DOOM: 10 Of The Best WADs To Refresh The Game In 2021

Hard to imagine that it’s been almost 30 years since the original DOOM came out. This FPS classic redefined the genre in a big way by capitalizing on the underground success of Wolfenstein, and building upon it. The end product was a much more dynamic and inventive experience that influenced every single FPS title from that moment on.

The game’s charm might lie in its pixelated graphics, MIDI soundtrack and outdated gameplay, but there are plenty of reasons to beef up the game with a variety of WADS released by talented content creators. It’s wise to play these WADS with a DOOM source port like GZDoom, which offers greatly enhanced graphics, gameplay and options.

10 Brutal Doom

It’s impossible to put into words how much Brutal Doom changes the traditional experience for the better. The original vanilla game will always hold an iconic place in gaming history, but it hasn’t aged well, and that’s actually an understatement. In comparison to today’s high-octane FPS shooters, Doom feels a bit slow and plodding.

Brutal Doom brings rapid-fire action movie intensity to Doom, turning it into a visceral tour de force of blood, guts and mayhem. Weapons are beefier and more destructive, enemies behave differently and utilize new attacks, and Doom 2016-style glory kills are all the rage. Plus, it behaves well with tons of available mods, making it easy to stack.

9 Brutal Wolfenstein

It was only a matter of time before the Brutal Doom effect started to spread, and Wolfenstein ended up getting the same treatment. This is a total conversion mod that completely remakes the traditional classic Wolfenstein game within the Doom engine, while adding in the same ultra-violence and high speed gameplay as Brutal Doom.

Enhanced textures, lighting effects, weapon models and other extras help sell the game as an enhancement of the original title. In fact, it’s almost impossible to go back to vanilla Wolfenstein after playing this version. There’s even a Brutal version of Spear of Destiny for those who want the complete, classic Wolfenstein experience.

8 Hell On Earth Starter Pack

This magnificent megawad introduces players to a completely new Doom experience spread across three episodes, much like the original game. It’s comprised to 32 levels (plus 3 secret levels) that tell the story of the demon invasion from another perspective.

Players start off battling the demonic hordes on Mars, before taking it to the streets of Los Angeles, and finally, to Hell’s own doorstep. Also known as Extermination Day, this megawad is designed to work in tandem with Brutal Doom. It features new environments, textures, visual effects, voice acting, and other surprises—a lore-friendly must-have.

7 Brutal Doom 64

DOOM 64 is a lesser-known and underappreciated chapter in the Doom franchise that originally debuted on the Nintendo 64 way back in 1997. However, the game has seen a revival in recent years thanks to the runaway success of the reimagined DOOM 2016 and its sequel, DOOM Eternal. It can even be purchased on Steam.

However, modders ported the game to DOOM long ago as a total conversion megawad, and Brutal Doom 64 is one of the best versions around. As expected, it amps up the violent gameplay of the original, while remaining faithful to the original DOOM 64 mythos. With mouse freelook enabled, this is quite possibly the most accessible and definitive way to play this classic.

6 Valiant – Vaccinated Edition

It can be hard to find a great add-on wad for DOOM that delivers the goods in terms of level design and longevity, but Valiant has always been one of the best. Originally a total conversion mod featuring different enemies, the Vaccinated Edition of the mod keeps the original Doom demons, so players feel more at home.

While both versions of the mod are excellent, this edition feels seamless in relation to traditional DOOM material. It may not be exclusively lore-friendly, but players will be hard-pressed to tell the difference. It’s worth playing, just for the excellent and ingenious level designs alone.

5 UAC Ultra

Seasoned DOOM aficionados seeking a serious challenge should look no further than UAC Ultra, an 11 level wad that takes place within the bowels of the UAC’s research facility on Mars. Naturally, demonic forces have swarmed the base, and it’s up to the player to clean out the facility while keeping them away from the experimental UAC tech.

UAC Ultra is big on challenge, and that means every misstep carries with it the potential for disaster. Traps and ambushes are everywhere, so players will have to stay on their toes if they don’t want to get overwhelmed. Tactical gameplay is the key here, and that’s good news for DOOM fans who have seen and done it all.

4 TNT: Revilution

Fans of the original Doom remember two add-on packs that were released by id Software back in the day – The Plutonia Experiment, and TNT: Evilution. Both had a different style and feel designed to create a different experience, with many preferring Evilution’s more straightforward and traditional approach to level design.

This megawad was designed as a sequel to that pack, and features 32 levels of mayhem to play in. One of the standout features of this wad is the excellent soundtrack done in traditional MIDI-style, and composed by several talented individuals who expand on the original tunes with their own follow up work.

3 Zion (Doom 4 Conversion Mod)

Ever since DOOM 2016 was released, players have been scrambling to replicate the same look and feel into the original DOOM game. That’s now possible thanks to wads like Zion, which port over the weapons, sound effects and music from that game, for use with a launcher like GZDoom.

This mod overhauls the entire game by adding everything from glory kills to selectable weapon states and even DOOM 2016-inspired monster designs. It’s a one-size-fits-all wad that bathes any DOOM map in up-to-date, contemporary FPS glory, just the way the new Slayer would have wanted.

2 PS1 Sounds & Music

The original PC version of DOOM had some memorable music and sound effects that some purists might still prefer, but the PlayStation One port of the game really amped things up for the better. In addition to adding much darker and more visceral sound effects, it also swapped the MIDI rock soundtrack for a chillingly ambient one.

Many Doomers prefer this style, and it’s possible to inject both sound and music from the PS1 port into the PC version. Modder Muusi from Doomworld uploaded his personal version of the PS1 Doom sounds for download, while the music mod can be found from the ModDB page. Both transform the game’s audio in a big way.

1 Doom The Way Id Did

This WAD has been out for quite a while now, but it’s still a doozy that many DOOM gamers swear by. Essentially, DTWID is a reimagining of the original DOOM’s levels, spread across the same three chapters. It takes into account id Software’s original level design, while putting its own spin on things.

The result is a classic DOOM experience not quite like gamers remember, but still recognizable. Many elements of the original level design make it into this game, while giving gamers a completely new experience in the process. It’s worth checking out, just to see a reinterpretation of a classic.

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