Best Doom Games, Ranked

Doom is synonymous with multiple eras of the first-person shooter genre. While the franchise has dabbled in other media forms, Doom will always be known for its video game output, producing many titles that are considered some of the best of all time.

Since the original title was released in 1993, Doom has continued to deliver brilliance and some astounding tunes to slay to in the background. With so many titles under its belt, the series has obviously produced some games that are better than others, and these releases are surprisingly diverse. What are the best Doom games?

Updated on June 29, 2024 by Mark Sammut: A new Doom game was revealed at the 2024 Xbox Showcase, with the project supposedly debuting in 2025. Let’s take a look at what is known about Doom: The Dark Ages.

Upcoming: Doom: The Dark Ages

In June 2024, id Software revealed that the next mainline entry in the Doom franchise is in the works, with the upcoming project being called The Dark Ages. The follow-up to Doom Eternal is set to shake things up by going back to the beginning, focusing on the Demon Slayer’s origins as a warrior of a kingdom that is under siege by Hell’s army. While its content is being largely kept under wraps, the story seems set to prioritize the protagonist’s legendary rise, chronicling his transformation into Hell’s greatest enemy.

Doom Eternal received criticism for focusing a bit more on an overarching narrative than its predecessor, which some felt was an unnecessary distraction from the franchise’s selling point: relentless action. While still too early to make any claims, The Dark Ages might look to double-down on this element; conversely, the game could just throw out a quick cutscene and then drop players into a Medieval-style world filled with Demons to slay. Speaking of the latter, the prequel will incorporate fan favorites, along with a plethora of new faces that will hopefully test even veteran players. Also, the Slayer will get to step into a few different mecha, which should be a fun twist from the franchise’s norm.

At the moment, Doom: The Dark Ages does not have a release date, although it is expected to drop in 2025.

8 Mighty Doom

Metascore: 56

As the most recent entry in the franchise to release, this mobile Doom game debuted in 2023 and took a different angle by being a top-down shooter. Players take control of a chibi or cartoonish version of the slayer as they make their way through various levels in a roguelite fashion.

Out of all the Doom games, Mighty Doom has received some mixed responses from both critics and players. However, this doesn’t stop Mighty Doom from being an interesting title in its own right; especially due to it being a great way to keep players occupied until the next mainline entry drops.

7 Doom Resurrection

Metascore: 79

A mobile title, Doom Resurrection was released on iOS devices in 2009 where players were able to enjoy another spin-off of the original Doom title while using their mobile phone. In this game, players don’t take on the role of the Slayer, but instead an unnamed marine who was a survivor of the Bravo Team from the events of Doom 3.

With the assistance of the flying drone known as Sam, the player must attempt to survive in this on-rail shooter, which solves many of the problems other mobile first-person shooters have by simply limiting the movement of the player.

6 Doom 64

Metascore: 77

Returning to normality in the franchise, Doom 64 is a minor classic that was released originally in 1997 for the Nintendo 64, hence the name of the title being Doom 64. As the fourth entry in the series, Doom 64 still managed to impress players at the time of its debut, even if it was not held in as high regard as the PC originals.

This project introduced new sprites and sounds for many of the original weaponry and the first introduction of the weapon known as the Unmaker, which was originally planned for the first Doom title but never made it.

5 Doom 3

Metascore: 88

Doom 3 offers a slower-paced experience than any other project in the series, making it the only entry that could pass for survival horror. Doom 3 was essentially a restart of the entire franchise as it ignores many of the events that took part in the previous games.

Unlike most other games in the series, Doom 3 takes a more story-driven approach to its campaign, so players are more likely to encounter other NPCs. The action is intense and challenging, but an argument could be made that Doom 3 does not quite feel like a Doom game. The BFG Edition improves upon some of the base version’s issues, so any newcomers looking to give this sequel a try should go with that iteration.

4 Doom Eternal

Metascore: 88

Building upon the success of 2016’s reboot, Doom Eternal tried to change the formula more than most people probably anticipated. For one, the game places more emphasis on its story, although it can be largely ignored if someone solely wants to focus on blasting demons in the face. Along with just being satisfying, the combat is refreshingly difficult on even the lower levels since ammo is fairly scarce in Doom Eternal.

Id Software opted to expand Doom Slayer’s movement options, including the incorporation of platforming sections. These additions can be polarizing since they result in Eternal having a gameplay loop that feels quite different from 2016’s Doom, even though the core gunplay is similar.

3 Doom (1993)

Metascore: 84

It goes without saying that the original Doom is the most important and influential entry in id Software’s genre-defining franchise, and it holds up as a great game without that historical context. Starting out in this brilliant first-person shooter franchise, Doom built on previous FPS releases like Wolfenstein 3D to craft a thrill-per-second boomer shooter romp that was endlessly replayable.

The game’s core engine is so good that it was a staple of the genre for years. Players take control of the infamous character Doomguy as they fight their way through hordes of demons from Hell. While somewhat simplistic by modern standards, Doom‘s level design is still impressive, as are its satisfying weapons and enemy designs.

2 Doom 2

Metascore: 83

Continuing from the success of the original Doom, Doom 2 is another brilliant first-person shooter where players once again take control of Doomguy as they continue to slay demons from Hell. Although Doom 2 may not look graphically different from its predecessor, id Software was able to expand the game to make larger and more intricate levels. Ultimately, this change might not be a positive for everyone as it comes down to personal preference.

id Software was also able to introduce new enemy types with horrifying sprites as well as all new weapons to defeat the demons. All weapons could be used across all thirty-two levels of the game, which was a significant increase from the previous title.

1 Doom (2016)

Metascore: 87

In 2016, Doom finally saw its first major installment release since Doom 3. A reboot that launched a new era for the license, Doom not only reinvigorated id Software’s iconic property but arguably sparked a new golden era of run-and-gun first-person shooters. While retaining the spirit of the classic entries, the 2016 revival is very much its own beast with its own identity rather than just a throwback with a fresh coat of paint.

Brutal action delivered at a relentless pace, Doom offers no time for relaxation as it throws wave after wave of enemies at the Doom Slayer. Although never slow, the campaign takes a while to fully hit its stride, but when it does, there might genuinely be no better FPS on the market.