10 Brilliant Video Games That Surprised Everyone

If Wolfenstein was where first-person shooters truly began, then it was Doom that propelled them violently and gorily to stardom. Such is its universal recognition, it was even referenced in Friends. It's interesting then that while Wolfenstein has spawned a large number of sequels, spin-offs and reboots, Doom has had comparatively few.

Doom II, whilst a solid game, was essentially just more Doom. Very little had been done in terms of graphical or gameplay enhancements, and areas of improvement concerned the use of larger levels above all else. Doom 3, released 10 years later, was technically groundbreaking, but lifeless. Its simplistic AI and over-reliance on cheap jump scares in uninspired environments made for a game that was playable but forgettable. As the years passed, realistic military shooters such as Call Of Duty dominated the scene, and storytelling took centre stage. Was a franchise based on bombast and raw, aggressive gameplay, for lack of a better word, doomed?

Was it f*ck! Id's 4th entry, simply titled DOOM, ripped and tore its way onto systems in 2016, treating players to a true-blue update of Doom's original premise: to kill demons and never goddamn stop. With its unrelenting action, crushing industrial djent soundtrack and visuals stained red with fire and gore, Doom is a game so intense you'll feel both empowered and exhausted.