The lead up to video game developer id Software's release of the long-awaited Doom reboot has been nothing short of fevered over the course of the past few months, and now that the game is finally here fans of the original first-person shooter of 1993 can rejoice and play the new title. Promoted to feature impressive current-generation graphics and gameplay, the fourth proper installment in the pioneering science-fiction horror property includes an all-new multiplayer mode and a single player campaign designed to test the limits of even the most hard-core fan.

Based on all of the footage released leading up to the title's official release last week, id Software certainly appears to have recaptured a lot of the magic that made their original first-person shooter a game-changing moment for the genre and the gaming industry as a whole. What's more, the critical reviews of Doom are in, and they couldn't be much higher.

As of the writing of this article, Doom holds an average aggregate score of 80% approval on Metacritic (based on both published reviews and user reaction) across platforms. In the official synopsis for the new game, critical consensus on the fourth title in the long-running property describes the latest entry as follows:

"There is no taking cover or stopping to regenerate health in campaign mode as you beat back Hell’s raging demon hordes. Combine your arsenal of futuristic and iconic guns, upgrades, movement and an advanced melee system to knock-down, slash, stomp, crush, and blow apart demons in creative and violent ways. In multiplayer, dominate your opponents in Doom’s signature, fast-paced arena-style combat. In both classic and all-new game modes, annihilate your enemies utilizing your personal blend of skill, powerful weapons, vertical movement, and unique power-ups that allow you to play as a demon. Doom SnapMap is an easy-to-use game and level editor that allows for limitless gameplay experiences on every platform. Anyone can snap together and customize maps, add pre-defined or custom gameplay, and edit game logic to create new modes. Instantly play your creation or make it available to players around the world."

You can read a sampling of what some of the top publications had to say about Doom below:

IGN (Joab Gilroy):

"Doom is a tale of two very different shooters (and one quirky creation tool). The single-player campaign's reverent worship of the series' roots results in an old-school run-and-gun shooter which feels like imitation Doom, a cover of an old hit which nails all the right power chords but isn't exactly transformative. The multiplayer's attempts to borrow from the new to reinvigorate the old results in an experience which won't satisfy either school of thought. SnapMap, meanwhile, is a blend of weird and simple and endearing."

GameCrate (Nate Hohl):

"With Doom, it’s clear that id Software set out to make a shooter game which puts fun above all else, and in that regard, the studio hit the nail right on the head. Some old-school purists may scoff at a Doom game with progression and unlocks and other modern shooter elements, but if their refusal to let go of the past keeps them from playing Doom, they’ll only be robbing themselves of the chance to play what is hands down one of the most solid shooter experiences of 2016 so far."

PC World (Hayden Dingman):

"It may not be as influential or creative as either the original Doom or Doom 3, which, although it hasn’t aged well, ushered in a dozen monster-closet copycats. Still, Doom in 2016 is successful because it knows it’s dumb and leans into the fact. There are no pretensions towards artistry here, no delusions of grandeur. It’s a popcorn flick where the main character can only speak in gunshots."

Whether or not the average player will ultimately agree with the generally positive reception that Doom has been receiving from the critical establishment thus far remains to be seen, though actually playing the game should prove to be an unavoidable consequence for most fans of the franchise. On that note, here's to the future success of id Software's triumphant return to Doom.

Doom is available to purchase from all participating retailers for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Source: Metacritic