DOOM 4 beta gameplay surfaced, and it looks intriguing

I don’t need to tell you how much of a big deal that DOOM was when it launched back in 2016. The fourth main entry in the long-running FPS series, it brought a whole new level of blood, gore, and spectacle that enthralled players and critics. As some know, it also replaced the cancelled DOOM 4 which, to date, we’ve seen very little of.

However, we now have our first look at the game through beta footage gathered by id Software. Video game documentary producer Noclip released this footage from the development of DOOM 4 and DOOM (2016). Through these bits of gameplay, we get a sense for how both projects were evolving during development.

The DOOM 4 footage is the highlight, giving us our first real glimpse into its tone, aesthetics, and gameplay. See the footage below, courtesy of Noclip on YouTube:

Examining the DOOM 4 beta footage

Originally announced back in 2008, the fourth DOOM game was quietly cancelled at id Software in favor of another project — the one that later launched as DOOM (2016). We know very little about this version of the game, and even this new footage doesn’t reveal much. The short gameplay segments show two scenes: the Doomslayer encountering an Imp with the Super Shotgun in what looks like a flooded basement or sewer, and a quick combat reel showing the game’s melee combat.

The atmosphere present in the clips is far grimier and darker than what was released, taking a more realistic tone rather than the more stylized graphics. It’s intriguing for sure, though next to its final version, it’s far less flashy — but we obviously can’t concretely judge based on a small clip.

Noclip also released beta footage and assets from DOOM (2016), gathered straight from id Software itself. It includes tech and animation demos as well as an animatic for the intro cutscene. It’s cool stuff for any DOOM fan to check out!

What do you think of this DOOM 4 gameplay? Do you wish the game was finished? Let us know!

Via IGN.