Release Date: 30/07/2021
Played On: Win
Available On: Lin / Win
Time Played: 3h 22m
Progress: Completed
Developer: Scumhead
Publisher: Scumhead
NB: Most of the screenshots used in this post are taken from a Google Image search. I was having too much fun playing the game, so I forgot to capture much of my own.
I've been playing video games since I was a kid in the 1980s with a Commodore 64, but it wasn't until a decade later that I really threw myself into gaming. Up to that point I'd played with a NES and of course that C64, but as much as I enjoyed it, nothing had truly gripped me and sucked me into the wide world of video games that I now know and love. It took the release of the original Doom in 1993 to hook me once and for all, and I've been loving life ever since.
Doom was the first game that I became deeply invested in, as I'd never experienced anything quite like it at the time, and it came along right when I was young enough to be enamoured by all the blood and gore, while old enough to look under the hood and start thinking about how it all worked. It wasn't long until I was making my own custom maps for the game (wads) and messing about with mods and total conversions, which were hard to come by at a time when the internet hadn't really become a thing yet. Instead, my friends and I would swap floppy disks with our latest creations, and hide our Doom installations on school computers beneath confusing directory structures in DOS. For me, this was the golden age of being a kid and learning about these new personal computers, while experiencing games that flat out blew our tiny little minds. Even to this day when I fire up Doom, I remember every level and where all the secrets are. It feels like hearing a song from your youth for the millionth time; without even thinking you can sing along and remember every rhythm and lyric without fault.
Thanks to the internet, these days the modding and conversion scene for Doom and its sequels is alive and well, with new mods and wads being created all the time. Even the somewhat infamous John Romero released a new level in recent years, just because he had a cool idea and wanted to share it with the community. It's incredible to think that a game that is nearing its thirtieth birthday, is still being developed and improved.
Of course, the original Doom engine had many limitations that were a simple reality of its time. While the game used a 3D engine, it was not capable of rendering rooms and hallways on top of each other, and the player was unable to jump or even look up and down. However, these and other limitations have since been patched out thanks to third-party versions of the engine like GZDoom, which adds modern features such as mouse-look and jumping to the original Doom framework. Not to mention more detailed lighting and expanded scripting abilities. Unsurprisingly this means that map makers and creators were able to utilise these new systems and create some fresh and unprecedented maps and modifications. The fun part is that they always end up feeling a bit like that original version of Doom, as if that original magic is impossible to discard.
Much like the new episodes that were added to Quake in recent times, engines like GZDoom along with modern computer power and capabilities, means that there are a lot of ways that creative people can squeeze more and more fidelity and detail out of the original engine; with detailed sprites and effects that would never have been possible thirty years ago. At the same time, I imagine that making a game on an old-but-much-improved engine such as GZDoom is a great way for anyone learning how to make games to get started. When I was a kid making wads for my friends to play in school, I learned a lot about how map making worked and the kinds of things that needed to be thought about to really make them fun; I can't imagine how much you'd learn if you made a new total conversion mod with today's computing power.
Then again, maybe I can imagine it because games like Vomitoreum exist, which is actually meant to be the focus of this post. All that stuff about growing up with Doom and playing with mods and engines, was just my way of saying that there could be personal reasons why I enjoyed this game as much as I did. So even though I would highly recommend Vomitoreum to anyone looking for an excellent first-person-shooter with some truly creative and innovative ideas, I wouldn't be surprised if part of my excitement can be attributed to my history with everything Doom.
Vomitoreum itself, feels a lot like a total conversion Doom mod, but I believe it was made as an entirely new game that just happens to be using the GZDoom source port (or something like that). While it might not technically be a total conversion mod, I've played total conversions that felt on-par for quality and innovation, so it might as well be one. Although, there are some interesting elements here and there that feel as though the developers of Vomitoreum have really pushed the limits of what GZDoom might be capable of.
The story and gameplay are quite straight forward, as this is still a first-person-shooter where you explore and traverse a series of diverse areas in order to eventually defeat the final boss and perhaps save the day. I say "perhaps" as the progression and design of the game has clearly taken some cues from the Dark Souls series, and after defeating the final boss I wasn't entirely clear whether I'd done a good thing or not. Suffice to say that I loved it, because I love endings that don't wrap everything up with a bow and stop you being able to think for yourself.
Some of the similarities don't end there though, as you can only save your game at certain points on the map, which operate a lot like bonfires in a Souls game. There are hidden areas and secrets to discover, as well as a full cast of horrific monstrosities to kill along the way. In fact, even though I'm sure it probably already exists in the world, I'd like to see a devolution or total conversion of the Dark Souls series, but as a first-person game in the same engine as Vomitorium. Something tells me it might feel quite a bit like this game, so maybe it's better that we have something original to play instead of another reimagining to add to the pile.
This might not be the first time we've seen a modern game built on an old engine like this, but it's the first one I've played in a long time that feels like it's actually its own game. Yes, there is that original Doom feel about everything, from the break-neck speed that you can move around, to the towering vertical walls defining each location, and even that unmissable head-sway as you run around. However, health can be refilled like in a Souls game, then recharged at a save point like Estus at a bonfire; while gaining new abilities and powers means you'll be back-tracking through the large open world at regular intervals to unlock new paths and obtain new gear.
With that in mind, the map itself is thankfully large enough that there are loads of places to explore, but small and recognisable enough to avoid the tedium of back-tracking that so many games fall into. Progressing through the world actually feels like progression is being made, as each new advancement brings with it a fresh mechanic that opens up another possibility. Plus, I love how satisfying it can be to wish for an ability early in a game, only to have it granted later on. Minor spoiler here: but right at the start you learn that water will kill you, even though there are paths through deep lakes and rivers; hence why I can't express quite how satisfied I then felt much later in the game when I found an upgrade that allowed me to survive water, giving me large areas of the map to explore for the first time.
Like any good metroidvania game though, Vomitoreum doesn't just leave these upgrades as optional extras, as progression relies on unlocking an ability or weapon, then using it to get to the next ability or weapon. I enjoyed the creative ways that these progression walls were implemented, as there's the usual thing like a ledge being too high to reach until you unlock better movement, but my favourite are the palces you're able to reach from the start. For example there is an entire section of the game that takes place in a pitch black environment, which is impossible to traverse without some kind of light source. It's the kind of limitation where you ultimately could make your way through the dark, but you'd be staring at a black screen and would quickly fall into a pit, or be killed by an unseen enemy. I suppose I always love it when barriers to progression are more of a choice than just a hard block that prevents you moving forward. Sure you "could" try and navigate your way through the pitch black underground, but if you take the time to find some kind of light source, you can breeze through it without all the bother.
There are other examples of areas that you can reach through some creative platforming or ability combinations, which always feel good to execute successfully. I was mucking about in one part with a weapon that had a lot of kick-back, and somehow launched myself into an area that I wasn't mean to be in, leaving me stuck and unequipped to survive against the tough enemies I found there. Sure it might be a bit of a glitch in the game to be able to sequence break like that, but I actually love that kind of stuff, as nobody will ever encounter it unless they are purposefully trying to see if they can break the game. That kind of "glitch" or "bug" should actually be considered a feature for my money, as it makes the game even more intriguing and fun for players that like messing about and pushing the limits.
On top of all that, Vomitoreum is an excellent first-person-shooter that really uses the engine to the best of its abilities. It helps that the entire world and the enemies within it, are inspired by the paintings of Zdzisław Beksiński, a Polish artist who specialised in dystopian surrealism; two words that I love seeing together. As an artist myself, I had to look him up and find out more about his unique style, which happens to be the kind of art I love anyway, so moving through a world that evoked a similar vibe, was as unsettling as it was delightful. Every location felt desolate and forgotten, while each and every enemy seem like they're in pain and suffering from their own existence.
In line with the world itself, the overall gameplay experience of Vomitoreum feels as oppressive and punishing as you might expect. I played on normal difficulty and every boss encounter was challenging enough that I think I died at least once as I figured out their moves and patterns. Although, I have to admit that some of the enemies and bosses were easily overcome by simple circle-strafing until their health bar ran out. Thankfully though, there was enough variety and creativity in each encounter to keep things interesting, even if they could be managed easily with certain strategies. It's funny that I actually don't mind how well circle-strafing worked on many enemies in this game, as it felt like a subtle nod to its heritage, and a way to evoke that classic Doom gameplay we all know and love.
It must be said that Vomitoreum manages to stand on its own two feet as a game that has value in its own right. This is not just a cynical play on nostalgia, as all the new mechanics and creative world building go a long way to let this game fill the tank of its own value. Sure, there's enough similarity for those nostalgic brain cells to fire up, but there's even more to be discovered and marvelled at along the way. If you've been looking at the screenshots on this page and thinking that the desolate, disturbing nature of the world might be fun to explore, then hesitate no longer and go knock your socks off.
Perhaps it's not fair for me to be constantly referencing Doom and the engine that a new game like Vomitoreum has been built on, but I also think that if you choose to work with such a recognisable platform, those comparisons are going to be made. Fortunately for this game, it really shows how far you can take a thirty-year-old engine when it's been worked on by so many people over multiple decades. I loved the creativity of the world and the unique style and mood that Beksiński inspired with his work. The crossover between exceptional aesthetics and tight gameplay is beautifully realised here, and every first-person-shooter fan should not hesitate to give it a go.