DOOM 4 Footage Shows Off A Game You'll Never Play
Thank goodness Bethesda stuck the landing with the reboot of DOOM, otherwise the franchise might be - well - doomed. The failures of DOOM 3 are hard to forget - opting for a slower and quieter experience than we were used to with the first two games' bombastic demon-blasting action.
DOOM 3 was panned for choosing a first-person Dead Space-esque space horror. It didn't work for the series and left it seemingly in a state of disrepair. We know now that the franchise wasn't done for good, with DOOM and DOOM Eternal bringing Doomguy back to life in a violent and riffy fashion. But, there was a time when a sequel to the failed Doom 3 was in the works - and we've now seen gameplay of that game that never was.
What Does DOOM 4 Look Like?
As part of Noclip's efforts to keep up the preservation of video games, the YouTube channel has shared clean, unedited footage of the planned DOOM 4's gameplay, showcasing the game's dingy look that carries over from the game that came before it.
The game certainly replicates the third's aesthetic, providing a more slow-paced gameplay structure, but maintaining a lot of gore. You even get to see one humanoid enemy being killed with a knife in the neck.
It's an interesting look into a game that never was, but in many ways, it's for the best that the title never came out. The gameplay we see here definitely reflects the DOOM that many players were disappointed in, moving from lightning-fast hyperviolence to a dank and moody plodding horror. But that's not all.
New Noclip Video Reveals DOOM 2016's Playtests
The video also contains a very early look at some of the violence of DOOM before it arrived in 2016. There are some greyed-out baddies getting their heads popped off with ease and squelching noises galore. It's pretty gross, but to be honest, it's also pretty sick.
It's interesting to get this fresh look, both at the DOOM we know and love, and the game we never truly got to see. No matter where you stand on the quality of the DOOM that never was, it's clear to see the successes of the series now. We're glad that things turned out the way they did. After all, without the failure of DOOM 4, would we have the fury of DOOM Eternal?
