historical artifact and a prime example of timeless game design. For veterans, it’s a chance to relive demon-splattering greatness with fresh controls and visuals. All told, Doom: Collector’s Edition is a must-have for any shooter aficionado or gaming historian.

Retro Replay Score

8/10