Doom 3, one of the most hyped up games in recent history. Many hailed it as technical masterpiece others complained about its' dated gameplay. As for me I don't know what I was thinking when I bought this game at a bargain price. Seriously I am done looking at any game ID puts out.
Quick review in fifteen words or less: A boring flashlight simulator with monsters that pop out of closets.
Gameplay
The first problem with this game is the emphasis on a story. Doom 1 and 2 were not about talking. Your shotgun and rocket launcher did the talking. The second problem is having the same tactics being used. The enemy AI will always come at you in small groups and almost always have a buddy that spawns behind you. Failing that the game exhausts the use of these "closet" monsters that pop out of sliding walls. Half way through the game I was so bored of entering the same looking room, running into the same scenario. Honestly after a bit you automatically turn around and look behind you every time you spot and enemy ahead of you.
You don't do this out of "fear", you do this because the above tactic and the surrounding darkness are perpetually used as a cheap gimmick. A gimmick you'll tire of quickly even if on occasion you get to fight a boss just to break up the pacing.
Audio
I guess having no music at all is the way to build more tension and atmosphere in a game. With the exception of the title music you will not hear a single note while shooting demons. I don't understand that decision. Honestly it just makes for a more boring experience. Moving onto the shooting I just mentioned. I can sum up the sound effects thusly: weak sauce. Almost all the weapons sound off as useless toys. I say almost because the chaingun sounds decent and the plasma gun sounds futuristic.
Lastly, I come to the only good part about the audio, the voice acting. I know that sounds surprising because Doom was never about people talking it up. In Doom 3 you'll encounter all sorts of stranded scientists, marines and their voice logs. For the most part the acting comes off as believable and helps create a creepy feeling as you progress with the game.
Video
I am spoiled by my precious Half Life 2. Doom 3 doesn't even come close. The models look blocky and fashioned out of plastic. The textures don't look as smooth or real as HL 2 and I suspect the engine can't handle a lot due to the fact that you rarely square off with more then a couple of demons at once. The one good thing I have to say about this section is that the game itself comes off as really scary. Blood and guts everywhere, great use of shadows and lighting (when you can actually see).
Replay
I've mentioned this before but I'll reiterate. I don't really play the multiplayer part of an FPS unless I really enjoyed the single player portion. Naturally I didn't like the single player part and have no interest in trying the multiplayer. Call it unfair but I don't care that is just the way I roll. Couple that with what felt like a really long, tedious and boring trek through the single player story and I find no reason to come back to this game. I think for most gamers Doom 3 will be played once, if that.
To elaborate more on why I didn't enjoy the single player I'll shake my fist and spout off some of my grievances. The lack of music, the fact that the setting is almost always the same dark grey hallways and nothing to really break up the gameplay really twisted my nips. Want a change of scenery? Not happening. Oh joy I get to go outside for a few seconds on occasion, .
Want to use a turret or vehicle? Not happening. Want enemies to vary their attacks and not always pop out of closets or spawn behind you? Not happening. Do you feel like backtracking often? That will happen. Do you want to get lost or miss an item because of the darkness? That will happen.
By this point I think I've made my point. Doom 3 harkens back to the "good old days" of FPS gaming. Except instead of giving us lots of baddies to cut down, we've been given a story to a game that never really needed one.
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