Following the events happening in Ukraine, one of the original creators of the classic Doom franchise, John Romero, announced on March 2nd via his Twitter that he has released a brand-spanking new charity level for the 1994 classic Doom II. 

Say what?!

This is John Romero’s first Doom II map in almost 30 years and is available for download at Romero.com. For the tiny price of €5 ($5.50 est.), you will get a new, classic Doom level made by John Romero himself. That’s pretty cool! But that’s not the best part. This new level is fittingly called “One Humanity.” Anyone who donates to the download can smile at the fact that 100% of the proceeds go directly to the Red Cross and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund in Ukraine. 

This shit just got wholesome!

Doom has always been legendary in the gaming world. It is considered the father of the FPS (first-person shooter) genre and has a HUGE following around the globe. Many members of the fan community are based in Europe. With this latest announcement, Doom fans have jumped at the opportunity to donate, support their fellow man, and prepare their super shotguns for battle! 

According to John Romero’s Twitter, One Humanity has raised over $27,000 for the relief effort in less than 7 days!

A fellow streamer friend of mine, Hyacsho, streamed the One Humanity level on his YouTube channel and John Romero himself showed up to offer his thanks. That’s pretty freaking amazing!!

I also got my hands on the new level, and I can tell you, blasting retro demons in the face for charity is really good fun! 

If you aren’t familiar with classic Doom or are an inexperienced Doom player like myself, One Humanity will be difficult. I was not living up to that badass Doomguy reputation even on an easier difficulty. I died a lot! Luckily for me, Doom II has a couch co-op, split-screen mode. I had the opportunity to battle through hell with my own in-house Doom expert, Immorpher. Bring it on!! 

The video below is our own, no commentary playthrough of One Humanity.

If you are familiar with Doom II, One Humanity just feels like a natural continuation of the original game. Everything you can expect from a classic Doom II level is here. We are still greeted with the obligatory ass-kicking from the Hell Knights, Lost Souls, and Cacodemons. They don’t care that we’re here for a good cause; they just want to see us cry! 

The music is the same iconic Doom II soundtrack you know and love, as are the weapons and the gameplay mechanics. This new level feels no different from those original levels from almost 30 years ago. It was a pleasant bit of nostalgia to play something so new but felt so old and classic.

Here was another thing I liked from a fan standpoint. Despite this map being released for charity, everything was business as usual in Doomland. There was no special in-game branding for the charity's sake. No mention of politics or an agenda outside of the Doom universe that could take us out of the canon of the franchise. This was just pure Doom! The level map was originally intended to be included in Romero’s upcoming megawad, SIGIL 2, but instead, Romero decided to modify the level for Doom II and released it to raise money for the cause. 

One Humanity feels like a true, faithful addition to the game that is replayable, timeless, and not just a standalone special edition created for a world event.

The One Humanity level is a lot of fun, and for €5 ($5.50 est.), it’s totally worth it!! Even if just for the nostalgic feel of having a genuine, new level brought to you by one of the original doom creators. It’s a double bonus that by donating and playing this level, you are helping those in need too! If you’re a Doom fan of any kind, this is a must-have! 

If you want to play Doom II: One Humanity, all you will need is a copy of the original Doom II game for PC (available on steam) and a modern source port such as GZDoom to run the new level once downloaded. Go over to Romero.com today to support this super cool project because killing demons is super fun! Killing demons and helping humanity is awesome! 

Have you played Doom II: One Humanity yet? Share your thoughts on the project below!