Mini Review: “Random” (WAD For “Doom II”/ “Final Doom”/ “GZ Doom”)

A while ago, I found this interesting “Doom” WAD that is called, quite simply, “Random“. Yes, that’s the actual title of the WAD. Although “Random” was only posted on Doomworld this February, it was apparently made back in 1995. So, it’s fairly old – but is it any good?

Before I go any further, I should point out that I used the “GZ Doom” source port when playing “Random”, although it will almost certainly work on any other modern source port – and probably even the original DOS version of “Doom II” (or the Windows 95 version of “Final Doom”) too.

However, if you have the German version of “Doom II” or the modern censored version of “Doom II” (you know, the one with the silly redesigned health power-ups), this WAD might not work – since this WAD uses some of the WW2-themed enemies and wall textures from the secret “Wolfenstein 3D” level.

Anyway, let’s take a look at “Random”:

[Edit: I’ve replaced the screenshot that was originally here with another one, mainly since the WordPress reader seemed to display one of the more gruesome screenshots from this review as the title image instead of my intended title image at the beginning of this review]

“Random” is a single-level WAD by P.L.J. Heinen. The level takes place within a prison that, as you may have guessed, you have to escape from. The level itself is technically rather small (maybe average-sized at most) – although it makes up for this fact in a number of different ways.

One of the first things I will say about this level is that you will have to do a lot of exploring. As you might expect, this is a truly old-school “Doom” level – where you’ll have to do a fair amount of searching for hidden keys and switches.

In fact, you’ll be spending quite a lot of time backtracking and searching through the level’s maze-like corridors. Although this can get mildly frustrating at times, it’s never really unfair and it also adds some longevity to the level too.

Unsurprisingly, this arrow isn’t pointing the way to a keycard

Another thing which makes this level enjoyably challenging are the cramped, claustrophobic areas you’ll often have to fight your way through.

Since combat in the classic “Doom” games often relies on having enough space to dodge projectiles and trick the monsters into fighting each other, the cramped corridors occasionally add an extra level of difficulty (and strategy) to the combat.

Even so, the level contains at least one small open area to add some variety to the gameplay

When I downloaded this WAD originally, I read something about how the level supposedly starves you of ammo, in order to make itself more difficult. This both is and isn’t true.

For a large part of the level, you’ll have pretty much just enough ammo to fight anything you encounter without having to worry about conserving ammo too much. However, that isn’t to say that you won’t end up in situations like this occasionally:

Yes, that monster is what you think it is and I’m fighting it with what you think I’m fighting it with…

Surprisingly, this wasn’t the first time I’ve ever fought (and won) against an arch-vile using nothing more than a chainsaw. That honour has to go to level ten of a really cool WAD called “Equinox” (seriously, “Equinox” is worth playing for level ten alone).

Anyway, since “Random” was made in 1995, I wasn’t expecting much in the way of new textures or monsters. But I was actually quite suprised since, although the level technically doesn’t include any new graphics or monsters – it occasionally includes the enemies and textures from the secret “Wolfenstein 3D” levels in “Doom II”:

Interestingly, the very beginning of the level also implies that the prison you have to escape from is run by these guys…

Since these textures and enemies don’t appear that often in “Doom” WADs, they added a bit of novelty and variety to this level and set it apart from other old WADs that just use the “standard” textures and monsters.

As for the music, this level uses a MIDI version of the theme from “Terminator II” as it’s background music. And, as you may have guessed, this makes the level even cooler.

All in all, “Random” is a fun little level. Yes, you’ll probably be able to complete it in under an hour, but it’s a lot more difficult than it might look at first glance.

If I had to give it a rating out of five, I’d give it a four.