20 years of Final Doom (TNT & Plutonia). PC and PSX versions discussed here.

[DustFalcon85]

So what's your favorite Aubrey Hodges' PS1 Final Doom track? Which level music track creeps you out? Mine's Infectious (Canyon) and Unhallowed Ground (Geryon). Infectious has that distorted, difficult-to-explain noised that creep me out. Unhallowed Ground has that memorable whistle sound.

[darkreaver]

I remember I was 100% sure there was no way to finish Plutonia on UV, because it was SO hard lol.

[Tristan]

^^Bells of Agony (Attack) and Unhallowed Ground, no contest.

Had no idea it was the 20th Anniversary of PSX Final Doom today, I played that one way more than the first game, and so most of my nostalgia is with those maps, especially the Master Levels + TNT segments.
The massive eponymous catwalk in MAP05 was quite an experience back then, Deepest Reaches and Ballistyx were pretty scary maps. Used to get lost in Geryon all the time, and loved it, especially that long walkway where you're outside briefly and you can see most of the sky texture. Used to be very scared to go into certain areas of Virgil because I was dreading meeting a Hell Knight around one of the corners :P
Subspace was great too, then there's Processing Area, and my favourite back then was Lunar Mining Project.
Fuck it, the whole thing was perfection, and probably still is, I definitely need to go back and play it again, and not through the TC.

Even though I said once ML + TNT were far better matched to the PSX atmosphere, even those few Plutonia maps at the end don't feel out of place, especially Congo and Aztec. Very difficult, too, great way to end.

Retrospectively, now knowing that actually ML + TNT + Plutonia adds up to like 80 maps and many of them didn't really need to be cut, I wish they had included more, but it was still great fun, good times! Happy birthday PSX Final Doom!
/massively nostalgic ramble

[Deleted_Account]

The ambient tracks Aubrey Hodges made for the Master Levels of Final Doom are phenomenal. He did a really good job of making you feel uneasy with what I can only describe as otherworldly resonance. Two of the Final Doom tracks really stand out, Unhallowed (Geryon) and Malignant (Catwalk) seem to really unsettle me and really invoke a sense of paranoia. And that's why I love the ambient Doom tracks created by Aubrey Hodges, they're really effective at creating dread. That's not to say the works of Bobby Prince don't work, but they have a different tone and mood which amps you up for battle. But the PSX/64 versions of Doom, while naturally are combat focused, branch out to a more horror theme which I very much love. Sci-Fi and horror are my favorite genres of movies/literature and Doom, I find is the perfect combination of that. Playing these consoles version of Doom in the night with the lights out and a good pair of headphones really pulls you in.

I've always been a fan of dark ambient music, and the PSX/64 soundtracks have a prominent place in my Doom music library.

[vinnie245]

You simply can't beat Geryon when it comes to the PSX Final Doom tracks, Tracks in the other games like Mt. Erebus, Dark Citadel and Breakdown are better but Geryon still has a terrifying atmosphere.

[Deleted_Account]

According to Greek Mythology Geryon was a fearsome giant who dwelt on the island Erytheia of the mythic Hesperides in the far west of the Mediterranean. Level 07: Geryon of PSX Final Doom is a journey through dark corridors and winding paths dripping with evil atmosphere. Since it's October, I'm going to add PSX Final Doom to my October Halloween horror game fest, in conjunction with my 31 Days of Horror films.

Here's a playthrough I found on YouTube.

[The_SloVinator]

I remember first time playing through Final Doom & I hated Plutonia so much. lol
My past self didn't like challenge, so I played TNT & loved it a lot. I was especially happy with the new music.

As I grew up, I started to appreciate Plutonia after giving it another chance.
TNT, love the first 2/3 of it. Last levels were quite badly constructed if you ask me, especially 27. One of the worst maps I've ever played.

This was a PC version. As for the PSX version, well, considering how they are dumbed down due to its limitations, I liked them to some degree but still I had fun with both versions.

[Koko Ricky]

PSX Final Doom was my first console exposure to the game after having mastered the the PC versions of 1 and 2. I was not only intrigued by the all-new maps, but by the obvious audio and visual enhancements. But more than anything it was Aubrey Hodges's soundtrack, which struck a chord with me immediately. It penetrated into a deeper part of my mind, something subconscious.

Much in the same way that a suggestive image can remind you of something while being abstract, Aubrey's dark ambient soundtrack conjured up environments and entities that would manifest as imagined, day-dreamy ornaments to the maps. Suddenly, these blocky, labyrinthine places became more than the sum of their parts. There was suddenly a real sense of presence, as though there was a history to it. The monsters seemed to have a more pronounced sense of rage with their basso, higher quality sounds.

And then there's the colored lighting, which was implemented far more effectively here than it was in PSX Doom. Here there was a more subtle but dramatic use of it, where a bright pool of red or blue light was as terrifying as the darkness. This was especially effective in several outdoor areas, where one got a sense of there being a planetary atmosphere.

Doom 64 was the only console version that could compare to PSX Doom's atmosphere. The former hit a few higher notes with some of its gothic themes and more complex use of lighting, but the latter's grainy, chunky look and its far superior soundtrack makes for a more intense experience.

[Deleted_Account]

This scene from Level 13: Vesperas always makes me stop to gaze upon the scenery and soak in the PSX Doom atmosphere. Vesperas, or rather, Vespers is a service of evening prayer. I suppose this scene is supposed to represent some kind of demonic worship. It's areas like this that really make me appreciate PSX Final Doom.

[Job]

Piper Maru said:

This scene from Level 13: Vesperas always makes me stop to gaze upon the scenery and soak in the PSX Doom atmosphere. Vesperas, or rather, Vespers is a service of evening prayer. I suppose this scene is supposed to represent some kind of demonic worship. It's areas like this that really make me appreciate PSX Final Doom.

http://i.imgur.com/EFlfBxz.png

It feels really good to know others in the community share the same sentiments as me. This is possibly one of the most memorable parts of PSX Final Doom from my childhood, right up there with the opening courtyard in Ballistyx. Incidentally, another very memorable part of Final Doom was in Vesperas too. You may recall the corridor with pale blue (or soft yellow?) lighting where you fight a hellknight.

The best way I can describe how areas like this one made me feel was like I found an island of peace and tranquility amidst a sea of unsettling with lapping waves of fear. It made me feel lonely, safe, sad and relieved. Bizarre how a game can evoke such feelings from a young mind. Sometimes, I found myself musing about what it would be like to clear a level and life in it. Where would I visit? What would I do there and where was the most comfortable place to be?