Summary
- Doom pioneered FPS genre mechanics, influencing many games that followed.
- FPS titles like Killing Floor 2, Prodeus, and Metal: Hellsinger pay homage to Doom's legacy.
- Ultrakill stands out with modern mechanics while maintaining a retro Doom aesthetic.
Doom is arguably the most influential FPS in gaming history. While FPS games existed before, Doom was the first to popularize the genre in the general gamer consciousness, making the iconic silhouette of the Doomslayer synonymous with FPS games. Much of the FPS genre owes its existence to Doom, the original that pioneered many mechanics that became standard for the genre.
Best Doom Games, Ranked
The Doom franchise is one of the most well-known and beloved first-person shooters, and these are the best ones in the series by far.
While the entire FPS genre owes a lot to it, some games wear their Doom influences on their sleeves. These games take pride in their direct inspiration, defying norms and the Call of Duty esthetics that have defined the genre since the mid-2000s. Whether it's worldbuilding, fast-paced combat, the story of someone fighting hellish demons, or a combination of all three, here are the best FPS games that take inspiration from Doom.
10 Killing Floor 2
A Doom-Inspired Co-op Zed Killing Mayhem
Killing Floor 2
- Released
- November 18, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Tripwire Interactive, Hardsuit Labs, Saber Interactive
- Genre(s)
- FPS, Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
The Killing Floor franchise started in 2009 with the first game, which was released in a truly post-Doom world. Doom had been a dormant franchise since Doom 3 in 2004, and fans were clamoring for a successor. That's where Tripwire Interactive stepped in with their Doom-inspired co-op shooter.
Killing Floor 2 is where the franchise found its footing. Despite releasing close to the 2016 reboot of Doom, Killing Floor 2 still managed to garner a lot of positivity and sold extremely well on account of providing a co-op experience, contrary to Doom's single-player focus.
9 Painkiller
A Doom-Inspired Franchise Even Darker Than Doom
Painkiller
- Released
- April 12, 2004
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox (Original)
The Painkiller franchise has had a startlingly similar trajectory to the Doom series. Painkiller started with a great couple of games that fans of FPS games and Doom latched on to in the wake of the disappointing Doom 3.
Painkiller was an even darker take on the FPS genre. While the premise and gameplay were quite similar to Doom's, Painkiller's take on a demonic invasion of Earth is a more serious one. Although the sequels didn't live up to the original, the original Painkiller is still an incredible game. Now is the best time to jump into the franchise with a Doom (2016)- inspired reboot in the works.
8 Forgive Me Father
A Lovecraftian Boomer Shooter With A Unique Art Style
Forgive Me Father
- Released
- April 8, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
Forgive Me Father is a unique boomer shooter in a sea of retro-inspired FPS games that sets itself apart by implementing a comic book art style. The Doom inspiration is clear in the combat and the story premise of a lone man fighting against hordes of monsters.
8 Best Games Set In Lovecraftian Horror Universes, Ranked
Successfully nailing a creepy Lovecraftian atmosphere can be tricky, but these games managed to pull it off.
However, Forgive Me Father sets its story in a Lovecraftian world, and players are made to battle eldritch creatures instead of hell spawn. Both the original and its sequel are fun first-person shooters with a lot of personality and an engaging story that fans of Doom should definitely check out.
7 Prodeus
A True Spiritual Successor To The Original Doom
Prodeus
- Released
- September 23, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Bounding Box Software
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Players take control of a Prodeus agent in a science facility. There is no deep or complex plot here. The only goal is to fight through fun and brutal arena-style levels to find a way out.
Prodeus truly wears its Doom influence on its sleeve. From weapons that harken back to the Doom franchise's iconic armory, to the retro art style, to the premise where players take control of a nameless futuristic soldier, Prodeus pays homage to its inspiration while implementing fast-paced combat with verticality that closely resembles the modern Doom games.
6 Turbo Overkill
Overkill By Name, Brutally Fun Overkill By Nature
Turbo Overkill
- Released
- August 11, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
Turbo Overkill is a different breed of boomer shooter. It doesn't simply pay homage to the retro FPS games like Doom; it takes what makes those games great and elevates them in fun and significant ways.
While it markets itself as a retro-inspired shooter, Turbo Overkill's inspirations more closely resemble the new Doom trilogy than the 90s shooters. The game implements modern ideas like upgradeable weapons, vehicle gameplay, and cutscenes that aid an interesting story, while maintaining a connection to 90s shooters like Doom through its art style.
5 Metal: Hellsinger
An Unprecedented Doom-Inspired Rhythm Action Shooter
Metal: Hellsinger
- Released
- September 15, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- The Outsiders
- Genre(s)
- FPS, Rhythm
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
As far as unique games go, they don't get much more unique than Metal: Hellsinger. It is a rhythm FPS where players battle their way through the eight hells. It doesn't get much more Doom than that, except for the distinguishing factor of it being a rhythm FPS.
Few things in life are as exhilarating as blasting demons to the beats of metal music. Metal: Hellsinger does a great job with an unexpected premise, and the developers have managed to craft a truly unique and amazing FPS experience. And it can be played in VR.
4 Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun
Warhammer In The Style Of Doom
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun
- Released
- May 23, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Auroch Digital
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Warhammer 40,000 is one of the most popular franchises in the world. The one thing the franchise has struggled with up until recently is videogame adaptations, which is why fans rejoiced at the 2023 release of Boltgun. While Space Marine 2 is the more popular of the two recent great Warhammer adaptations, Boltgun did it first and set a precedent.
The Best Warhammer 40,000 Games, Ranked
Whether they ooze the game's grimdark setting or replicate the visceral gameplay the books portray, here are the best Warhammer 40K games.
The Warhammer 40,000 franchise is filled with aesthetics, weaponry, and lore that lend themselves perfectly to a Doom-like shooter. It is a match made in heaven (or hell), and Boltgun does a great job of crafting an FPS that perfectly combines the gameplay of Doom with the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
3 Quake
Id Software Iterates On Their Doom Formula
Quake
- Released
- May 22, 1996
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- id Software
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
- Platform(s)
- PC, Switch, Nintendo 64, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Sega Saturn
Quake was id Software's follow-up to Doom 1 and 2. They decided to step up the gameplay for their next flagship series. Quake introduced a lot of innovations to the gameplay, pioneered by Doom, while maintaining the aesthetic and the brutality introduced by its predecessor.
While the series may not have made as much of an impression on gamers' consciousness, it has left its distinct imprint on gaming. While many modern retro-inspired shooters take their stylistic cues from Doom, their gameplay often more closely resembles Quake. Despite releasing in 1996, the original Quake and its subsequent sequels are still a hell of a lot of fun.
2 Dusk
The Game That Started The Recent Wave Of Doom-Inspired Boomer Shooters
DUSK
- Released
- December 10, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
The late 2010s saw the start of a wave of retro-inspired boomer shooters. Dusk was one of the first to explore this style of FPS and popularize it among players. Despite being one of the first of its kind, Dusk is one of the best boomer shooters, with the developers being quite open about their influences, which include Doom.
Dusk puts players in charge of a nameless treasure hunter battling waves of cultists, militants, and demons in fast-paced, bullet hell action. The game even boasts a very fun multiplayer component.
1 Ultrakill
They Don't Get Much More Doom-Like Or Better Than This
Ultrakill
- Released
- September 3, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
Ultrakill is arguably the most famous and beloved boomer shooter. It was released in early access in 2020 and remains in that state at present. However, despite not being a feature-complete game yet, Ultrakill has already cemented itself as one of the best of its genre by taking inspiration from both the old and the new Doom games with a perfect combination of modern movement mechanics and retro style.
Ultrakill has the weapon variety, pace, and gory spectacle expected of the genre. It distinguishes itself by introducing robot arms as a gameplay mechanic, which spices up gameplay with the potential for combos. The story is surprisingly deep, too, and definitely worth experiencing for fans of the Doom series.
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