When
it comes to shoot-em-up (or 'shmups' to use the correct parlance) I
have always teetered on the brink of becoming a hardcore fan, having spent a brief period thoroughly addicted to Cave's wonderful games. But, like junk food and pop music, the novelty soon wears off and I end up ditching it for something with more depth. However, after many years of playing shmups I can definitely say
that the games that hold my interest for more than a few plays are
those that have interesting environments to traverse; the beaches of war torn Europe; a city under alien invasion; a forest
base or the depths of the ocean.
Wow, talk about coincidences. No
sooner have I published an article recounting my love for Doom when
suddenly a new user made level appears online. Not just any old user
level, oh no! This map has been created by none other than John
Romero himself.. To quote Wayne's World “We're not worthy! We're
not worthy!”. Sure, there are hundreds of thousands of home made
maps for Doom and Doom 2 on this here interweb, but it's not every
day that one of the original creators of the game steps up to the
plate and offers us a brand new stage! This is the first Doom map
from Mr. Romero in two decades, and if that's not a reason to
celebrate then I don't know what is!
In a new regular series, I will be taking a look at moments in classic videogames that have left a lasting impression on me. The moments that filled me with a sense of satisfaction, accomplishment, or empowerment. They brought a smile to my face or a tear to my eye, and they have made the titles in question a personal experience that have shaped who I am as a gamer. The gameplay mechanics that make it to this list may be original and clever, or just dumb and instantly gratifying. Either way, I present to you the first of many in this series of.. Great Gaming Moments.
