Doom 3

"Great game."

The first time I ever seen Doom was at a friend's house. As a matter of fact, it was Doom 2. It was one of the best games I have ever seen in the FPS genre. I think at that point, my goal was to play Doom/Doom 2 all the way. I played it for about 2-3 years even while other games came out like Half Life, Quake, Quake 2, and so on.

However, when Doom 3 came out first on the PC, I didn't get to play it. I gave up on computer games ever since the year 2000 or so. I felt that the computer games became too high of a demand and required too much upgrading. Also, other great systems, like PS2, Xbox, and Gamecube came about and it sold me out.

When I first heard that Doom 3 was coming to the Xbox, I thought it was going to be another simplified version of a port from the PC. However, I was fooled when I got this game. Not only is it one of the best games out there, but it also comes with the original Dooms to bring back old memories (if you bought the CE).

Here's a break down of what I thought the game was like:

Graphics (9/10)

The graphics in this game are absolutely amazing. The textures and details of objects in the world are absolutely amazing. The only problem I have with the graphics is the explosion texture. I felt it looked somehow weird and unstable when things “blew” up. For example, when I toss a grenade or blow up a barrel, I see that the explosion animation is somehow screwed up. It just seems like a big black outline then it just goes away with no movement.

Other than that, I must say that the game itself is amazing in terms of graphics. The details of monsters, guns, and the detail of the world itself cannot be beaten by any game. Indeed, this game really pushes the limitation of the Xbox .

Gameplay (8/10)

The gameplay is actually very nice in this game. The controls are very responsive to anything you press. There are no “slowdowns” or “lags” when you switch weapons, shoot weapons, or anything like that. Also, the controls themselves are very nice. You can move 360 degrees at ease and there are no points where you get “stuck” in the world by a box or invisible hole like some FPS out there. Also, the controls are very comfortable since all the buttons are laid out nicely. There are no “tricks” with the controller that you have to do to do some movement. So, while playing this game, you won't have hand stress from it due to doing continuous “strange” controls.

The other aspect of this game is the story itself. Now, this game itself is more like a “remake” of the original Doom. You are a no-name soldier who got stuck on Mars and now you have to fight your way out. Instead of having a very simple story like that, Doom 3 takes you back to Mars, like in Doom 1, and this time around there is somewhat of a story to it. Now the story is again very simple, but it gets to the point. All throughout the game, you will have a consistent goal in mind. However, everything remains, you are unnamed, the only one left to fight, and the only way out is fighting your way out. Now, sometimes through your adventure, you'll get to have a “buddy” which is a robot that will guide you and follow you around. The AI for the robot is very nice. It will shoot everything that isn't you and it will stay with you if you go off course and then once you get back on course, it will guide you to the next area.

The idea of the game is much like Doom 1 being that you have to navigate yourself through tight mazes and unlike Doom 1, this time around it is mostly dark and all you have is a flashlight and guns. Also, throughout the games, you will find PDAs that contains stories or other valuable information in it that explains something. Although it doesn't really add anything to the story, it is nice to read about things that were happening in Mars itself.

Now, the entire game focuses on scaring you and for the most party, the aim is creepy. The dark hallways, the whispers, the screams of monsters and other things are all aimed at keeping you on your toe and looking all around you to make sure that nothing sneaks up on you. This aspect of the game becomes somewhat guess-able as you play. Some things are so obvious that you won't be scared when it happens. As a matter of fact, you'll be ready when it happens. However, some things in this game are just flat out creepy than scary. You'll find many “weird” things along the way. Like zombies eating the internal organs of another zombie and then they both get up and start attacking you. Or this other scene where this guy is nailed to the wall, and his entire torso area is cut open so that you'll see his bones. He'll start screaming and all these monsters will come out and start attacking you. Indeed, the overall atmosphere of this game is aimed to keep you on the edge of your seat and make you wonder, “What the heck was that thing?”

Conclusion:

I would say that this game is a must have for any fan of Doom or FPS. The game is very nice and simplified enough so that you can have a lot of fun. It might get boring after a while, but you better believe that you'll have loads of fun when you first play the game. There is just so much that is happening and it's all about reaction.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 04/10/05