Few Doom* mods dare to merge the grimy, mud-choked trenches of World War I with the blood-soaked zealotry of a medieval holy war—but Trench Foot does exactly that. What began as an ambitious total conversion for Doom 2, reimagining the game’s combat as a clash between the Canonicate (a fanatical order of Templar knights) and heretic forces in the shattered nation of Cretu, has now birthed a standalone prequel campaign: Butcher’s Summit.
This three-map mini-episode drops players into the role of a lone Templar knight, tasked with annihilating a heretic surface-to-air battery nestled in the peaks of a frozen mountain range. Spanning roughly two hours of relentless action, it introduces 14 unique weapons and over 40 new monsters—far more than initially planned for the main mod. The setting is a stark contrast to Doom’s usual hellscape: fog-choked battlefields strewn with snow, trenchworks crawling with axe-wielding cultists, and suicide bombers armed with revolvers and rifles.
The project’s lead developer, TrenchWork, revealed that Butcher’s Summit emerged from a period of slowed progress on the full mod. Rather than abandoning the vision, they pivoted to a smaller, self-contained episode—one that prioritizes raw gameplay over cinematic flourishes. Difficulty is locked to a single setting, and cutscenes are minimal, ensuring the focus remains on the visceral, high-speed combat that defines Doom.
Despite its streamlined scope, the prequel delivers on the mod’s signature blend of genres. Early impressions suggest a level design that’s expansive for a Doom-based game, with open battlefields that feel both claustrophobic and sprawling. The enemy roster alone—ranging from fanatical foot soldiers to explosive suicide bombers—promises a challenge that rewards aggression and adaptability. And while Butcher’s Summit doesn’t preview the full mod’s eventual direction, it serves as a tantalizing taste of what’s to come.
What makes Trench Foot particularly intriguing is its defiance of convention. Most Doom mods lean into the game’s demonic horror or sci-fi themes, but this one embraces a gothic, war-torn aesthetic that wouldn’t feel out of place in a Warhammer 40K campaign. The fusion of WWI trench warfare with religious extremism creates a tone that’s equal parts All Quiet on the Western Front and Doom Eternal*—a rare and refreshing twist for the franchise.
The prequel is fully standalone, requiring no additional setup beyond downloading the file. It’s available now for those willing to dive into a mod that’s as unapologetically weird as it is thrilling.
