Doom 3

One of this-gen's most anticipated games found its way to the Xbox with some of the finest game tech ever seen.

	Version Xbox, PC	Developer id Software Vicarious Visions	Publisher Activision	Genre FPS

By Ben S. Dutka

Here's the thing. First-person shooters, in addition to becoming one of the most popular video game genres in the past five years, have become more diverse since their inception with Wolfenstein 3D. And yet, the original goal (shoot first; think later, or in fact, don't think at all) hasn't completely disappeared in some franchises. Doom is the classic example of a "mindless shooter," and fans have been clamoring for a technically superior version for years.

Now bear in mind, these fans have no interest in seeing Doom crossed with Deus Ex, because that simply isn't the essence of the legendary series. In fact, when we all got our chance to play Doom 3 last year on the PC, we found that the newest installment was closer to a FPS fused with a Resident Evil atmosphere. It worked extraordinarily well, but the question remained- it was clearly a graphical powerhouse, so how would it handle the jump to the Xbox?

So that's where we begin; how well do the visuals hold up? Thankfully, there's not much to dissect. There is only a small drop in sharpness and contrast, and that's in direct comparison to a beast of a PC; the overall graphical presentation in the Xbox version is extraordinary. The developers don't skimp on the detail, and while loading times have increased, they're not bad enough to infringe upon the gameplay experience.

The environments offer a decent variety, the enemies are well designed and significantly creepy, and the shading and coloring is magnificent. Unfortunately, we don't get a chance to see it all the time thanks to the purveying darkness, but that is easily excused. After all, it's all about the immersion, and when caught in the dark with nasty things stalking us, we tend to react with both trepidation and fear. In short, it's a mostly flawless setup, and you won't find better graphics anywhere in the console realm.

Sound is another important aspect of the first-person shooter; erratic and monotonous sound can kill the experience faster than massive slowdown or pathetic AI. When it comes to weapon sound effects, creature screams, and anything else that goes bump in the night, Doom 3 excels. The only problem tends to revolve around the soundtrack, which doesn't do enough to get you into the action. Low reverberating beats work well for upholding the creepy theme, but it doesn't go much further. Other than that, though, the sound works extremely well for this type of game.

When it comes to gameplay, Doom is Doom. Regardless of the year or the glossy new veneer, the action is always at the core of the experience. However, Doom 3 takes a step in the survival/horror direction by adding several significant elements, including a wee bit of stealth - you won't be surprising any enemies, but sneaking carefully through dark corridors is a staple of the gameplay - and a few fetch-and-use mini-missions. The further you get in the game, though, the more hectic the action becomes, and the more Doom 3 becomes...well, just like Doom.

You move smoothly through dark and futuristic environments, which get increasingly more bizarre the longer you play. All hell breaks loose not long after arriving on Mars, and as a combat marine, you're expected to investigate the series of strange events that are wreaking havoc throughout the medical labs, military facilities, and underground caverns that twist their way through the belly of the red planet. It's not about blasting away at enemies around every corner, it's about that anticipatory feeling you get when you've got our flashlight out, there is no power, and you're convinced something is lurking in the shadows. Essentially, it's all about the atmosphere.

Speaking of the flashlight, it's a nifty little addition that adds a decent strategic element to the gameplay, despite some overuse of the tool partway through the game. Because you cannot have the flashlight equipped at the same time as a weapon, you need to be ready to switch at a moment's notice, and while it can be frustrating, it's a well-executed idea. The "purists" who believe Doom 3 should have more action and less "atmosphere" won't like it, but it's certainly not abused.

What is abused, unfortunately, is the enemies-appearing-behind-you gimmick that plays itself out long before you reach the end of your adventure. In fact, the player will find himself pulling constant 180s after getting halfway through each room, and while the predictability allows for the proper preparation, it remains one of the more annoying aspects of the gameplay. Thankfully, the action itself is so finely honed that it's nearly impossible not to enjoy the battle.

Another worthy addition is the PDA, which functions like a 22nd-century iPod with a bunch of nifty features. You can download and access company e-mails, security pass codes, voicemails, and other vital information; for example, you will use the codes to open lockers that contain ammo and health upgrades. It works fine, but the only problem is that it takes a bit too long to access. There is a lengthy pause between the time you lower the PDA and the time you actually get back to the game, but it's such a minor complaint, it's borderline nitpicking.

The difficulty takes a sharp turn upwards about 2/3 of the way through the game, and although it's unlikely to be heralded as one of the toughest shooters around, Doom 3 is still challenging. The enemies are very fast and surprisingly accurate, and when you're forced to deal with the big boys at the end (the Death Knight will give you fits), you better break out the heavy-hitting guns, or you're toast. In the end, the adventure gets a bit repetitive, the levels start to blend into each other about halfway through, and there's really nothing FPS fans haven't seen before. But on the flip side, it's an incredibly polished, refined, and impressive achievement based strictly on its merits as a simple FPS. It takes what we always knew and makes everything shine, period.

In terms of depth, the flashlight, PDA, and some very simple jumping obstacles comprise the entirety of the game's complexity. You will use some strategy when dealing with certain enemies, primarily because the developers went out of their way to make each one unique, but the adventure is all about freaky things that need a healthy dose of heavy ammunition. Unfortunately, a whole lot more could've been done that wouldn't have conflicted with the action or atmosphere, and it's clear the designers had no interest in adding new dimensions. Perhaps the style would've been compromised; perhaps not.

Because there is such a high level of great artistry and downright sadistic design in the later areas, the presentation is fantastic. The Resident Evil feel superimposed on a fast-action FPS works shockingly well, in that no one element overrides the other. Loading times are a little annoying, but they're not bad, and the environment is loaded with an effective combination of Alien and Hellraiser; your world is never light and breezy, and always dark and foreboding, even when you're outside. There's only one downside- The story is terribly clichéd and poorly paced, and even though it's only Doom, the tiniest bit of effort regarding a storyline would've been appreciated.

Overall, Doom 3 is exactly what it should be, and fortunately or unfortunately, nothing more. Fans of the franchise aren't likely to be disappointed, and the Xbox version is nearly identical to the PC version. There are a few surprisingly positive aspects, such as the top-notch voice acting, the flashlight, and the sprint option, which is almost essential near the end of the game. The entire experience is fueled by the fluidity of the gameplay and the perfect atmospheric setting.

Multiplayer is where most of the fun is at, considering the single-player campaign will only last about 10-15 hours. As is the case with most FPSs, online and multiplayer entertainment makes the game worth the price of admission, and Doom 3 is no exception. But if you enjoy the single-player enough, you may wish to traverse the hellish environments again, despite the repetitive feel. All in all, while Doom 3 doesn't attempt anything new, it does what it should. And for many, that should be enough.