Looking back on it now, it’s hard to see what we all found so scary about the original Doom for PC. Aside from the occasional dathly moan on the soundtrack, the game’s graphics aren’t exactly what you’d call ‘realistic’ with today’s jaded eyes. That’s probably why Germany has only just decided to lift a ban on selling the game that stretches back 17 years…
The ban has restricted sale of the game to adult-only shops since its release in 1994. The decision, made by Germany’s Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons, was made due to a feeling that there were no quieter scenes to balance out the otherwise nonstop violence found in Doom and Doom II.
The ban lifted at the end of August, with most (but not all) of the committee agreeing that its age now renders it a much smaller threat to kids, and more of a piece of history and art. This was with help from an argument by Bethesda (owners of Doom creators id Software) that most mobile phones now support better graphics.
You still won’t find an American copy of Doom II in Germany, though; it contained a couple of levels from Wolfenstein 3D, which bore swastikas. Is this gaming madness or cencorship done right? Let us know on the Gadget Helpline Twitter feed.