Opinion: Every Doom Game, Ranked From Worst to Best

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The Doom franchise has long been a highly influential series that keeps reshaping our ideas of what a first-person shooter should feel like. The original 1993 video game starring the hunky Slayer set a benchmark for 3D shooters, and the modern Doom games continue to push graphics and performance on consoles and PCs.

For many, the Doom games act as a benchmarking tool to test their latest displays, but they’re also solid shooters and extremely fun. “Rip and tear!” is the unofficial motto of the series, and some games exude that feeling more than others. Developer id Software recently revealed the first extended look at Doom: The Dark Ages, which takes the Slayer to medieval times. Before we dive into the Slayer’s early years, it’s time to take a retrospective look at his storied history.

Here is every Doom game ranked from worst to best.

Mighty Doom

Doom is a first-person shooter first and foremost. Changing that camera perspective changes the entire feel of a Doom game, and that’s exactly what Mighty Doom does with its top-down camera. Maybe it helps id Software sell more Doom Slayer plushies, but it’s probably not what John Carmack and John Romero had in mind for the brutish hero. You lose all sense of dread and machismo, which takes away from the point of the franchise. Mighty Doom is a serviceable mobile game, but the change of perspective and poisonous mobile game monetization harm the franchise.

Final Doom

Final Doom was a quasi-sequel to Doom II but it didn’t add enough elements to justify its existence. While there are 32 new levels along with new episodes, it felt more like an extra chapter to Doom rather than an actual expansion. No new monsters, no new weapons, just more mazes to mash through. It’s just more Doom for the sake of having more Doom.

Doom 64

Doom 64 is, like Final Doom, a quasi-sequel/spinoff of the original game. It has a few tricks up its sleeve, like improved colors, prettier levels, and new sound effects. However, the game is still largely the same. Thankfully, the game’s eerie tone does much of the heavy lifting, and its moody lighting helps it stand out from the rest.

Doom 3 (2004)

Turning Doom into a horror game was a bold move and for the most part, it works. Doom 3 is like taking the Slayer and dropping him into an Alien movie. I appreciate the bold swing at offering a new tone, though your mileage may vary on how well its systems and atmosphere come together. Doom is all about a macho, heavy-metal power fantasy, and I can’t help but feel Doom 3 doesn’t add to it. Its industrial-level design was claustrophobic, which isn’t what I associate with Doom following the 2016 reboot.

Doom (1993)

Who can forget the original Doom? This is the one that birthed an entirely new genre of shooters, and we all look back on it with a lot of nostalgia. Unfortunately, the game itself doesn’t hold up as well when replaying it today. What seemed like innovative movement mechanics in 3D is stifled by repetitive, confusing level design with its monotonous mazes. It doesn’t feel as fast as its successors, but it’s hard to blame it. Doom (1993) is a marvelous, bloody shooter that has earned its place in the history books. It’s just that I don’t want to pick up that book again.

Doom II: Hell on Earth

Two words: super shotgun. Doom II is a much-improved sequel to the original, answering nearly every critique of the first game with better combat design. Its shootouts feel punchier, the levels are bigger and non-linear, and we’ve got new enemies to fight.

Doom Eternal

Doom Eternal is the faster, meaner, more agile big brother of Doom (2016). It’s everything the Doom reboot is, but more of it. That’s not always a good thing. Many fans did not love the increased focus on platforming, which detracts from the more meatier, grounded nature of the Slayer’s movements. Still, Doom Eternal gave us larger levels and frenetic action, and it’s always a great (read: dread-inducing) time when battling the Doom Hunter.

Doom (2016)

2016’s reboot of Doom is one of the greatest games of the modern era. It’s a true reboot, changing the lore and tone of the franchise without losing its essence. The glory kill mechanic has since become an iconic staple of the series, and it’s hard to imagine how we did without it for all these years. Doom (2016) is one of the fastest-moving FPS games you’ll ever play.

To quote Rorschach from Watchmen as he’s thrown inside a prison: “I’m not locked in here with you. You’re locked in here with me!”. That’s what it feels like to step into the boots of the Slayer in this game. Of course, true fans know that the real star of the show was Mick Gordon’s adrenaline-pumping soundtrack, which elevates every level of the game to unparalleled heights.

Honorable Mention: Doom VFR

Technically, Doom VFR is not a new game, but a VR extension of 2016’s reboot. It does an excellent job at taking the player and transporting them into the humongous boots of the Slayer. Controlling the Slayer feels glorious, but actually being him hits differently. With the proper VR setup, you’ll feel the heat of dashing through demons in hell. It might take a while to get used to the controls, but once you do, it’ll be hard to go back to regular shooters.

Doom: The Dark Ages releases on May 15, 2025, on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5.