The Ultimate DOOM
The Ultimate DOOM is an expanded edition of the original DOOM released by id Software in 1995. It includes the base game’s three original episodes from 1993 and adds a fourth episode titled Thy Flesh Consumed.
This version became the definitive retail release of DOOM during the 1990s and remains one of the most widely distributed versions in gaming history.
Overview
When DOOM first launched in December 1993, it was distributed as shareware, with players receiving the first episode for free and purchasing the remaining two. The game’s success was unprecedented, transforming PC gaming and popularizing the first-person shooter genre.
Two years later, id Software decided to repackage the game with a new bonus episode and release it in boxed retail form as The Ultimate DOOM. This version was marketed as the complete edition and introduced the game to players who had not experienced the original shareware release.
The Fourth Episode
The new episode, Thy Flesh Consumed, was created by the id Software team in 1995 and designed to be significantly harder than the previous campaigns. It featured eight new levels that emphasized precision, traps, and brutal combat encounters.
The level designers included:
These maps pushed DOOM’s engine to its limits, showcasing more complex geometry and enemy placement that required players to master movement and weapon switching. Thy Flesh Consumed was notorious for its punishing difficulty, even among veteran players.
Story
The story of The Ultimate DOOM remains the same as the original. The player takes on the role of a lone space marine stationed on Mars’ moons, Phobos and Deimos, where teleportation experiments open a gateway to Hell.
The first three episodes follow the marine’s descent from the UAC base into the demonic realm. The fourth episode, Thy Flesh Consumed, serves as an epilogue, showing the marine’s return to Earth just as the invasion begins, leading directly into the events of DOOM II: Hell on Earth.
Gameplay and Features
The Ultimate DOOM retains the classic gameplay that made the original so influential:
Fast-paced combat with emphasis on movement and reaction
Nonlinear level design filled with secrets and traps
Iconic weapons such as the shotgun, plasma rifle, and BFG 9000
Multiplayer deathmatch and cooperative play via LAN
The new episode’s maps were more compact and vertical, demanding precise control and situational awareness, a hallmark of John Romero’s design philosophy.
Reception
Upon release, The Ultimate DOOM was praised for giving players a complete, physical version of the game with extra content. While many players found Thy Flesh Consumed brutally difficult, it was also seen as a fitting challenge for experienced DOOM fans.
It solidified DOOM’s position as one of the most important PC games ever made and kept the series relevant well into the late 1990s.
Legacy
The Ultimate DOOM became the standard version included in most later collections and ports, including the Steam release and modern re-releases by Bethesda Softworks. The additional episode remains a favorite among hardcore players and speedrunners for its demanding level design and chaotic pacing.
It also marked one of the last projects completed by the original id Software team before development shifted toward Quake.