Doom Games Ranked: From Worst to Best (2025)

Doom is one of the most significant shooters in the gaming industry. The original 1993 game shaped the genre in its current form, and the last two parts of the series brought back interest in classic first-person action games. But there were also some dubious projects under this brand, which few people know about today. In this article, we will recall all the games that bear the name Doom, from the downright unsuccessful to real masterpieces.

Doom RPG and Doom 2 RPG

In the 2000s, many famous game series received spin-offs for mobile phones. Doom was no exception. The first spin-off was released back in 2005. It was based on the events of the third part, but outwardly resembled the original dilogy. In terms of gameplay, we have a turn-based RPG, in which, in addition to the usual battles with demons, there were a lot of conversations with NPCs. At one time, it was a good project for cell phones, but after a while it does not represent any value. A similar situation happened with its direct sequel, which was released in 2009.

Mighty Doom

Another game for phones, this time for iOS and Android devices. Mighty Doom is a simple top-down scrolling shooter where we play as a toy Doom Slayer. There is no trace of the former gloom — there is a bright color scheme and cute monsters as opponents. The project was praised for its design and gameplay, but criticized for aggressive monetization and lack of new ideas. However, launching Mighty Doom now will be problematic, because the servers are closed, and the project has been removed from Google Play and AppStore.

Doom 64

The very first part of the Doom series was re-released on all consoles that were relevant in the mid-90s. However, those ports that were released on PlayStation 1, Sega 32X, SNES and Atari Yuguar were worse versions of the PC version of the game, so they do not deserve our attention in this article.

Doom 64 is a completely different matter. Initially, it was a Nintendo 64 exclusive, developed by Midway Games, known for the first parts of Mortal Kombat. It released a truly dark game that created the feeling of a horror shooter. The monster design became more creepy, the cheerful rock was replaced by atmospheric ambient, and it was impossible to see anything beyond a few meters — the console's limitations affected. As a result, like in the first Silent Hill, we had to peer into the unknown and constantly wait for demons to appear.

In 2020, Doom 64 became available on all current platforms. However, in our opinion, it does not live up to the title of a golden classic. It's just a good shooter for its time, nothing more.

Doom 3

It seems that during the development of the third part, id Software focused on Doom 64, and not on the original dilogy. It turned out to be dark, gloomy and truly scary. Demons were waiting for the main character in the dark and attacked from behind, and also appeared in the most unexpected places. Moreover, the flashlight in Doom 3 acts as a separate weapon, so from time to time you will be faced with a choice — either to light the room without the possibility of opening fire, or to shoot blindly.

Not everyone liked this mechanic. And even advanced graphics and perfectly implemented weapons did not save the game from the wrath of fans. And Painkiller, released in the same 2004, seemed much closer to the first two Dooms than the official third part. Only years later, shooter connoisseurs tasted it and admitted that it is unique in its own way. If you decide to check it out now, we strongly recommend downloading the original, and not the re-release BFG Edition, in which the lion's share of the atmosphere is killed.

Doom (2016)

12 years passed between the third and fourth parts of Doom. It is not surprising that id Software decided to reboot the series. In fact, it returned to the original concept, but with modern technologies. And it turned out just great!

This is a classic "meat" shooter with elements of close combat. Opponents will not only have to be cut with a chainsaw, but also finished off in hand-to-hand combat. This slows down the dynamics a little, but does not spoil the feeling of the game, because most of the time you will be fighting demons with firearms. As in the previous parts of the series, the main character can carry a whole arsenal of classic weapons, from a shotgun and a machine gun to a plasma gun and the signature BFG.

Doom: The Dark Ages

In the prequel to the 2016 game, id Software added a shield and expanded the capabilities of close combat. The mechanics have really changed — we are forced to go on the defensive more often and learn to parry demon attacks. The arsenal includes both familiar guns in the spirit of a double-barreled super shotgun and a grenade launcher, and exotic ones, for example, a piercer that shoots stakes.

Parallels with Painkiller are also felt in the scenery, because we are offered to fight demons in the entourage of medieval castles and Gothic temples. And the basic gameplay was diversified by flying on dragons and controlling a heavy exoskeleton. It turned out well, but fighting on foot is still much more interesting. Also worth noting are the references to the mythology of Howard Phillips Lovecraft, which fit perfectly into the new setting.

Doom Eternal

In the direct sequel Doom (2016), the developers went for interesting experiments. Its key feature is the redesigned mechanics. Now during the battle, you will have to take into account the strengths and weaknesses of each enemy — some need to be caught on counterattacks, others should be shot with an underbarrel grenade launcher, and others should be aimed precisely at the head. Finishing off and using a chainsaw are tactical techniques that allow you to get additional ammo and first aid kits.

As a result, each battle turns into a difficult puzzle, where it is important not only to shoot accurately, but also to adhere to certain tactics. Moreover, over time, new types of enemies appear, and they arrive in local arenas in huge numbers.

Doom (1993)

The first part of the Doom series can be called the most revolutionary shooter in history. Representatives of this genre were released earlier, but it was the 1993 project from id Software that made first-person shooters popular and in demand. For many years, all shooters were called "dooms", just as diapers are now called "pampers" and SUVs are called "jeeps".

John D. Carmack came up with a technology that allowed for the creation of pseudo-3D environments and fast processing of information on not the most powerful hardware. And John Romero drew high-quality levels that used the capabilities of the id Tech 1 engine to the maximum. In addition to the single-player campaign, the game has a co-oprative mode and multiplayer, where players fight each other. For the early 90s, all this seemed like something completely new.

Of course, by 2025, Doom is noticeably outdated. However, we still recommend checking out the classics if you missed it. You can use the re-release and run it on a portable console with its small screen, which will smooth out the imperfections of the graphics. Or install the Brutal Doom mod. Thanks to it, what is happening will become even more bloody and brutal.

Doom 2: Hell on Earth

Formally, the second Doom can be considered a set of additional levels to the first part with only one new weapon — a double-barreled shotgun. However, the Hell on Earth story campaign turned out to be much better than what the 1993 original offered. You will have to fight real crowds of demons on really interesting and well-thought-out levels. At the same time, a modern player risks getting lost in the local labyrinths. But he will certainly get great pleasure when he finally understands where to go and what to do.

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And which part of the Doom series did you like the most? Share your opinions in the comments!