#hell art

I’ll always die on the hill that doom makes a much better horror game than an action game.

Finding yourself in an unfamiliar space station when the portal transportation experimentations go so wrong that space and the fabric of the universe itself is perverted similar to Event Horizon and it starts merging our world with literal Hell to the point where space station walls become as living flesh; fused together faces of the damned with incomprehensibly horrified expressions of fear the human mind was never equipped to handle start being transmitted on the computer screens or appearing outside the space station windows; or when the floors of the UAC facility start to flood with an endless supply of blood which seems to flow from the very walls and pipes themselves.

Not to mention the mind bendingly surreal way in which, bit by bit, gradually over the course of levels, the space station aspect of the game starts slowly being replaced by more infernal architecture; windows glimpsing into rooms full of countless skulls, disembodied eyes look on, floating above black candles; and grotesque carvings of faces of pure malice and hate smile down at you with expressions in stone which seem to be older than time itself. There is an oppressively disturbing gloom I feel from levels like “The Spirit World” where you eventually find yourself in the full blown deepest depths of hell and you realize there is no return

I also love when the nature of hell seems to morph and graft itself onto the technology and landscapes of our world as space and reality seem to malfunction, such as the exit switch for doom 2’s “Circle of Death” or the intricate network of pipes and wires to which the icon of sin is attached

Idk. I just think all these cool concepts and art are completely wasted on it being focused on action rather than fear. Tho I know both the creators and like 100% of the fans would disagree. I just feel horror is a pretty obvious direction for the series, personally. Like Aubrey Hodges soundtrack for doom 64 is the perfect soundtrack for these games. It’s so fun to have it on in the background while playing doom 3 and imagining you’re actually there

Also, I hear the newer doom games don’t even have secrets. Nothing gets me harder than finding secrets when it comes to video games. I’d be so disappointed if that’s true