Xim's Star Wars Doom mod brings Force powers and 40 new enemies to GZDoom

If you're looking for a way to fill the hours while waiting for Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order to arrive, Xim's Star Wars Doom mod might be just the ticket. It's a Star Wars-themed mod for GZDoom that replaces the weapons and enemies, and also adds some interesting twists to the gameplay with Force powers like Push, Pull, Heal, and Choke.

The mod eliminates hitscan weapons—those that impact their target as soon as the trigger is pulled, like the pistol and shotgun—in favor of projectiles across the board, most of which are 3D models of Star Wars blaster effects. Most of the enemy infighting has been removed too: Imperials, aliens, and bounty hunters will fight each other but not amongst themselves, so you can't wade into a squad of stormtroopers and expect them to helpfully wipe each other other. The mod includes 25 weapons, more than 40 enemies, and new music and sounds, while optional add-on packs will replace props, add more new music, and fix compatibility issues with some mega WADs.

But the coolest thing, I think, are the Force powers. Finding two lightsabers will unlock Force abilities (the first saber is just a new weapon, which is also a handy thing to have), and with each new one you come across, a new power unlocks. Along with the Push, Pull, Heal, and Choke, you can whammy 'em with the ol' Mindtrick, which causes "weak-minded" enemies to temporarily wander around confused, blast 'em with Lightning (which does extra damage to mechanical enemies), or clobber 'em from a distance with Saber Throw.

The mod was originally released earlier this year but was recently updated, and as a fun, Dark Forces-flavored take on classic Doom gameplay, it looks pretty great. You'll need GZDoom to try it, which you can pick up free at ZDoom.org, and also an IWAD from a Doom-engine game, like Doom 2 or Ultimate Doom, both of which are still available from Steam or GOG. (They're currently half-price on GOG, so that'd be my pick.)

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.