We are celebrating 30 years of the DOOM franchise with a new free Add-on for DOOM (1993) and DOOM II. John Romero returns to one of our original Add-ons, SIGIL, with its hotly anticipated follow-up, available now!

SIGIL II

SIGIL II is a free nine-level episode, available now for DOOM (1993) & DOOM II. Download and play SIGIL II by visiting the in-game Add-ons menu for DOOM (1993) & DOOM II - available on PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch, with backwards compatibility on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5.

But wait, we’ve got even more! Read on for an exclusive Nods to Mods interview with none other than this Add-on’s creator himself!

John Romero is an award-winning game designer, level designer and programmer whose work spans over 130 games, 107 of which have been published commercially, including the iconic works Wolfenstein 3D, DOOM and Quake. Romero has worked in the mobile, hardcore, mid-core, casual and MMO space and co-founded eight successful game companies including the likes of id Software, Gazillion Entertainment and, most recently, Romero Games which celebrated its 8th anniversary in 2023.

SLAYERS CLUB: Welcome back, John! We’re so glad to have you back for SIGIL II for DOOM’s 30th! How’s life in Ireland?

John Romero: Life has been excellent, and busy! I’ve been working on a new FPS and, as you know, SIGIL II this year. Thank you for asking.

SC: Is SIGIL II the conclusion to the storyline between DOOM (1993) and DOOM II...or might you be tempted to fire up the map editor again when DOOM nears another anniversary milestone?

JR: Yes, SIGIL II is the conclusion to the storyline just before DOOM II. I have already started on the next map pack for DOOM II and it’s named HELLION. After HELLION is going to be a Quake episode, so I don’t know if I’ll revisit DOOM (1993) again.

SC: Did you recruit new blood for your team in this installment, or keep it to the tried-and-true crew?

JR: My tried-and-true crew of amazing DOOM tech gurus, expanded by one with AF-Domains who is an absolute pro. They are all very involved in the DOOM community, so they know all the crazy exceptions with source ports.

As the credit screen shows, there are more people involved since we do social media posts and with so much involved with creating a physical box, my wife is heading the production part of the mod. And of course the new composer, THORR, is wowing players everywhere with his unique mix of hardcore industrial beats and ‘80s lead guitar lines.

SC: Tell us about your map-making philosophy of “make the first level last.”

JR: At the start of a project, you design everything organically, meaning it’s not all written in stone and can change as you develop to allow it to become the best it can be. I start my levels in the middle of the set and bounce back and forth around that center. I always make my ExM1 last because by that point I now know all the interesting and unique things about the journey players will go on, and can I put the final result of the design evolution that I went through into that first level.

SC: You’ve sampled some levels on your SIGIL II streams and it seems you’ve gone to diabolical lengths to raise the challenge for players. What methods did you employ to up the ante from SIGIL to SIGIL II?

JR: When I decided on the difficulty level for Ultra-Violence level for SIGIL II, I decided to make it more difficult than SIGIL’s UV. The difficulty of SIGIL’s UV was designed so I could finish a level without saving — just one run and I exit the map. With SIGIL II, my choice was to make it so difficult that I need to save/load my way through the levels.

SC: Other than the fresh challenge, what are the parallels between SIGIL and SIGIL II regarding inspiration and/or expectations you’ll be meeting players with?

JR: SIGIL and SIGIL II lean into a storyline that Satan is commanding Baphomet to stop you at all costs and trapping pentagram teleporters to transport you back into worse areas of Hell. The visual design of SIGIL II is a little more Hellish than SIGIL, so even more reds and lava everywhere.

I also wanted to make sure there were more outdoor levels. SIGIL had E5M5. Every SIGIL II level has outdoor areas, some more than others. The only expectation players should have is that SIGIL II is classic DOOM design with the challenge turned up to 10 on UV skill.

SC: We have some rapid fire, but very important, questions on the community’s mind regarding FIREBLU! (Note for Unanointed Readers: FIREBLU refers to an original animated DOOM texture that has risen to cult meme status.)

Rapid-Fireblu #1: Do you have FIREBLU shower curtains, doilies or duvet covers? If no, why not?

JR: I don’t because I never wanted to remember that texture! Aaaaggghhh!

Rapid Fireblu #2: Is FIREBLU cool to the touch?

JR: The heat and cold balance out to room temperature.

Rapid Fireblue #3: Does FIREBLU have any special history among the dev team?

JR: I remember after Kevin made the texture, I wondered where we would ever use it? At the start of E3M6 there’s an entire building that has FIREBLU on its outside and I remember looking at a FIREBLU wall and hearing a MIDI song that just did not fit the game’s aesthetic. The pairing of the music and that texture made me immediately nuke the song. The texture remained because I didn’t want to mess with Sandy’s work, because maybe he wanted the texture to represent the random chaos of Hell.

SC: Speaking of the amazing DOOM community, any shoutouts you’d like to give since our last interview?

JR: My god, MYHOUSE.WAD is an artwork. It’s a treasure. Also, VENTROUS was really great. I really appreciate the yearly CACOWARDS and the level authors deserve everything. There’s such great engagement with the community from Doomworld and id Software, and it’s one of the reasons why it’s still going strong.

SC: Thanks so much for your time and for creating more fun levels that make us yell at our screens!

JR: Thanks for asking about SIGIL II. It might be the first time a DOOM mod got the front cover of PC GAMER.

• For those who missed our SIGIL Nods to Mods interview with John Romero during DOOM’s 25th Anniversary, whaddya waiting for? Check out the SIGIL and SIGL II Add-ons today!