The Secrets in Doom 2016 are Just as Interesting as the Combat

Doom 2016's levels are often a series of battlefields, dark red heavy metal Thunderdomes where the Doom Slayer rips and tears demons until there is nothing left. After the chaos, though, there are secrets hiding in nooks and crannies and behind hard-to-find paths. Doom's movement, clever UI, and the reward system for finding secrets show an active push to get players interested in finding secrets and exploring levels after all the demons are dead.

For such a normally loud, intense game, moving back through the levels after every demon is dead is a peaceful, relaxing experience. The movement speed, the double jump, and the clambering animation gives the feeling of never stopping, which is just as important out of combat as it is during. The Doom Slayer moves with such quickness that moving from one end of a level to the other feels doable in just a minute or two. The green lights that indicate reachable ledges are visible from far enough away that the player can orient themselves well in advance - again, there's no need stop moving. Doom's combat is already reliant upon never stopping, and when combat is measured in seconds, it turns out simply moving through a level with no demons in the way is a breeze.

Doom actively encourages finding secrets by offering tangible benefits to those who find secrets and offering just enough of a breadcrumb trail for the curious player. When the player is in proximity to a secret, it is revealed on the map. You aren't given the exact path to it, but it will be marked on the map. Furthermore, the game tells the player when they've found all the secrets, so they know when they've completed a level and can move on. All this information also keeps players from needing to search online to find everything or worrying that they've missed something in a level. The map also shows the nature of each revealed secret, so a player can decide whether, say, a Doomguy action figure is worth going for, or if they'd rather move on. 

The types of secrets in Doom range from useless to vital, from trivial to intricate. The hidden boons are not required to complete the game, but the player interested in finding them will be stronger and better equipped than the player who wants to blow through the game. There are action figures, original Doom levels, guns that would otherwise be found later, and upgrade orbs that power up the Doom Slayer's health, armor, and ammo reserves. Action figures and original Doom levels don't offer gameplay benefits, instead adding entries to a gallery menu where players can view models from the game or explore slightly bigger original Doom levels. Along with these more superfluous secrets, guns, armor, and upgrade orbs offer obvious gameplay benefits to the secret hunter that another player will not have. These are not required to complete the game, but their presence represents clear encouragement to explore the levels and find everything on offer. 

It is rare for a game to so clearly encourage secret hunting. Doom's UI does a remarkable job of showing how close the player is to a secret and telling them exactly how many more are left in each level. Along with the UI touches, the inclusion of direct gameplay benefits for secret hunters shows Doom wants players to spend more time in its levels looking for secrets, and the movement mechanics that make combat so fast and fluid make running around now-empty levels a pleasant experience. Doom 2016's secrets and the ways it encourages exploration elevates its levels from just battlefields to baroque spaces that are worth moving back through when the shooting is over.