I must admit that Doom isn't a franchise I've followed with any particular vigour. I've played the games when they've been available, and forgotten about them as quickly as I tried to forget about the film.
I realise now, after playing Doom II RPG, that I might have missed out on a great entry in the franchise. If the PC sequel has a sense of humour that's half as ripe as this mobile adaptation, it's a rare blend of violence and mirth that no one should miss out on.
The men in the moonThe crack team of crackpot commandos are returning to the moon station where all hell literally broke loose in the first game to answer a distress signal from the braniacs who call this demon-infested nightmare home.
Right from the moment you land the place is crumbling around your ears, and that adds a great level of tension to the rampant action - even in this unique form of role-playing, turn-based adaptation.
Just like id Software's other mobile franchises, Doom II RPG plays very much like a rudimentary version of its original self, only with the fighting mechanics replaced by a much simpler - and more suitable - turn-based system.
Rather than engaging in first-person shoot outs, when you come face-to-face with an enemy you take it in turns to make a move. Take step forward or backwards and the demon on your trail gets to make a similar move, including slashing at your face if it's in range.
Satan's sense of humourAlthough the exploration aspects of the game take place in real-time, this sudden, seamless switch of genres works impressively well, and deciding whether to dodge, shoot or use a med kit gives Doom II RPG a rudimentary chess-like quality that makes mobile combat far more accessible.
What's even more unexpected is the camp humour bubbling beneath the surface of the game. Search one of hell's fallen minions and all you'll find is demonic dandruff or a severed human finger, while the scientists fire off action-movie cliches with some of the driest comedy I've seen since Portal on the home consoles.
Whether the original Doom II game was quite so kitsch in its humour I couldn't say, but there's no denying that it really adds an essential layer of gloss to this otherwise simple and easy, though relentlessly entertaining mobile adventure.
Doom II RPG
You'll find enough med kits in the first ten minutes to get you through the entire RPG combat game, but it's the dry sense of humour permeating the game that really keeps you playing. By not taking itself too seriously, Doom II RPG successfully trades laughs for action
Spanner Spencer
Yes. Spanner's his real name, and he's already heard that joke you just thought of. Although Spanner's not very good, he's quite fast, and that seems to be enough to keep him in a regular supply of free games and away from the depressing world of real work.