The Gnarly Prequel To A DOOM 2 Mod About A Vicious Holy War Is Finally Here

A new, ambitious DOOM 2 mod project called Trench Foot has received a prequel mini-campaign, Butcher's Summit. The project combines the aesthetics of World War One with the zealotry of a medieval holy war and a gothic style. In the main project, players take on the role of a master Templar of the Canonicate faith, tasked with waging an apocalyptic war against heretics in the nation of Cretu. The full mod promises 14 unique weapons and 15 enemy types. The release of Butcher’s Summit offers players a first taste of this unique world.

The creativity within the DOOM community is a constant, with ambitious projects like this surfacing regularly. Meanwhile, official content continues to expand the universe of the parent company, Bethesda's properties in different formats. For instance, the Bethesda Pinball DLC, a collection from Zen Studios, brings franchises like Fallout, DOOM, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim to the virtual arcade.

The development of the main Trench Foot mod has faced several challenges, from typical design hurdles to external factors like the Doom modding community's shift from the GZDoom sourceport to UZDoom. The development team at TrenchWork has addressed these issues, but the path has not been smooth. In a surprise move, TrenchWork released Butcher's Summit, a three-episode mini-campaign that serves as a prequel to the events of the main story. I see the release as a way to give fans something tangible while development continues on the larger project. The prequel puts the player in the shoes of a Templar knight ordered to eliminate a heretic surface-to-air battery located in a vast mountain range. It includes three maps, which provide an estimated two-hour runtime, and features multiple weapons and over 40 new monster types.

The lead developer, L0kken, provided some context for the prequel's development.

"It's no secret that the development of Chapter 1 has had its ups and downs. During one of those slower phases of development, I decided to use the free time to begin work on a new project. I wanted to make something with a smaller scope that wouldn't require the efforts of the whole team to complete."

— L0kken

First impressions of the opening level reveal a dynamic battlefield. The action starts almost immediately, pushing the player through a landscape reminiscent of a World War One frontline. Enemies include axe-wielding cultists and deadly suicide bombers. The player fights back with revolvers, rifles, and their own fists. The level design feels large and open for a game built on the Doom engine, presenting moody battlefields shrouded in fog and dusted with snow. I do think the atmosphere is quite effective from the start. L0kken, however, is keen to manage expectations about how this prequel relates to the main project. He stated that Butcher's Summit "does not represent" how Chapter 1 will play.

"I made a few decisions to keep the project as simple and expedient as possible. A single difficulty option and kept cinematic moments to a minimum, prioritising gameplay and exploration."

— L0kken

Despite being based on Doom 2, the prequel is a wholly standalone experience, allowing players to launch it directly from the file without any additional setup or tinkering. You can download Butcher's Summit on ModDB to experience this unique blend of trench warfare and holy crusade for yourself.

There are rumors that Netflix is working on an animated show based on the DOOM franchise, which would add to its growing library of video game adaptations like Castlevania and Cyberpunk.