Doom

With the discreet launch of Doom by KiShin, some individuals took notice of its release.

George Owl, a visitor to the KiShin store, initially sought to purchase the latest KiShin video games. While perusing the video games section in search of quality titles, he unexpectedly encountered a game called "Doom." Positioned prominently on the shelves, George initially assumed it was crafted by an American independent game developer. However, upon closer inspection, he spotted the KiShin logo in the upper right corner of the cover, indicating its origin.

In response, George decided to buy it, placing it in his basket. As he approached the cashier with his selected games, including Doom, the cashier furrowed his brows upon noticing George's choice.

The cashier remained silent, and George Owl furrowed his brows while inquiring, "Is there something wrong?"

The cashier quickly shook his head, responding, "Oh, no, nothing." After a momentary pause while scanning the video game's barcode, he continued, "Interestingly, Doom was the game I wanted to play. I've been curious about it since it's published and produced by KiShin, but unfortunately, I don't have an Apple Computer."

Confused, George asked, "An Apple Computer?" He paused before questioning, "Why would you need an Apple Computer for a video game?"

The cashier, upon hearing George Owl's question, responded with a hint of surprise, glancing at George as he said, "You don't know?"

Observing the surprise in the cashier's expression, George asked, "What don't I know?"

Noticing George's lack of awareness, the cashier promptly explained, "It appears you purchased Doom without realizing it's not compatible with SKES or KES. It wasn't intended for video game consoles..."

George Owl frowned in confusion, asking, "What do you mean?"

The cashier chuckled and explained, "This video game Doom was intended for Apple computers, specifically Macintosh OS 7."

George, taken aback, looked at the Doom game in the cashier's hands and exclaimed, "That video game Doom wasn't for SKES or KES!?"

The cashier nodded, turning the Doom cover to reveal the logos of KiShin and Apple. On the back, a disclaimer indicated that the game was designed for Apple computers running Macintosh OS 7.

Upon realizing this, George Owl was genuinely astonished. He hadn't anticipated that the KiShin-produced Doom was meant for computers.

Considering the KiShin-Apple alliance, it wasn't entirely surprising. However, the predicament lay in the fact that he had purchased a Doom game intended for Apple computers, yet he only possessed a Panasonic computer running Microsoft OS.

Noticing George's silence, the cashier inquired, "Do you still want to buy this Doom game, knowing it's not suitable for SKES or KES?" He presented the game to George, anticipating whether George would choose to return it or proceed with the purchase.

As George Owl weighed his options, considering the possibility of buying an Apple computer or Macintosh OS 7, he knew it would dent his financial savings. Amidst his contemplation, frustrated voices from the line at the cashier counter erupted.

"How long are you gonna stand there, blonde boy?"

"Don't just stand there, don't keep us waiting!"

"Argh! Damn it! I saved money to play the video game Secret Of Mana and Super Metroid, and I was already excited to play it, but some fool just stood there…" grumbled a displeased man in line.

The man near the disgruntled individual discreetly shifted away.

As George Owl and the cashier noticed the growing impatience of the people in line, the cashier urged George, "Sir, please decide quickly, or I'll scan the barcode for this Doom game, and you'll make the purchase."

Pressured by the complaints from the people in line, George made a quick decision, saying to the cashier, "Just scan it. I've decided to buy it," his words gritted through frustration.

Observing George Owl's expression, the cashier genuinely wished for him to take a moment to reconsider. However, given the impatient crowd, he swiftly scanned the barcode of the Doom game and the other video games George Owl had purchased, placing them all in KiShin's wrap.

Accepting the package, George Owl promptly left the line, with annoyed glances from the onlookers. He walked out of the KiShin Store, the disapproving stares lingering behind him.

"Damn... The self-esteem of these people is unbelievable," George Owl muttered with a sigh. Taking the Doom game from the KiShin's wrap, he acknowledged, "Looks like I need to change my computer..."

In just a day, he purchased a Macintosh OS 7, deciding to pass on his Panasonic computer with Microsoft OS to his niece.

With that, George Owl inserted the Doom video game disk into the Apple computer, muttering, "You better not disappoint me..."

As he watched, George saw the Doom video game being installed on the computer, and after a while, the installation was complete.

George Owl promptly opened the Doom video game, muttering, "If you disappoint me, I'll never buy anything KiShin-related again." He couldn't help but feel the lingering pain in his wallet, despite having substantial savings.

Although he had considerable funds, money still stung, and he felt the ache in his heart.

As the credits displayed, showing white text ©KiShin Doom 1993 against a black background, the Doom title emerged on the screen. Below it, red text prompted, "Press to start."

"This is it, the moment of truth!!!" George Owl roared, his family in the living room exchanging looks and shaking their heads at the unexpected outburst.

With that, George Owl pressed a random key on the keyboard to initiate the game. A gunshot sound effect resonated as he pressed the key, revealing more options on the screen accompanied by music. George Owl selected "Single Mode," leading to additional choices. Opting for the first episode at random, he continued.

Next, faced with difficulty options, George Owl chose the easy mode. The music intensified, and as he observed a hand holding a gun on the screen, George moved his mouse, maneuvering his character. Within moments of starting the gameplay, George found it uniquely captivating, feeling his heart thumping with excitement.