John Romero once said that the goal of Doom was to be the fastest game on the planet. He wasn't lying. Even now, thirty years after the shareware floppies started circulating, the movement speed in Doom feels like you’re sliding on buttered lightning. It’s relentless. It’s loud. Most importantly, it’s still the blueprint for every single first-person shooter you’ve ever played. But things changed recently.
Bethesda and id Software decided to stop messing around with separate ports and mashed everything together into the Doom 1 + Doom 2 enhanced bundle. This isn't just a lazy ROM dump. It’s a massive, sprawling collection that finally respects the legacy of the Slayers.
People think they know Doom. They think they’ve seen it all because they played E1M1 on a pregnancy test or a refrigerator. Honestly, though? Most players haven't scratched the surface of what the community has built over the last three decades. This new release tries to bridge that gap by bringing high-level PC modding features to consoles and modern desktops without making you jump through hoops.
The KEX Engine Upgrade is the Real Star
Why do we need another version of these games? Simple. Stability. For years, if you wanted to play Doom on a modern PC, you had to mess with "source ports" like GZDoom or DSDA-Doom. If you were on a console, you were stuck with whatever bare-bones version was on the storefront.
Nightdive Studios stepped in with their KEX Engine. This is the same tech they used to remaster Quake and Turok. It’s basically a wrapper that lets the original code breathe on modern hardware. You get 4K resolution, 120Hz support, and—this is the big one—multithreaded rendering.
Doom was originally designed to run on a single-core CPU in 1993. Modern computers have dozens of threads. By allowing the game to utilize more power, the developers have made it possible to play "slaughter maps"—levels with thousands of monsters on screen at once—without the frame rate dropping to a slideshow. It’s smooth. It feels right.
What’s Actually in the Doom 1 + Doom 2 Bundle?
It’s a lot. You aren't just getting the two base games.
You get The Ultimate Doom, which includes the fourth episode, Thy Flesh Consumed. Then there’s Doom 2, obviously. But then the list keeps going. Final Doom (TNT Evilution and The Plutonia Experiment) is included. You get the Master Levels for Doom 2. They even threw in Sigil, the unofficial fifth episode created by John Romero himself in 2019.
But the "Legacy of Rust" is the actual news here. This is a brand-new episode created by id Software, Nightdive, and MachineGames. It’s the first "official" content added to the Doom lore in a very long time that actually uses the original engine’s logic.
Breaking Down the New Content
The Legacy of Rust isn't just a map pack; it introduces new demons and weapons that were previously only found in the deep archives of id Software’s developmental cutting room floor. You’ve got the Incinerator, which is basically a flamethrower that doesn't suck. You’ve also got the Calamity Blade, a weapon that feels like it belongs in a modern "Boomer Shooter" but fits perfectly within the lo-fi aesthetic of 1994.
The maps in this new episode are mean. They are designed for people who have been playing Doom for twenty years. If you go in thinking it's going to be a walk in the park like the first few levels of Knee-Deep in the Dead, you're going to get flattened by a Mancubus within five minutes.
The Soundtrack Controversy and the Solution
Purists are weird about music. In the original 90s releases, Bobby Prince composed a MIDI soundtrack that borrowed heavily from bands like Pantera and Alice in Chains. It’s iconic. It’s also very "beep-boop" by today's standards.
In Doom 1 + Doom 2, you can choose. You can stick with the original MIDI. Or, you can switch to the Andrew Hulshult arrangements. Hulshult is a legend in the modern retro-shooter scene. He took the original tracks and re-recorded them with actual instruments—heavy guitars, thumping drums, the whole bit.
It changes the vibe. Suddenly, the game feels less like a relic and more like a modern metal album you can play through. Some people hate it. They think it loses the "crunchy" charm of the 386 PC era. Honestly? Having the option is what matters. Switching between them in the menu takes two seconds.
Cross-Play and the Deathmatch Renaissance
Doom invented deathmatch. Literally. The term was coined by John Romero. For the longest time, playing Doom multiplayer online was a nightmare of IPX protocols and third-party launchers like Zandronum.
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Now, it’s just... there.
You can play 16-player deathmatch across PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch. It has cross-play. This is huge for the longevity of the game. You can hop into a lobby and find a game in seconds. They also added a modern "deathmatch" weapon pickup system so you aren't just getting spawn-killed by some guy who found the Plasma Gun five minutes ago.
It’s chaotic. It’s messy. It’s exactly what multiplayer felt like in 1994, just without the telephone cords stretching across the hallway.
Modding is No Longer Just for PC Nerds
The Doom community is the most productive hobbyist group in history. There are tens of thousands of maps out there. Previously, if you were a console player, you were locked out of that.
The new bundle includes an in-game mod browser. It’s modeled after the one in Skyrim and Fallout 4. Authors can upload their "WADs" (Where's All the Data—the file format for Doom levels) and you can download them directly to your console.
This means you can play Eviternity, Ancient Aliens, or Myhouse.wad (if they get ported over) right on your big screen. This effectively gives the game infinite replayability. You aren't just buying two games; you're buying a portal to thirty years of community creativity.
Why Does Doom Still Feel Good?
There is a concept in game design called "game feel." Doom has it in spades.
Everything is projectile-based. You can see the fireballs coming at you. You can dodge them. It’s a dance. Modern "hitscan" games where you just get shot instantly by an invisible bullet feel stiff in comparison. In Doom, you are constantly circling, prioritizing targets, and managing your "infighting"—the mechanic where monsters accidentally hit each other and start fighting amongst themselves.
It’s a strategy game disguised as a bloodbath.
The lack of a "look up or down" mechanic in the original engine (it’s simulated here) means you only worry about the horizontal plane. It sounds limiting. In practice, it makes the game incredibly fast. You don't have to aim precisely at a head; you just have to point in the general direction and let the buckshot do the work.
Misconceptions About the "Enhanced" Version
Some people think this is a remake. It’s not. It’s an enhancement.
The sprites are still 2D. The walls are still low-resolution textures. If you’re looking for Doom Eternal graphics, you’re in the wrong place. However, the lighting has been improved. The way light flickers in a dark hallway now has a smoothness that wasn't possible on a DOS machine.
There's also a misconception that this replaces the versions people already bought. If you owned the previous versions of Doom 1 or 2 on Steam or GOG, you generally got this as a free update. Bethesda didn't pull a "double dip" move here, which is surprisingly consumer-friendly for a major publisher in 2026.
The ID24 Initiative
The developers also introduced a new standard called "ID24." This is a technical specification for modders. It’s basically a way to tell the game, "Hey, use these specific new features without breaking the old ones." It’s an attempt to unify the modding scene so that a map made today will work perfectly on both a high-end PC and a Nintendo Switch. It’s a bit technical, but for the health of the game, it’s the most important thing they did.
How to Get the Most Out of Doom 1 + Doom 2
If you're jumping in for the first time, or the first time in a decade, don't just play the first episode and quit.
- Check the Featured Mods: Go to the mod browser immediately. Look for the "Cacowards" winners. These are the Oscars of the Doom world. If a mod has won a Cacoward, it’s better than most professional games released today.
- Turn off Vertical Aiming: If you want the "true" experience, disable the modern aiming. Use the "auto-aim" that targets enemies above or below you automatically. It sounds like cheating, but it’s how the levels were designed to be played.
- Try the Vault: The bundle includes a "Vault" with original concept art and discarded assets. It’s a museum piece. You can see the original clay models they scanned to make the demons.
- Change the Soundtrack: If the music feels too dated, switch to the Hulshult tracks. It’ll make the hair on your arms stand up.
Doom isn't a retro game anymore. With this bundle, it’s a living, breathing platform. It’s the definitive way to experience the foundation of the genre. You can see the DNA of Halo, Call of Duty, and Cyberpunk in these pixelated corridors.
The reality is that Doom 1 + Doom 2 is probably the best value in gaming right now. You get hundreds of hours of official content and thousands of hours of community content for the price of a lunch. It’s fast, it’s violent, and it’s still the king.
Actionable Steps for New and Returning Slayers
To get the best experience out of this new release, follow these specific steps:
- Update your drivers: Even though it’s an old game, the KEX engine uses modern Vulkan and DirectX 12 APIs. Ensure your GPU is ready for the 4K output.
- Explore the "Legacy of Rust" last: This new campaign is significantly harder than the original episodes. Build your muscle memory on Doom 2 first before tackling the new demons.
- Set up a Bethesda.net account: You’ll need this to access the cross-platform mod browser and play online. It's a one-time setup that unlocks the "infinite" part of the game.
- Check the Accessibility Options: This version includes high-contrast modes and text-to-speech for the first time. If you’ve struggled with the game’s visual clarity in the past, these toggles are life-changers.
- Map your "Quick Save": In Doom, death comes fast. Map your quick-save and quick-load buttons to something easy to reach. You’re going to need them in the later levels of Plutonia.