Doom mod news and other retro games

It's strange to think that once upon a time, Duke Nukemâ€"Johnny Bravo's sleazier cousin and poster child for videogame violenceâ€"was a cornerstone of gaming culture. No matter how inappropriate, he could be found on any and all platforms, from the original monochrome Game Boy to N64 and beyond.



Time-travel misadventure Duke Nukem: D-Day (alternatively 'Man of Valor') was going to be the big man's first outing on PlayStation 2, developed by now-defunct studio n-Space, makers of two PS1 games in the series. Despite being reportedly close to finished, the game got canned and never saw the light of day. Until now, as a 2001 prototype build featuring 12 playable levels leaked onto the Internet Archive today.

The kind soul that uploaded this prototype says that an unserious person might consider this version "90% complete". And they'd be right, in that there's technically a lot of game here, but it's obviously unfinished. What we've got here is still an interesting bit of history, both thematically and in the art preservation sense.

While there's no cutscenes or voicework in this version, it seems to contain all the key action beats, albeit in somewhat skeletal form. Duke starts out in a contemporary strip club (of course) before going back in time to battle the Third Reich and their alien allies on the beaches of Normandy, eventually culminating in storming the alien mothership in the Antarctic. Not quite as fanciful as the earlier Duke Nukem: Time To Kill (which saw Duke hopping all over time and space), but shooting Nazis never gets old.



The controls feel like a hangover from the PS1 pre-dual-analogue era, with the left stick turning and running, shoulder buttons strafing and face buttons letting you shoot, jump and do a Max Payne-esque sideways dive to evade fire from an assortment of Nazi troopers and their reptilian alien pals. Weapon drops are few and far between in this prototype too, although Duke's infinite-ammo golden Desert Eagle seems to solve most problems, and fires as fast as you can mash the button. While much of the meat of the game seems to be in place, it's raw and lacking in connective tissue. In short, in this state, this isn't a game to be played casually, but it's great to see something previously thought lost made accessible.



You'll obviously need either a PS2 capable of running third-party software (mine is sadly in a dusty storage box somewhere) or an emulator like PCSX2 to play this prototype. I couldn't quite find the optimal emulator settings to make it play nice, so many textures (including skyboxes) were a glitchy mess, but it was playable enough. This being an early prototype, n-Space kindly left a bunch of debug tools accessible, including the option to hop straight to any of the levels, so you can get a good look at what they were cooking without too much effort.



The uploader also mentions that the game was in development all the way until 2003, meaning that there could, somewhere, be a much more finished and polished version of D-Day just waiting to be unearthed. Fingers crossed that it doesn't take another 24 years to dig that version up, too.

A new update has made several improvements to the game. The audio mix is now better balanced between music and sound effects. For the best experience, players are encouraged to reset audio settings to default.



In Atlan missions, health drops now disappear faster. Sprint effects are turned off during auto-sprint. Some previous gameplay tuning changes are now permanent.



Atlan combat is more flexible. After using a Finisher, players can now use the previous one again. This allows for longer combos and more strategy. Dragon combat is faster, and the Autocannon stays empowered longer. Empowered shots can now pass through shields after a perfect dodge.



Many combat encounters have been updated. New enemies were added in places like the Village of Khalim, Hebeth, and the Holy City of Aratum. Some fights have been rebalanced or had enemies replaced or added.

Patch Notes

VR gaming YouTuber Bearded Banjo got early access to the new VR mod and said, 'IT. IS. INTENSE! It's fast, frantic, and can totally overwhelm you at times.' The mod drops you into a stunning 3D world that feels full-scale and super immersive. It supports head tracking and aiming with your head, but heads up-no motion controls here. You'll need to use a gamepad to play

In another Patreon update, Ross gave an update on AMD compatibility. "So these past few weeks I've been messing around on the Red side (that's AMD-not China)," he said. "I'm excited to say we've now got a solid fix for the shimmering issue-no NVIDIA card needed!



He gave a shoutout to a third-party tool called OptiScaler, made by cdozdil. Ross explained that OptiScaler lets AMD users swap in FSR for DLSS in most games that support it. "As far as the game knows, it's still using DLSS," he said. "That means my R.E.A.L. VR mod can step in, clean up the disocclusions, and make everything work in stereoscopic 3D. So the annoying shimmer around objects and NPCs? Gone.



The mod is available on his Patreon for folks who subscribe to the $10-per-month "VR Friend" tier. That tier also gives you access to all his past VR work, like mods for Elden Ring, Marvel's Spider-Man, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Dark Souls, and Death Stranding.

John has played dusk this friday the 23th of may, be sure to watch this stream.



Next friday he will play another stream, choosing between Amalgoom, Doom the Dark ages and half life 2, you can also cast your vote on the John's discord channel

Since DOOM: The Dark Ages just came out on PS5, we thought it'd be fun to look back at id Software's series and see how its gameplay has changed over the past 30 years.From the blocky graphics of the original 1993 release to the insanely detailed hellscapes of the reboot trilogy, this classic "boomer shooter" never stays in one place for long. Check out an eight-minute video on Push Square's YouTube channel to see it all in action.

Commander Keen: Aliens Ate My Babysitter!



Long before id Software, Romero was tinkering with DOS platformers and Commander Keen is his earliest star. You play as Billy "Commander Keen" Blaze, rocketing between quirky alien landscapes on a pogo stick, blasting "shikadi" bugs with your trusty raygun. The level design is deceptively simple and flat plains give way to tricky jumps, hidden passages, and the occasional deadly spike pit. Along the way you are on a rescue mission to save your babysitter from the clutches of the Vorticons, all wrapped in cheeky humor and catchy chiptune tunes. It is a pure, unfiltered taste of Romero's knack for pacing and surprise.

Wolfenstein 3D



Romero's breakout tech demo with id laid the groundwork for every first-person shooter that followed. You burst through secret doors in a Nazi stronghold, grabbing pistols and crossbows before upgrading to dual Uzi pistols and the almighty chain gun. The tension is constant as you never know when the next dog or guard will round the corner. It is deceptively barebones but those sterile gray corridors and pounding soundtrack drilled a new standard for immersion and speed. Plus, discovering hidden rooms stuffed with treasure or the coveted gold bars never got old.

DOOM



Here is where Romero's level design genius truly roared to life. You are dropped onto Mars' moons armed with only a pistol and then sent headlong through hellish bases overrun by demons. Each map is a tight, interconnected maze of secret passages, ammo caches, and deadly ambush points that force you to keep moving. Romero's love of verticality means you are often blasting baddies from below or leaping over pits of lava. When the metal soundtrack kicks in you feel pure adrenaline.

DOOM II: Hell on Earth



After conquering Hell's moons, Romero and the team unleashed chaos on the very streets of Earth. The Super Shotgun debuts here as a two-barrel beast that turns demons into giblets in two blasts. Levels balloon in size, weaving outdoor cityscapes with claustrophobic factories and labyrinthine underpasses. Romero peppers in puzzle-like areas where you backtrack to unlock new paths, keeping you on your toes. It is familiar enough for DOOM veterans but fresh enough to feel like a brand-new descent into madness.

Quake



Quake marked id's leap into full 3D and Romero's maps embraced the freedom it offered. You navigate gothic castles lit by flickering torches, strobe-lit industrial corridors, and mossy underground caverns. Enemies spring from every shadow and rocket-jumping became a legit tactic, letting you reach secret ledges or dodge incoming fire. Romero's signature wink is here in environmental storytelling with half-buried skeletons, blood-splattered walls, and cryptic runes that hint at a darker lore. It is moody, it is echoing, and every firefight feels weighty.

John Romero's Daikatana



Daikatana's reputation maybe precedes it, but strip away the hype and you've got an ambitious time-traveling shooter/RPG hybrid. You recruit sidekicks from eras like feudal Japan or a cyberpunk future, each with unique skills that reshape how you tackle levels. Romero packed in branching paths and multiple objectives-sometimes you're hunting dinosaurs, other times you're storming a World War II base. The weapon roster is wild: grenade-launching samurai swords, freeze guns, and more. It's rough around the edges, but you can see Romero daring to blend genres long before it was cool.

Dangerous Dave: Dave Goes Nutz



This proto-id platformer is Romero's sandbox for tight DOS era design. Dave scampers through themed rooms such as gardens, castles, and dungeons, snagging coins, avoiding spikes, and dodging fireballs. The controls are crisp as jumps feel weighty yet responsive and let you pull off precise maneuvers that feel earned. There is no save or pause so one slip sends you back to the start of the level, which makes each success all the sweeter. It is simple, charming, and a clear forebear of the sweet spot between challenge and fairness that defines Romero's later work.

Picture a dark, medieval world packed with bizarre tech and straight-up Lovecraftian monsters. Quake was all about the first-person shooter vibe, built from the ground up for the mouse so you could fully dive into its 3D world. Unlike Doom, Quake's engine actually delivered real-time 3D graphics. And by optimizing gameplay with pre-processed, pre-rendered backdrops, it cut down on the lag that was common back then.

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Doom humblebundle is up atm, you can get 15 games for a low price ??. It's up for grabs for another 9 hours though-sorry I was late :D

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The new trailer for Doom The Dark Ages is out. Are you excited to play, or do you prefer classic Doom still? I'm leaning toward the latter, but I'm still gonna play the new Doom as well.

Another update video for the Duke Nukem voxel mod by Cheello-it's coming along nicely. Great job on the pig tank, Cheello ??

A different take on vanilla with some minor QoL changes such as making melee weapons worth using.

Also speeding up some weapons and slowing and fleshing out the role of others...

Download Link

d1554573r from the QuakeOne forum decided to show up after 15 years and upscale the monster textures in Quake. Even though I prefer the original crispy look, this AI upscaler actually looks pretty good so far.

Photo link

Just a really fun Brutal Doom mod: punch combos, grenade throws, and more.

Other highlights:
- Easy combos: ten finish-combo moves, shown in the JD FAQ on the main menu.
- Jump kicks: press kick while airborne for an extra attack.
- Radio 'weapon': call in a backup marine who joins the fight and even delivers movie quotes (over 100 nostalgia tracks!).
- One-stop mod pack: NC HUD, SmoothDoom weapons, Project Brutality variants, voxel support, scavenger items, SpriteShadow, and the JP health bar all built in. Toggle between vanilla and JD gear anytime without losing ammo.
- JPoints system: earn points for every kill. Melee and explosions earn big scores; fill your gauge to enter MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE, then press J for a random power-up (exploding headshots, no-reload mode, Hellfire missiles, Rip & Tear fists, plasma shotgun, etc.).
- Vanilla perks: double damage, life steal, super speed, damage reflection, and health regen.

Everything is configured in the JD options menu so you can tweak to your liking. Enjoy tearing up Doom with Johnny Doom's over-the-top finishers and power-ups! Definitely one of my favorite mods.

Download Link

Abyssal Marine, a doom gameplay mod about being in power armor and shooting big guns!"

This is a nice mod where you are basically a spacemarine, it's very well done. I tried it myself it has a lot of nice extra features, you can instantly use a flamethrower or extra guns. The sounds are great as well. Monsters have been changed as well.

Download Link

John Romero is playing myhouse.wad again this time going more in in depth. Be sure to watch this very cool stream

New video from Cheello, the duke nukem voxel pack is coming along nicely. Be sure to support this man on his patreon. He's doing a great job.

Patreon Link

So what does this mod offer?

It adds cool Terminator weapons like the Winchester, SPAS-12 and Uzi 9mm. Your melee attacks are now super strong - you can one-shot Zombiemen, Shotgunners, Imps and Chaingunners. Shotguns and automatic guns require reloading for a more tactical feel. You can trigger Terminator one-liners during fights by using the Taunt key, and you can customize it in the menu. The mod works with tons of monster mods and map packs such as The Hotel: Lost Contact and AfterDoom, and there's an optional patch for The Hotel coming soon. Plus, you get a phased plasma rifle with a 40-watt range to fry your enemies.

Download Link

Doom Comic 96 is a mod that brings a wee bit harder gameplay, remade weapons (with secondary actions), a bit more of blood, a new color palette, new hud and things that adds to the fun factor, all this with aesthetics based on the comic.

Fist: Faster and deadlier, but needs skill.
Primary: Left jab, fast,
Secondary: Right punch is slower and makes you dash forward, but if you do a left jab again, you'll do a super punch doing x3 damage. Yes, that includes berserker pack.

Chainsaw: primary does a slash attack that gets stuck on enemies doing high DPS, perfect for pinkies.
Secondary is the traditional attack, the great communicator.

Pistol: Primary is accurate and slow, but with 50% critical chance,
Secondary is fast with very low accuracy and no critical chance. Spray n' pray. (Rifle replacement addon ready)

Shotgun: Primary has more spread, more pellets (00 buckshot) and a bit more damage.
Secondary is a quick boot-to-the-face, with high chance to send enemies far away, it depends on how big is the monster.

Supershotgun: Primary fires both barrels, high damage and spread.
Secondary fires each barrel with less spread per shot. You can reload if you click primary before firing the second barrel.
Auto reload after firing both barrels.

Chaingun: Primary has high damage with stunlock capabilities.
Secondary is a melee attack that makes the barrel spin very fast, perfect for stunlocking enemies till death, low damage, a weak alternative to the chainsaw. Also, empty animation.

Rocketlauncher: Primary is a faster rocket.
Secondary shoots a heat seeking rocket, good for corners, do it with caution.

Plasma rifle: Primary fire a big slug of plasma at high speed, it uses 2 cells per shot, big damage, short cooling time.
Secondary rapidly fires small plasma bolts causing a beam of death, longer cooling time.

BFG: Primary, as seen in the comic, works like a Big super shotgun shooting a volley of supercharged beams with high spread (20 Cells).
Secondary shoots auto targeted beams like vanilla (40 Cells), without the big plasma orb. Charge up is quicker, but slow recover.

Monsters:

Zombie: a bit faster, armed with a burst fire assault rifle, zombie accuracy.
Sargeant: 2 variants, the armored bald sargeant, slow but tough. And the bandana shotgun guy, no armor but fast ASF. Shotgun spread and damage rebalanced, keep your distance
Commando: not much has changed aside from the tracers and rebalance on the chaingun.
Imp: Moves faster and shoots more often.
Demon (Pinky): Faster.

Download Link

What Is This?

Think of this as a love letter to both QUAKE and Half-Life, delivered through the raw, relentless lens of DOOM. This mod cranks up the tempo with high-octane combat and bolsters replay value via a diverse arsenal that feels weighty and responsive - thanks to revamped sound effects that still honor DOOM's gritty, early-90s charm. And yes, the demons got an upgrade too: you might unleash devastation with your upgraded guns, but beasts like the Ogre-Knight will make you rethink charging in headfirst (consider packing explosives, or brace for an epic grind).

Zdoom.org thread

This is a lightweight gameplay mod that brings you a fresh arsenal of weapons alongside optional quality-of-life tweaks for the vanilla gear. Every firearm has been rebuilt from the ground up-expect snappier recoil, punchier sound effects, and sharper visuals while the game's core balance stays rock-steady. Whether you're mowing down enemies up close or picking them off from afar, each weapon now shines in its own unique role!

Zdoom.org thread

The new site is finally here, it's simple but elegant. At first I wanted to use Python/Flask, but my host didn't support it-so PHP it is!