Brutal Games Like Doom You Need To Play

Since the widely acclaimed Doom was released in 1993, video games have based their design around the series. Doom is a sci-fi first-person shooter that is known for being the earliest to put the genre on the map. Someone was even audacious enough to get Doom running on a McDonald’s cash register! Decades later, Doom continues to be relevant with a 2016 reboot.

In-between entries of this legendary FPS franchise, players have time to try other first-person shooters along the lines of Doom. Doom (2016) has a story that deals with the afterlife and is complicated enough that it isn’t convoluted or unnecessary. Set on the planet Mars, the protagonist Doom Slayer must endure an onslaught of demonic entities. These are brutal games like Doom fans of the franchise need to play.

Updated on May 24, 2023, by Ritwik Mitra: Doom is a legendary FPS that needs no introduction, with this series housing some of the greatest video games ever made. The original Doom was a genre-defining title that led to the boom of this genre, while the rebooted games have done a great job of adhering to the classics while also adding a new spin of their own. The allure of this series is legendary, and players who love Doom will be more than pleased with the many other titles that are just as brutal when it comes to the gameplay if not more.

25 Wolfenstein: The New Order

Another series that received a successful reboot just like Doom is Wolfenstein: The New Order. The last thing most people expected from a legendary video game series about killing Nazis was a story-driven experience, so it’s genuinely impressive just how high-budget and exciting The New Order’s narrative really is.

The balance between story and gameplay was perfect, and many fans felt like the sequel put too much emphasis on the story while adding repetitive side missions that didn’t feel all that fresh. Players who want to see what a good video game reboot is all about should definitely play Wolfenstein: The New Order.

24 Dusk

The rise of indie gaming has led to the development of several titles that have tried to capture the magic of retro FPS titles, with Dusk being one such game. It is developed by the man behind indie breakouts like Iron Lung and Rust, David Szymanski.

Dusk is a fun Lovecraftian-themed FPS where players battle several nightmarish horrors as they uncover the mystery surrounding the eponymous rural town. The gunplay is tough yet engaging, and players really have to hone their skills to get through the tougher sections of this game unscathed.

23 Ion Fury

After Bombshell turned out to be a critical and commercial failure, it’s genuinely impressive that the developers didn’t give up on this IP, as is the norm with most other video game flops in gaming’s modern era. This time, instead of a top-down shooter approach, Ion Fury took on a classic first-person approach that ended up paying dividends.

Ion Fury was a fun game in every way and a title that fans of Doom and Duke Nukem 3D should check out. The fact that the voice actor of Duke himself appears as the main villain is a testament to how well this title understands its target demographic.

22 Ghostrunner

Ghostrunner is a fast-paced first-person action-platformer hybrid that will scratch the itch of many players who love hardcore gameplay. Dodging attacks in midair and killing enemies in a cool and brutal manner is one of the biggest draws of this title that never ceases to be engaging.

While Ghostrunner doesn’t feature any shooting gameplay, most fans of Doom won’t mind after seeing just how cool this game really is. Surpassing a challenge after struggling for ages makes for a great time indeed and is one of the biggest draws of this title’s addictive gameplay loop.

21 Ultrakill

While Ultrakill is still in Early Access, the game has still attracted many fans who love what’s on offer in this title. The game’s retro-inspired gameplay will be perfect for fans of Doom who want to enjoy an FPS in the same vein.

The two Acts of this game have been met with rave reviews, with both fans and critics loving the brutality of the gameplay on offer. The final release will feature the full campaign — something that ardent fans simply can’t wait for.

20 Soldier Of Fortune 2

For a game that was released in 2002, it’s genuinely amazing to see just how fleshed out the gore systems of Soldier of Fortune 2 really were. Players could shoot enemies at various parts of their bodies to kill them in a myriad of ways.

Some of these deaths were extremely brutal, with players being able to hit different parts of a dead body and watch these areas react realistically to the bullets being aimed their way. It was an extremely violent game that has become a cult classic of sorts nowadays.

19 Postal 2

The phrase “going Postal” has become pretty popular, and fans have this game to thank for that. At a glance, Postal 2 doesn’t seem like the most revolutionary game around, but it’s when players start messing around in the game that they truly find out the depths of their character’s depravity.

Postal 2 is a highly controversial game that doesn’t shy away from violence. While the problematic nature of this game is up for debate, there’s no denying that the game is extremely violent and lets players kill off enemies in the most creative — and sometimes hilarious — ways.

18 Hell Let Loose

This multiplayer tactical first-person shooter might not let players run rampant with their guns, but the degree of violence in this game is pretty intense. This makes it a great candidate for brutal games like Doom.

Hell Let Loose might not be the most popular shooter around, but managing to play a single game will let players witness the true carnage of war indeed. The gore here might be overt, but it’s not for show and serves a purpose. The horrors of war are not something to be glorified, and Hell Let Loose personifies this statement to a T.

17 Unreal Tournament: Game Of The Year Edition

Unreal Tournament is one of the most beloved and revolutionary first-person shooters. Racking up kills as the narrator commends the player at every step of the way is nothing short of an absolute blast.

The Game of the Year Edition is easily the best version of this game, featuring some amazing content and great gunplay that still holds up to this day. This fast-paced arena shooter was so popular that most people still don’t think this game has been topped to this day.

16 Serious Sam 4

The Serious Sam series is one of the most underrated FPS franchises around, allowing players to adopt classic run-and-gun tactics as they shoot down wave upon wave of otherworldly enemies. For the longest time, players assumed that Serious Sam would end its legacy as a trilogy of games.

So, these people were pleasantly surprised to hear the announcement of a fourth game in the series. It’s a great title that combines the old-school gameplay of the series with modern improvements to make for the best Serious Sam experience that longtime fans absolutely loved.

15 Bulletstorm

While Bulletstorm plays out closer to a modern military shooter than a classic ’90s romp, it certainly does not hold back when it comes to creative kills. With an enjoyable over-the-top narrative that presents countless opportunities to tear enemies apart, Bulletstorm balances a decent selection of guns with an energy leash that is an absolute blast to use.

A downside to Bulletstorm is that it does not offer too great of a challenge, even at its highest difficulty. Therefore, this is one game that allows players to brutally demolish fodder enemies without the constant fear that the same will happen in reverse. Also, Duke Nukem is in some versions.

14 Devil Daggers

This 2016 indie game strips down the classic FPS experience to its bare minimum. Dropped into an arena that forever fills with spawning mobs, the goal is to survive for as long as possible while taking out hundreds of enemies.

It is a simple concept that works brilliantly due to Devil Daggers’ responsive and frantic gameplay. This is one of those titles that makes the basic acts of moving and shooting fun while ensuring players never have a moment’s rest. Once a session is underway and a rhythm is established, Devil Daggers can be cathartic.

13 Blood

Anyone fond of Doom’s earliest games should feel right at home with 1997’s Blood, which was remastered in 2019 as Blood: Fresh Supply. Caleb is a gunslinger out for revenge against the god Tchernobog, and his quest involves plenty of gore, humor, and inventive weaponry.

Blood is one of the best shooters of the ’90s, even if it never quite garnered the same reputation as Doom or Quake. As far as old-school shooters are concerned, this one is difficult to beat.

12 Hard Reset

Sometimes, there is nothing more satisfying than ceaseless carnage. Hard Reset does not pretend to be anything sophisticated or deep; the point is to simply destroy everything that moves en route to the end of a level. This proves to be rather difficult to accomplish as Hard Reset eventually begins to throw full armies at the player, crafting an energetic symphony of explosions, corpses, and electricity.

Hard Reset features a unique upgrade system revolving around two weapons, although everything else screams “’90s shooter.”

11 Painkiller: Black Edition

Shooters just love to pit rough heroes against the forces of hell. Painkiller: Black Edition features 2004’s base game and one of its expansions, “Battle Out of Hell,” which combine to create 34 levels of exhilarating FPS mayhem. After diving headfirst into a truck, Daniel Garner wakes up in Purgatory and learns that his wife has made it to Heaven. Naturally, Daniel sets out on a journey.

Painkiller features diverse settings, a small pool of versatile weapons, and an impressive assortment of enemies; more importantly, it is incredibly fun to play.

10 Remnant: From the Ashes

Remnant: From The Ashes is one of the most overwhelming games of 2019. Inspired by Dark Souls, it is a third-person shooter that offers a new kind of challenge to players. With its dark themes, including demonic entities, Remnant may have also been inspired by Doom.

It may not be as violent as Doom, but there’s more than one reason why Remnant: From The Ashes received an M for mature rating; it contains strong language, blood, and violence. If players want a break from Doom Eternal, this game will keep them occupied in the meantime.

9 Unreal Tournament 3

Although the Unreal Tournament series isn’t the first example of a first-person franchise shooter, it is one of the earliest. From Epic Games, the same developer who created games like Gears of War and Fortnite, Unreal Tournament 3 is available on platforms such as Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

It’s one of the first games to make use of the Unreal Engine, a widely popular game engine used in a variety of games today. The most recent Unreal Engine is Unreal Engine 4, which is used for games like Ark: Survival Evolved, Dragon Ball FighterZ, Gears 5, Kingdom Hearts 3, Minecraft: Dungeons, and Sea of Thieves.

8 Quake Champions

For longer than most people can remember, Quake has been closely linked with Doom for being one of the earliest examples of a first-person shooter. Quake Champions was developed by id Software, the same development company behind Doom. Quake Champions was released in 2017.

Given the popularity of Doom, it seems that Quake has been overshadowed in recent years. Quake Champions is a free-to-play PC exclusive, so there is little preventing people from jumping into the game today. Quake Champions is the first Quake game to release since 2005’s Quake 4.

7 Halo 5: Guardians

Many people’s first reaction would be to say that Halo 5: Guardians and Doom are not alike. The first obvious argument would be to say that both Halo 5: Guardians and Doom are similar because they are both first-person shooter games. Halo has evolved into a game that is more and more like Doom.

The multiplayer in particular is very similar to Doom with both games using character classes with similar customization. Their campaigns might be very different, but it looks like 343 Industries has taken a step towards Doom with their latest Halo.

6 Crysis

When Crysis was released, its graphics were among the best we’ve ever seen. Photorealistic graphics combined with heart-racing first-person combat made Crysis a must-play. There have been three Crysis games in total. This revered franchise should introduce new games to the series since there is undoubtedly a demand for them.

It’s comparable to Doom because they are both futuristic first-person shooting games. The fast-paced nature of Crysis is another reason why it’s akin to Doom. It’s a good option to check out while players are waiting for the next Doom game.