Doom: VFR

Doom: VFR is a virtual reality first-person shooter set in the iconic Doom franchise’s sci-fi horror universe on Mars. Designed from the ground up for VR, it delivers fast-paced, ultra-violent combat with familiar weapons and enemies, offering an immersive and intense experience that captures the essence of the series in a new format.

Doom: VFR: A Virtual Reality Crucible — Ambition, Adaptation, and the Strain of Hell

Introduction: The Slayer in a New Shell

The Doom franchise is a foundational pillar of interactive entertainment, a name synonymous with the birth and relentless evolution of the first-person shooter. From the shareware shockwaves of 1993 to the gloriously violent, mechanics-driven revival of 2016, Doom has consistently redefined what fast, fluid, and fiendishly fun combat can be. Enter Doom: VFR (Virtual Reality), a 2017 spinoff that dared to transpose the series’ signature “rip and tear” ethos into the immersive, disorienting, and physically demanding realm of virtual reality. This is not a mere port or a lazy cash-in; it is a deliberate, ground-up reimagining built on the id Tech 6 engine, asking a fundamental question: Can the unbridled, high-velocity chaos of Doom survive the transition to a medium that often champions slow, deliberate exploration? The answer, as revealed by critical consensus and player experience, is a resounding, complicated, and often breathtaking “yes, but…” This review will dissect Doom: VFR as a fascinating technical footnote, a narrative curiosity, and a gameplay experiment that, for all its stumbles, proved the viability of VR as a home for hardcore action.

Development History & Context: From Mars to the Living Room

Studio Vision and Technological Constraints

Developed by the legendary id Software under the creative direction of Hugo Martin and executive production of Marty Stratton, Doom: VFR was a direct follow-up to the acclaimed Doom (2016). The team faced the monumental task of adapting a game built on a foundation of speed, precision, and a fixed camera to a medium where player movement is the primary source of both immersion and nausea. The technological constraint was the VR hardware itself: the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift on PC, and the PlayStation VR. The id Tech 6 engine, powering the flat-screen predecessor, was modified to support 90Hz VR rendering, requiring significant optimization to maintain the vibrant, gory aesthetic while hitting the framerate necessary to prevent motion sickness.

The vision, as articulated in pre-release materials, was to create a “born-in-VR” experience. This meant rethinking movement not as an afterthought but as a core pillar. The solution—teleportation augmented by a “jet-strafe” burst of speed—was a direct response to the comfort concerns that plagued early VR locomotion. It was a brave, if divisive, design choice that prioritized accessibility for a broader VR audience over the pure, unadulterated speed of the original.

The Gaming Landscape of 2017

Doom: VFR arrived in December 2017, a pivotal year for consumer VR. The PlayStation VR had launched the prior October, significantly lowering the barrier to entry. Bethesda Softworks, having recently published the well-received Skyrim VR, was aggressively staking a claim in this new frontier with the “Bethesda VR” banner. The landscape was still defining its genre pillars: Robo Recall (Epic Games) had set a high bar for polished, teleport-based action, while titles like Superhot VR demonstrated the power of temporal manipulation. Doom: VFR entered this arena not with a new IP, but with one of gaming’s most established action franchises, betting that its brand of intense combat could be successfully mapped onto VR’s unique demands. It was a test case for whether “hardcore” gaming could thrive in a medium often associated with tech demos and casual experiences.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive: The Last, Loneliest Survivor

While Doom (2016) revitalized the series’ lore with a dark sci-fi mythos centered on the Doom Slayer, Doom: VFR tells a smaller, more tragic, and narratively subdued story. The protagonist is not the legendary Slayer, but Dr. Abraham Peters, a UAC scientist on Mars. As detailed on the DoomWiki and in-game descriptions, Peters is one of the few unaffected by the demonic outbreak triggered by Dr. Olivia Pierce. His story is one of futile, systemic cleanup.

Plot Deconstruction: Peters’ journey begins at the moment of his death. His consciousness is automatically uploaded into a cybernetic “combat chassis” per a UAC contingency protocol. His mission: purge the Mars facility of residual Argent energy, shut down portals, and maintain order—essentially, perform janitorial duties on a hellscape. He fights through familiar locales like the Advanced Research Complex, Lazarus Labs, and the Ravine Substructure, all reused and recontextualized from the 2016 game. The climax sees him sacrificing his new robotic body to complete the purge, with his consciousness erased. The only acknowledgment comes from Samuel Hayden, who thanks him over comms—a cold, bureaucratic thank-you for a forgotten soldier.

Themes and Character Study: This narrative is a potent, if bleak, exploration of cosmic futility and corporate hubris. Peters is the ultimate temporary fix, a disposable asset in the UAC’s endless cycle of demonic mishaps. Unlike the Slayer, who operates on pure id-driven vengeance, Peters is a functionary following a protocol, highlighting the absurd horror of the situation. His story is a direct consequence of the 2016 game’s events but lacks that game’s self-aware, metal-edged swagger. As IGN noted, “it’s a shame VFR story didn’t get the same self-aware treatment as Doom did.” The tragedy is in the mundanity of his heroism: he saves the day in a way no one will ever record, a ghost in the machine cleaning up after a catastrophe he didn’t cause.

Lore Integration: Within the expansive franchise timeline (as mapped by sources like GameRant and ComicBook.com), VFR occupies a narrow corridor. It is set during and immediately after the UAC invasion of Doom (2016). The existence of Dr. Peters and his specific fate are minor details that flesh out the immediate aftermath, showing the UAC’s operational continuity even in the face of apocalypse. It reinforces the theme that the UAC, not the demons, is perhaps the true antagonist—an organization that will use its employees even in death. The story’s most significant contribution is demonstrating that the “Doom Slayer” is not the only agent of the UAC’s survival, and that most victories are silent, technological, and utterly impersonal.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems: The Teleportation Paradigm

Doom: VFR‘s gameplay is a masterclass in adaptation and a case study in compromise. The core loop mirrors its predecessor: traverse linear (but explorable) environments, combat waves of demons, collect resources and upgrades, and fight bosses. The monumental shift is in locomotion and interaction.

Movement: The Great Divide The game defaults to a teleportation-based system. Players aim with their motion controller (or Aim Controller on PSVR) to place a landing zone, then press a button to instantly warp there, accompanied by a “jet-strafe” burst that can be used to close distance or dodge. This system, praised by TheSixthAxis as making the player feel like an “action star,” fundamentally changes the pace. It removes the fluid, panic-driven strafing of the original, replacing it with a tactical, stop-start rhythm. Enemies must be engaged from stationary or slow-moving positions. This is Doom as a series of tactical firefights, not a constant run-and-gun.

Critics were split. UploadVR noted that the teleportation system “regularly succeeds in making you into a demon-murdering action star,” but lamented the lack of smooth locomotion on the Vive. Way Too Many Games bluntly stated that “the best control method is the least immersive one,” referring to using a standard gamepad with smooth movement—a feature buried in menus that many players might never discover. This represents the core tension: the game’s intended, comfort-focused method versus the immersive, nauseating method purists crave. Road to VR was harsher, stating the game “makes you want to play its non-VR inspiration,” a damning indictment for a VR-exclusive title.

Combat and Arsenal The weapon roster is lifted directly from Doom (2016): Pistol, Combat Shotgun, Heavy Assault Rifle, Rocket Launcher, Plasma Rifle, Super Shotgun, Gauss Cannon, Chaingun, alongside frag grenades and the BFG. They feel weighty and powerful in VR; physically pumping the shotgun or hefting the rocket launcher is a visceral joy. Glory kills, the 2016 game’s iconic finishers, are replaced by a contextual melee button or a well-placed shot at close range, losing some of the brutal spectacle but maintaining the combat flow. Enemy types—Imps, Hell Knights, Pinkies, Mancubi, Cyberdemons—are all present and accounted for, their scale in VR genuinely intimidating.

Progression and Systems There is no traditional armor or health pick-up system. Health is regenerated via a “reach” mechanic (grabbing floating pickup orbs) or by performing glory kills. Ammo is scarce and must be managed carefully from dropped enemies. A simple upgrade system allows players to spend Argent Energy (collected from enemies and containers) on permanent buffs like increased health, ammo capacity, or new weapon mods. This system is functional but rudimentary, lacking the meta-progression of the 2016 game’s rune system. GamingTrend critiqued this, noting the game “feels like a tech demo at times,” with its stripped-back RPG elements.

Innovation vs. Flaw: The innovation lies in the translation of feel. The thwump of the Super Shotgun in a room-scale space is unparalleled. The flaws are systemic: the teleportation breaks the series’ core tenet of relentless momentum; the control schemes are buried and inconsistent across platforms (Aim Controller vs. Move controllers vs. DS4); and the game’s short length ( critics consistently noted “a three-hour experience”) feels exacerbated by the constrained, reused level geometry.

World-Building, Art & Sound: A Familiar Hell, Made New

Visual Direction and Asset Reuse Doom: VFR runs on id Tech 6, the same engine as Doom (2016), meaning its visual DNA is identical. The Mars facility is a blend of sterile white corridors, industrial machinery, and grimy hell-holes. The trip to Hell itself is a impressive, hellish landscape of jagged rock and churning lava. The art direction—gothic sci-fi, heavy metal album cover aesthetic—is impeccable. However, this fidelity comes at a cost: overwhelming asset reuse. As UploadVR stated, it feels “recycled and repackaged rather than fresh and innovative.” Players of the 2016 game will experience strong déjà vu, traversing the same key arenas with a different perspective. This is a pragmatic decision (a VR game with all-new assets would have been a monumental undertaking) but it undermines the sense of discovery and reinforces the “expanded demo” feeling.

Atmosphere and Immersion Where VFR truly shines is in the scale and immediacy of VR. Demons that were imposing on a monitor become towering, physical threats. A Cacodemon floating directly in your face is a genuinely unsettling sight. The UAC facility’s claustrophobic corridors and massive reactor rooms gain tangible presence. The sensation of being there, of physically turning to face a charging Pinky, is the game’s greatest achievement. The sound design leverages this perfectly; the iconic Doom metal soundtrack by Mick Gordon is present (including the eerie use of “The Healer Stalks” from Doom II as elevator music, a delightful Easter egg), but it’s the spatial audio that sells the chaos—a Baron of Hell’s roar echoing from behind, the frantic chittering of imps above.

Contribution to Experience The art and sound work in service of two goals: familiarizing the player with the Doom universe through recognized assets, and using VR’s scale to amplify the core fantasy of being a lone warrior against hellish odds. It succeeds in the latter brilliantly. However, the familiarity of the assets, combined with the linear, corridor-heavy level design, prevents the world from feeling like a truly new place to explore. It is a greatest-hits tour through Doom (2016), with all the awe and repetition that entails.

Reception & Legacy: A Flawed Gem in the VR Pantheon

Critical and Commercial Reception

Doom: VFR received a mixed-to-positive critical reception, holding a 73% aggregate score on MobyGames (based on 16 critic reviews) and a 71 Metascore on Metacritic (based on 48 critic reviews). The spread was significant. TheSixthAxis awarded a near-perfect 90%, calling it “probably the best example of” a VR experience “designed from the ground up.” IGN, Official UK PlayStation Magazine, and PressA2Join all gave 80%, praising its bold combat and successful adaptation of Doom‘s spirit. Conversely, Jeuxvideo.com (60%) and Road to VR (60%) found the control scheme “deconcerting” and the experience ultimately inferior to its flat-screen inspiration. GameStar (Germany) provided a poignant critique, wishing it had borrowed more from the intuitive, fluid movement of Robo Recall instead of stumbling over its own teleportation mechanics.

Commercially, specific sales figures are scarce, but its presence on both Steam and PSVR, coupled with Bethesda’s marketing push, indicates it was positioned as a flagship VR title. Its current price point (often on sale for under $5) suggests it has moved from a premium product to a discounted, “must-try” curiosity for VR library completionists.

Influence and Place in Industry History

Doom: VFR‘s legacy is not one of sweeping influence, but of * proving a concept. In 2017, many wondered if fast-paced, mechanically deep FPS games could work in VR. *VFR answered with a qualified yes: the core combat, the weight of weapons, the tension of resource management—these can be exhilarating in VR. However, its most significant lesson was about *movement. The teleportation system, while comfortable, was widely seen as a compromise that diluted the *Doom essence. It helped cement that for “traditional” FPS fans, smooth locomotion was a non-negotiable desideratum, a demand that would grow louder in subsequent years and influence later VR shooters to include robust movement options.

It stands as a crucial, if imperfect, bridge between the Doom reboot and the VR medium. It came before landmark VR titles like Half-Life: Alyx, which would later demonstrate that complex narrative, interaction, and movement could coexist. In the Doom franchise itself, it is a fascinating narrative aside, exploring the human cost of the Slayer’s rampage. However, it was quickly overshadowed by the monumental success and acclaim of Doom Eternal in 2020. Its assets and some design philosophies likely fed into later projects, but as a standalone experience, it is remembered more for its ambition and its flaws than for defining a new standard.

Conclusion: The Lasting Impression of a Virtual Hellscape

Doom: VFR is a game defined by its contradictions. It is a thrilling, immersive demon-slaying simulator that simultaneously feels like a sterilized, asset-flipped shadow of its progenitor. It is a bold technical experiment that often retreats into the safest comfort mechanisms of VR design. It tells a poignant, quiet story of sacrifice that is utterly drowned out by the cacophony of its own gameplay.

Its ultimate verdict in video game history is that of a significant, respected prototype. It is not an essential classic on par with Doom (1993) or Doom (2016). Instead, it is an essential case study. It demonstrated that the visceral, speed-obsessed heart of Doom could beat within the cumbersome, intimate shell of VR hardware. It highlighted the non-trivial challenges of translating kinetic action to a kinetically-dependent medium. And it provided a crucial, if flawed, data point for developers pursuing the holy grail of VR: a fast, comfortable, and deeply satisfying action experience.

For the historian, it is a testament to id Software’s willingness to iterate and experiment, even within its most sacred franchise. For the player, it remains a fun, brief, and deeply immersive tour through one of gaming’s best-loved hellscapes—best enjoyed with the movement settings that suit your stomach, and with the understanding that you are experiencing a fascinating, disposable, and brilliantly violent footnote in the eternal war against Hell. It may not have conquered VR, but it certainly proved that the Slayer’s reign could extend into new, virtual frontiers.