Welcome to Hell... again

In the annuals on gaming history, few titles have been praised to the same degree as Id Software’s DOOM franchise. A revolution in gaming, DOOM brought the medium to the mainstream, and made strides in areas never before touched by games. It’s ultra-violent gameplay, in a world overrun by Hell spawn and malice, proved it the perfect whipping boy for politicians and lawyers looking to blame real life violent acts on something from the ‘mind rotting’ video game world. Yet the game struck a cord with audiences around the globe, and it soon went down as one of the greatest titles in history.

One sequel (DOOM 2: Hell on Earth) and an expansion pack (Final DOOM) later, and DOOM still went strong with fans. Yet with new, better, more advanced first person shooters on the market, and decreased support by Id, the number of people playing the game dwindled, and it soon fell into the classic category. However, a decade after people thought DOOM was gone for good, Id software has brought it’s prodigal child back into the world, once again ready to inspire awe, receive political whiplash, and bring joy to gamers everywhere once again.


Story:

For the first time in Id’s history, the company has created a game with an actual, honest to god, storyline. Although the cast of characters is small, and the way everything unfolds is very linear and thin, it’s still there. DOOM 3 is a retelling of the original DOOM story. You play the role of a nameless marine who never feels the need to speak. The year is 2145, and you’ve been transferred to Mars City on (drum roll please) Mars. The complex is owned and operated by the Union Aerospace Corporation; the largest cooperate entity in existence. On this base, UAC scientists are making breakthroughs in biological and weapons research, along with several other top-secret projects. However, not all is well on the base, as you seen begin to hear whispers of strange things happening. It isn’t long before you find yourself caught up in an invasion unlike anything you’ve ever seen, as death and mayhem – caused by demons and other ghastly images of doom, quickly take over the base. The story unfolds via scripted events and conversations, cinematics, and PDA logs you pick up, which flesh out the atmosphere and story, in which you soon become the only one standing between the over-run Mars base, and the safety of Earth.


Gameplay:

Over the course of the last decade, the first person shooter industry has seen great strides in gameplay methods and formulas, many adopting a slower, more strategic approach in their titles. Not Id though. From Wolfenstein 3D to Quake 3: Arena, Id’s all about delivering fast paced action with breakthrough technology that will suck players into the world and make them drop their jaw onto the floor. But none of the company’s games have done this as well as DOOM 3.

The basic core of DOOM 3’s gameplay is distinctively familiar. You are, in essence, a one-man army. Picking up different weapons along the way (9 weapons in all, including the most well known FPS weapon ever – the BFG) you basically move through each level, blasting away at the demon hordes that attack you. However, unlike the original DOOM, DOOM 3’s gameplay is much slower paced, as monster’s take more hits to kill, and you find yourself with less ammunition and health then in the old days.

It appears that, as soon as they arrived on Mars, the demons’ first goal was to shut off all the lighting system, leaving you, for many parts, in poorly lit areas where monsters may be hiding in every crevice and corner. Luckily, you have a flashlight to use to illuminate the area, showing off what is easily the best lighting system created in a game so far. All surfaces and lights are unified in the real-time lighting engine, and it shows.

Of course, there’s more to the game then just walking around shooting things. One of the design team’s primary goals was to make DOOM 3 a terrifying experience, and this is one area they succeeded at. From the creepy noises to the satanic, gory, and sometimes disturbing imagery (DOOM 3 is rated M for a reason) this game is certified to make most players quiver in fear at times. This is achieved through both cheap ‘Jump Out at you’ scares (pick up armour, doors open, enemies attack) to well done psychological tricks (voices whispering in the air, hallucinations etc). The monsters themselves can be creepy as well. Yes, even the infamous ‘Spider with an upside down head’ (known as the Trite) can scare the living daylights out of you.

Speaking of monsters, most of the classic DOOM creatures make their long overdue return in the latest chapter of evil: Everything from the Imps, Pinkys, and Mancubis, to the infamous Cacodemon and the Arch-Vile (although many more are in the game, don’t worry). Few of the monsters look exactly the same as they did before (especially the completely re-designed Hell Knight) but all of them have a classic feel of their own, and still possess the same powers they did back in the old games (although the Imps have learned how to climb along walls and the ceiling, another thing to look forward to). There are also some new baddies, whom I won’t mention, but chances are you’ve seen in trailers or at least heard about.

The battlefields of DOOM 3 are not worn torn cities or large open fields, but rather small, cramped scientific labs and living quarters. The whole UAC base feels alive with its working machines, computer terminals, and working TV sets. Many bits of the base are interactive. There is no use key in DOOM 3, instead when you get close to a PC screen or a friendly NPC, your character will lower his gun, and you’ll take control of the monitor’s mouse, or you’ll be able to talk to the individual you’re facing. You’ll need to operate many of these to survive the game’s horror and progress through levels.

Another level on interactivity comes in the form of your PDA (an idea inspired by the classic game System Shock 2). Your PDA contains your security clearance and shows your current objective, with descriptions of your items and weapons. You can also watch videodiscs you pick up along your journey using the PDA, a neat touch. However, the PDA isn’t just a toy, it’s your most important tool. As you progress, you collect other individual’s PDAs, giving you updated security clearance, and granting you access to their email and audio logs. While these serve to flesh out the atmosphere and feel of the game, they also serve a more practical purpose –snooping through peoples’ personal messages can often yield security codes to open storage cabinets and locks scattered throughout the base. Of course, they also can sometimes be humorous, as the game shows that even in 2145, Spam continues to plague the human race. While some might feel this humour is out of place, I found it perfect to break up the otherwise serious tension the game promotes.

Of course, the game has issues. It can, at times, get a bit repetitive, as you find yourself trudging through certain areas. The enemy AI isn’t all that advanced either, although occasionally possessed soldiers will take cover, and monsters will retreat if they’ve taken too much damage. In terms of lighting, the game can also be TOO dark, making you rely on your flashlight far more often them most people like (although the game lightens up considerably near the second half). The physics engine also seems to be a bit off at times. Still, these few things aren’t enough to seriously take away from the enjoyment you’ll get out of playing this gem.


Graphics:

Much has been said about DOOM 3’s incredible visuals, and rightfully so. Id has crafted the most beautiful and lifelike video game engine on the planet. Everything looks fantastic, from the character and monster models, to the interiors and especially exteriors of the Martian base. While many areas in the beginning seem to meld together and look the same, as time goes on, the game beings to open up more, giving more and more opportunities to show off the game’s stunning graphical achievement, and it isn’t until around ¾ through the game that you’ll see the true beauty of it.

As mentioned before, the game shows off many violent images. Anyone who’s coming to DOOM 3 looking for a light hearted FPS game will be in for the shock of their life. The game features plenty of blood and gore, with satanic images and references to the occult and Hell itself. Few games in memory delve as deep into the world of violence and visceral horror as this one does.

While many may be worried they’ll need a super PC to run the game passably, there’s no need. The game has been excellently optimized for even lower end PCs. While you’d still best have a decent amount of RAM available and a good processor speed, you don’t have to worry if your video card isn’t up to snuff. My RADEON 9200 managed to play the game, and despite a few hiccups early on, the game ran almost flawlessly, always moving at around an acceptable 30 frames per second. While 30 FPS may not seem high to some, since DOOM 3’s slower paced, it works out fine (in fact, Id’s capped off the fps of the game at 60, not allowing you to go higher). Furthermore, no tweaking to find the right performance balance is needed. The game automatically detects your settings and adjusts the game to them.


Sound:

This may be one area you MIGHT want to consider upgrading for. DOOM 3 features true 6-channel surround sound, making for an unparallel listening experience. Everything sounds real, from the monsters to the professional voice acting. While some of the guns sound a little weak, it’s nothing major. There’s very few times where there’s actual music in the game, as the game is more musical in it’s ambient sense. Having headphones or surround sound is an absolute must, and really brings out the best in this title’s atmosphere and helps induce the fear you’re supposed to be feeling as you traverse the game’s world.


Multiplayer:

Unfortunately, this is the weakest part of the game. Id said early on the game was single player focussed, and originally multiplayer wasn’t even going to be included. Sadly, you can tell. Multiplayer games are capped off at 4 players maximum (although mods are already out allowing for up to 32 players), with only a couple game modes (Deathmatch, Team deathmatch, Tournament, Last Man Standing) and 5 levels. While the levels themselves are well designed with bits of interactivity, good luck finding one that actually works. The server browser is extremely buggy, showing servers with people in them when there aren’t, showing servers with passwords despite your preferences set to ‘No passwords’, and other bits like that. Many of the games also feature more lag then usual, due to the graphics engine.

Now, all this could be brushed aside and could be considered mere fixes for a future patch except one major detail: Multiplayer itself. DOOM 3 MP is, in a nutshell, Quake multiplayer with 4 people and much smaller levels. Many had assumed that, with such a great single player mode, Id would have made multiplayer a slow, methodical shooter pitting 4 players in thinking man’s deathmatch, making use of the lighting and surprise tactics. Unfortunately most matches involve the players running around shooting each other with rocket launchers. It’s a definite disappointment, and something that will hopefully be fixed up by the mod community.


Final Word:

Despite not being a true evolution in gaming the way it’s predecessors were, DOOM 3 is an excellent adventure for anyone who wants a great, atmospheric shooter experience. With amazing graphics and sound, a good storyline, and terrifying gameplay, DOOM 3 is the most fun I’ve had with a single player FPS since the original Half-Life.


Final Score:
9.4 / 10



System Requirements:


Minimum Specifications
· A 1.5-gigahertz Intel Pentium 4 chip or AMD Athlon 1500.
· 384 megabytes of memory.
· Two gigabytes of hard drive space.
· An nVidia GeForce 3 graphics card or better; or an ATI Technologies 8500 or better.
Recommended Specifications
· 2Ghz CPU or AMD 2500
· 512 megabytes of memory.
· Two gigabytes of hard drive space.
· Radeon 9700 or an nVidia GeForce4 ti4600 graphics card or better.
· 5.1 surround sound audio

High End Specifications
· 3 Ghz Intel Pentium 4 chip or AMD Athlon 64 3000 .
· 1 gigabyte of memory.
· Two gigabytes of hard drive space.
· An nVidia 6800 graphics card or an ATI X800XT
· 6.1 surround sound audio