(cache)SIGIL (2019: Windows) – Review – Retro Tech and Gaming Blog

Before reading my review, here are my criteria concerning review scores. I also want to disclaim that I originally penned this review for SIGIL (2019: Windows) in 2022. I reworked the original review, which contained numerous structural and grammatical errors.

I recently reviewed The Lost Episodes of Doom (1995: MS-DOS) less than two weeks ago, but that unofficial expansion, while fantastic (at least in my opinion), made me want to play even more classic Doom! Today’s candidate is SIGIL, the unofficial fifth episode of my favorite game of all time, Doom (1993: MS-DOS)! John Romero designed SIGIL to honor the original Doom’s (1993) twenty-fifth anniversary. Furthermore, I want to disclose that I played SIGIL using GZDoom. Let us see how good SIGIL is!

Gameplay – 60 points

Controls:

Of course, the foremost component of SIGIL to discuss is its controls. Of course, since it is the unofficial fifth episode of Doom (1993), it has identical controls as that game, regardless of whether you play on MS-DOS (or DOSBox) or Windows (via GZDoom like I played with), includes customized controls, so I will disclose the control scheme I used:

W, A, S, and D are the movement and strafe keys (i.e., the D-pad on classic controllers)
Left-click on the Mouse to use your current weapon.
E is to open doors and access secrets hidden behind walls.
Scrolling the Mouse Wheel allows you to proceed to the next or previous weapon.
The Number 1 switches to the Fist/Chainsaw.
The Number 2 switches to the Pistol.
The Number 3 switches to the Shotgun.
The Number 4 switches to the Chaingun.
The Number 5 switches to the Rocket Launcher.
The Number 6 switches to the Plasma Riffle.
The Number 7 switches to the BFG9000.
The Tab key allows you to access the map.
F1 allows you access to the Help Menu.
F2 saves your current state.
F3 Loads any of your save states.
The Escape key pauses SIGIL.

I will also display the MS-DOS and DOSBox controls (see below). SIGIL features the same phenomenal controls that the previously reviewed Doom games featured, which can challenge most acclaimed video games regarding its control scheme. The controls are comfortable and feature zero input lag.

My score for the Controls section is 12/12

Frame rate and Stability:

SIGIL runs at 35 FPS when you play on DOSBox or the following operating systems:

Since I played SIGIL via GZDoom, it performed at 60 FPS with zero slowdowns. Most contemporary computers should have zero problems running GZDoom. Of course, a locked 60 FPS is more conventional or desirable for enthusiasts of the first-person shooter genre. I expect your computer encounters no tribulations running an expansion of an MS-DOS game from 1993.

System requirements? – ZDoom

My score for the Frame rate and Stability section is 12/12

Polish:

Since this is the unofficial fifth episode of the original Doom (1993), one of the most polished video games ever developed, SIGIL is similarly excellently polished. I want to remind newcomers and veterans of the blog that Monster infighting is an intended mechanic, not a glitch. Of course, there are obvious limitations to the Doom Engine, known as the id Tech 1 Engine, and most limitations in id Tech 1 are due to Doom (1993) being a 31-year-old game initially programmed for MS-DOS. Enemies occasionally walk on elevators or other ascending platforms (Lost Souls get stuck. Maybe something with their hit-box?).

Category: Exploitable bugs and glitches

Static limits

Monsters stuck in door tracks, walls, or hanging off lifts

My score for the Polish section is 12/12

Level, Game, and World Design:

While SIGIL is an expansion for the original Doom (1993), it only has nine levels, which means, unlike when I reviewed the original Doom (1993) and The Lost Episodes of Doom, I will not have to divide this section into three categories for each episode.

Anyway, the first level of SIGIL is E5M1: Baphomet’s Demesne, and E5M1 is almost as great of an opening level as E1M1: Hangar since it properly introduces you to all the prevalent design tropes John Romero has in store for you during SIGIL. The most relevant of these design tropes is when you have to shoot the evil eye decoration (technically, the wall behind it) to reveal a secret path or trigger a switch. An example of this design trope is after shooting the wall where the evil eye decoration is in the picture below, a platform rises out of the lava that the Doom guy can walk over.

One tip I have for playing SIGIL (especially when playing on GZDoom) is, after defeating all the enemies, open your map to see whether you can find any secrets, since Romero likes to hide secrets in clandestine areas (the pathway will be more revealed if playing on GZDoom compared to playing it on MS-DOS or DOSBox).

The second and third levels of SIGIL, E5M2: Sheol and E5M3: Cages of the Damned, are also fantastic levels that make excellent use of not only the technical capabilities of the id Tech 1 Engine, but placing Doomguy in tight corridors with enemies that sneak attack him. This design mirrors classic levels like E1M7: Computer Station in the original Doom (1993). The sections where Doomguy has to walk on thin walls to avoid Cyberdemon rockets (E5M2) and Imp and Cacodemon fireballs (E5M3) are highlights. One particular graphical and programming highlight takes place in E5M3 after obtaining the Red Skull Key, and the Baron of Hell approaches you with a bloody red wall behind him, shrouded in darkness. Look at the picture below.

E5M4: Paths of Wretchedness and E5M5: Abaddon’s Void are interesting open-ended levels that contrast in scope. E5M4 is a more tightly designed level with multiple paths Doomguy can explore (to obtain Red, Blue, and Yellow Skull Keys), and E5M5 is an enormous and wide-open level (in scope) that ironically makes you play more carefully since two Cyberdemons patrol the blood bath.

E5M4 reminds me of a John Romero-designed version of the classic MAP08: Tricks and Traps level from Doom II: Hell on Earth (1994: MS-DOS) since each pathway utilizes different gimmicks. The first pathway I explored in E5M4 involves avoiding crushing cellings by standing on specific tiles. Of course, Romero highlighted where players stand (these tiles rise up and down, too). There is also a great moment when you shoot at an evil eye decoration, and after doing so, the wall opens up and a group of Shotgunners start approaching you. The other two pathways feature descending floors and corridors where you avoid Imps, Zombiemen, and Shotgunners firing at you. Players should also be careful of Cacodemons and Barons in closet-like areas, which are always an exciting challenge.

Besides the patrolling Cyberdemons, E5M5 is where SIGIL’s challenge starts picking up significantly since there are fewer ammunition pickups than the previous four levels, and more Cacodemons and Lost Souls start trying to ruin your day. Another classic John Romero design quirk is when you walk across damaged floors to access secret areas or obtain items (like Supercharges). YouTuber BigMacDavis calls John Romero “Trollmero” because of this. Check out the video below:

SIGIL’s secret level, E5M9: Realm of Iblis (SIGIL), is something else regarding its challenge, and is on par with MAP32: Go 2 It from The Plutonia Experiment (1996: MS-DOS) regarding challenge. E5M9 has with lava, Shotgunners (hitscan), Barons, Cacodemons, and a devilishly placed Cyberdemon. However, the challenge makes E5M9 awesome, and while open-ended, it features a significant amount of action.

The remaining three maps of SIGIL, E5M6: Unspeakable Persecution, E5M7: Nightmare Underworld, and E5M8: Halls of Perdition are all John Romero excellence and every design trope I previously mentioned appears in all three of these levels. However, what separates these levels is the lighting effects and unique programming quirks of the id Tech 1 Engine that John Romero knows like the back of his hand. One classic example is when Doomguy drops into a bloody pit, and the lights dim like E1M3: Toxin Refinery. When you obtain the Blue Keycard, the Imps charge at you when the lights dim at that level.

Moments like this represent excellent environmental storytelling, and make such moments more memorable and immersive. E5M6 is a bit darker than most levels in SIGIL, with cleverly placed Spectres, Pinkies, and Imps littering the level. The penultimate level of SIGIL, E5M7, is not only enormous, but a gauntlet that will legitimately test your skills. E5M7 is the most challenging map John Romero ever designed (I still have not played SIGIL II), even more so than the previously mentioned E5M9, mainly due to the Hitscanners. Of course, “Trollmero” appears in E5M7 too, since you have to collect an Invulnerability on lava. The secrets in E5M7, as throughout SIGIL, are cleverly placed, and legitimately made me say “Aha!” when I discovered each one.

E5M8, the final level of SIGIL, is a classic final level that focuses on combat and throwing every SIGIL design quirk at you. Humorously, or nightmarely (depending on perspective), you have to defeat a Spiderdemon and a Cyberdemon back-to-back in a darkened pit. Remember to kill the Lost Souls when you start E5M8, so they do not become a nuisance later.

Overall, SIGIL features phenomenal level design only John Romero could pull off, which epitomizes why he is one of the all-time greats in video games. SIGIL features classic Doom design, and its secrets are clever and make players explore the environment, which is something I have always loved about John Romero’s level design philosophy. The combat areas are excellent, and the idea of preserving ammunition is something Doom Eternal (2020: Windows) should recognize.

My score for the Level, Game, and World Design is 12/12

Difficulty, Enemy AI, and Competitive Balance:

Compared to the officially released classic Doom games, I would rank SIGIL behind Doom 64 (2020: Windows) and The Plutonia Experiment. While short, SIGIL features a legitimate challenge that only Doom masters should play. The placement of Hitscan enemies alone makes SIGIL more challenging than the first two Doom games. SIGIL is comparable to Thy Flesh Consumed in challenge. However, what makes SIGIL challenging is the low amount of ammunition in most levels. Players should be careful and not waste ammunition unless they want to get close and personal with the demons.

Of course, regarding the artificial intelligence of the demons, they follow a primitive set of behaviors and patterns. While Doom (1993) had state-of-the-art artificial intelligence in 1993, people replaying the game 30+ years later will think it is primitive due to how exploitable it is. An example of exploitable artificial intelligence in Doom (1993) is when you can trigger Monster infighting by just swinging Doomguy’s fist. This exploitation results in the demons fighting each other instead of you. However, even this goofiness is not a detriment to the overall gameplay and gives classic Doom a unique charm.

Like every Doom game, expansion, and mod I have reviewed so far, The Lost Episodes of Doom contains five difficulty options, which are the following:

I’m too young to die (sk_baby)
Hey, not too rough (sk_easy)
Hurt me plenty (sk_medium)
Ultra-Violence (sk_hard)
Nightmare! (sk_nightmare)

Ultra-Violence is the hard mode for classic Doom, but it is not as challenging as Castlevania or Mega Man on the Nintendo Entertainment System. However, Nightmare is a different beast! There are several reasons why Nightmare in classic Doom is one of the most challenging video games to complete, but I will boil it down to the following:

Enemies infinitely respawn.
Enemies move much faster than in Ultra-Violence and the other lower-difficulty settings.
Enemies deal more damage.
The increased prevalence of Zombiemen and Shotgunners makes Knee Deep in the Dead’s literal insanity on Nightmare! This insane difficulty spike is because of something called Hitscan, or when attacks trace a linear path from a spot while facing a certain angle. These attacks collect intercepted objects within the path and determine what to hit (this is instantaneous). You cannot avoid attacks from Zombiemen and Shotgunners unless you hide behind a wall or a crate.

I have not completed Master Levels for Doom II (1995: MS-DOS), SIGIL II (2023: Windows), or Legacy of Rust (2024: Windows) yet, so I will not comment on those expansions. I will review these three expansions this year.

My score for the Difficulty, Enemy AI, and Competitive Balance is 12/12

The overall score for GAMEPLAY is 60/60! The eighth perfect score for gameplay!

Story – 10 points

As expected, SIGIL contains a rudimentary story that John Romero likely created within an hour. The plot of SIGIL continues from where E4M8: Unto the Cruel of Thy Flesh Consumed left off. After defeating the Spiderdemon in E4M8, Doomguy returns to Earth to save the planet from the demons causing unimaginable carnage. However, Baphomet glitched the teleporter with the sigil (hence the title of this expansion)

As expected, SIGIL is in Hell, and Doomguy has to fight through a gauntlet of classic enemies. After destroying this horde of enemies, Doomguy returns to Earth to become a savior (the events of Doom II: Hell on Earth).

The overall score for STORY is 5/10

Graphics – 10 points

Since SIGIL utilizes the same graphical assets as the original Doom (1993):

As for the graphics, while younger players will think the graphics are muddy looking, Doom’s graphics for the early 1990s were unlike anything preceding it. The sprites are iconic, the gore and animations are excellent, and the environments in The Lost Episodes of Doom are vibrant. The overall aesthetics of classic Doom are timeless, and even mods (modifications) of classic Doom look great. Numerous environments give off a gnarly vibe that only Doom can pull off. However, my favorite graphical details in classic Doom are the gorgeous skyboxes that give off a foreboding presence.

SIGIL Bonus Images

The overall score for GRAPHICS is 10/10

Music – 10 points

For the unaware, SIGIL does not have the same soundtrack as the original Doom (1993). Buckethead performed the soundtrack! Buckethead’s SIGIL soundtrack is fantastic and fits within the Doom universe similar to Bobby Prince’s and Aubrey Hodges’ soundtracks for the classic Doom games. Unsurprisingly, the origin of SIGIL’s soundtrack stems from Romero listening to Buckethead’s music while designing its maps. Since SIGIL focuses on a brutal challenge, this soundtrack fits like a glove. While Buckethead’s soundtrack is enjoyable, I cannot forget the MIDI soundtrack (by James Paddock (Jimmy), which is even better! The MIDI soundtrack fits classic Doom like a glove, and the moments when fighting the Cyberdemons or fighting Cacodemons and Barons in a darkened room are unforgettable, partially because of the music.

The overall score for MUSIC is 10/10

Replay Value – 5 points

The all-important question is, is SIGIL a fun expansion of the original Doom (1993)? Yes, it is! John Romero’s expertise in level design comes out in full force during every minute of SIGIL, and even when I first played it several years ago (2021), I had a blast! The cleverly placed secrets and expertly designed combat areas made me return to SIGIL annually since 2021. John Romero left a good impression on me with SIGIL. However, I would practice with the original Doom (1993) before playing SIGIL.

The overall score for REPLAY VALUE is 5/5

Bonus Content – 5 points

Despite SIGIL being the unofficial fifth episode of the original Doom (1993), John Romero did design Deathmatch arenas for each of SIGIL’s nine levels! In other words, SIGIL features Bonus Content! And, of course, Deathmatch in classic Doom is arguably the best multiplayer mode in video game history. Enough said.

The overall score for BONUS CONTENT is 5/5

My overall Score for SIGIL (2019: Windows) – 95% or an A

Despite being developed by one man, John Romero developed SIGIL, and delivered a phenomenal expansion of my favorite game, the original Doom (1993). SIGIL features perfect level design, gorgeous environments, and fantastic combat. Speaking of the combat, while resource management may turn off some, this design is clever and forces you to utilize more strategy while playing. Good job, John Romero! I cannot wait to play SIGIL II.