As an avid player of Descent, is it worth my while to purchase Doom. I hear Doom is harder but is it worth playing if I already own the beast that is Descent. Same mechanics, different subject matter. Will it feel like I'm just playing a Descent rip off? I'm sure you get asked these questions alot on the Doom boards, but i'm curious. Thanks in advance.

No not at all in my opinion and I own them both. I started out on Doom then went and got Descent, as others have said the point of DOOM is that you feel cut off, near death, barely scraping by, while in Descent you feel more heroic "CONAN SLASH!" and boom the monster is dead.

I sometimes run into what your talking about after I play Commands and Colors alot then someone pulls out Battelore, it feels the same just in a different setting. This is NOT the case with Doom and Descent, there is enough differences in their gameplay to make it a completely different experience while making the transition from one or the other easy (with the rules etc).

It is abit unbalanced towards the Marines (thats the point duh!, its not a game of Oh Im a Marine and can kill everyone with ease), but in my personal experience, my g/f (who has a great tactical mind) wooped me with the Marines every time we played...so it can be done and it is fun even if you lose.

Get Doom. You won't regret it. As Luftwaffe said, they are very different in atmosphere. Descent pulls the core of its rules from Doom, but there are enough strong differences that they aren't the same game.

Doom reminds me of the movie Aliens (it is sad that it doesn't remind me of the movie Doom), where the Marines are faced with relentless, overpowering enemies Hellbent (literally) on killing them. Your survival is dependent on how fast you can get out the final door and how few casualties you can take in the process. The only way to successfully do this is by having sound small group tactics and unit cohesion. If you've ever played Space Hulk , Space Crusade or Mutant Chronicles: Siege of the Citadel , it is the next evolution of those games.

Descent is reminiscent of a D&D hack & slash dungeoncrawl on a game board. Each character can hold his/her own against most of the creatures, especially toward the end of a given scenario. The group tactics still work, but aren't as pertinent to survival. If you've ever played HeroQuest or Dark World , it's the next evolution of those games.

I'd echo both of the above thoughts. Doom stands on its own excellently, and is always one of the most tension filled and exciting gaming experiences I can have. The game is definitely weighted towad the invader player (I've never seen the marines win), but it hasn't lost its appeal to my group yet.

I agree with what has already been mentioned. The game is a nice alternative from Descent if your players are wanting to still have a somewhat similar experience but with more of a sci-fi/horror twist to it. I know I love both games for their own merits and for those mechanics and set up they share. Either way if you can get Doom and its Expansion, go for it! I don't think you will regret the purchase.

Doom is most certainly worth the effort, if you are into the sci-fi horro theme that permeates it.

Doom is (IMHO) imminently easier to get to the table. It finishes in 3 hours versus 4+ for Descent. I like the tension and agony as the Marines struggle to survive. I felt that Descent took the Doom system and bogged it down with too much extra chrome.

DooM is worth it

OD

love the computer version of this! will have to try it out.

Royaldoy said:

Actually, considering Doom was first, Descent is the Doom ripoff

Seriously though, Descent feels like Doom with a couple expansions thrown in. There is so much *more* in Descent that it can bog the game down, /especially/ if you are playing with all the expansions. So many more effects, so much more gear, so many different monsters, so many board tokens etc. It's a LOT to swallow particularly for new players.

Doom is a toned down version, even simpler version that goes more for mood and atmosphere than for player options. You don't have to worry about item management (armor, weapons, rings, etc), except of course your precious ammo. You don't worry about potions, what monsters can do to you is fairly limited, etc. It allows you to focus more on completing the missions than customizing your marine.

Now, add RtL into the mix, and Descent has a very interesting aspect to the game of a LOOOONG campaign with large buildup (one reason I'm trying to add this to Doom). But outside of RtL, Doom definately does not feel like a Descent ripoff and is it's own game that has great atmosphere and playtime.

-shnar

Petru5 said:

Considering that the Doom movie was nothing at all like the video game, I would call this a failing of the movie, not a failing of the board game. Don't get me wrong, I loved the movie as a cheesy action flick and I understand why they changed it the way they did, but it was not the same as the video game it supposedly came from. The atmosphere and plot (such as it is) of the Doom Board Game is very much in keeping with the spirit of the video games, if you are a fan of the video games you will not be disappointed by the board game.

The major differences between Doom and Descent are thematic and atmospheric. The game engine is basically the same, but the play style is much different owing to the suspense factor. Because of this, the two games do not feel at all the same, and I don't consider it a waste in any way to own both.

In Descent, you focus on killing monsters and earning gold. In Doom you focus on STAYING ALIVE GODDAMNIT. =P