Get Your First Chance To Play DOOM As Multiplayer Closed Alpha Signups Go Live

You might have to cast your minds back a fair way for this one, but when Wolfenstein: The New Order launched early last year it came packing codes for the DOOM Closed Alpha. Hopefully you’ve been hanging onto them codes in the 18 months since because the Close Alpha’s going to commence imminently, and id Software is calling for player signups.

The DOOM MP Closed Alpha is designed as a series of stress tests for the game’s server infrastructure. If it’s anything like previous Dooms there’ll be pints of stress, so don’t worry about that id. Id Software has stressed that this is the closed alpha rather than the beta test advertised with Wolfenstein pre-orders, so there’s going to be an additional beta test, presumably in the new year. For this Alpha there’s just a single map to play in 6v6 Team Deathmatch carnage. Dubbed Heatwave, the map is industrial themed with narrow corridors, hanging walkways and small chambers linking up a larger, central area. So far, so DOOM.
 A return to its arena shooter roots, DOOM looks to be extremely fast-paced. with players battling over key weapon pick-ups, power-ups, armour, ammo and health. Yep, your health won’t magically regenerate. This time you’ll magically heal when picking up health capsules. Perfect. A total of seven weapons will be featured, comprising the Vortex Rifle, Super Shotgun, Repeater, Rocket Launcher, Static Cannon and Plasma Rifle. There’s a seventh super-weapon known as the Gauss Cannon which takes down enemies in a single shot, much like Quake’s RailGun. It's also got the added bonus of seeing through walls. 
Lastly, players will be able to become a Revenant demo themselves by picking up the Demon Rune hidden in the map. This arms you with dual rocket launchers and jetpacks for some serious destruction. 
Are you going to chance the Alpha signups? Or are your expectations low for DOOM? Let us know what you think!