Vibe.com, May 6th, 2005
When Doom hit the PlayStation console in the mid 90's that's when things changed for the entire first person shooter (FPS) genre. Since then, there have been many incarnations of the first-person shooter from the likes of Duke Nuke Em', Goldeneye, Halo, Deus Ex and Chronicles of Riddick; each FPS has outdone the previous. Now does Doom 3, one of the originators of the FPS genre bring anything new to the table?
Not necessarily. The game begins as you, a space marine a couple of hundred years from now, arrive at your new assignment at a Mars research facility. The facility is owned by the Union Aerospace Corporation who has government contracts to research weapons, forces of nature in space and that sort of ilk. Once you check in, you get your first assignment and try to find a missing scientist. Once you do find the missing scientist, all hell breaks loose from there on out.
Audio/Visual: The graphics are crisp and clear and makes Doom 3 one of the best looking games on Xbox. The lighting is superb making every room and hallway dark and dreary causing your senses to heighten to any movement or sound. In some areas, the space is so dark you have to switch to a flashlight to see what's ahead of you, and more likely than not, you'll flash the light into the face of a demon, tempting you to try and bludgeon the creature to death with a flashlight. The environment created for the entire game just gives you the creeps. To add to the environment effect, there really isn't any music throughout the game, it's just quiet. The only sounds are the buzzing of machines, bleeping of computers and the moaning and breathing of a creature. The lack of a musical score just adds to the intensity of the game.
Controls: The controls are fairly easy. The triggers are for shooting or tossing a grenade. The D-pad helps you switch weapons quickly, the X reloads the weapon and the white button turns on the flashlight, which can also be used as a weapon.
Hotness: Online co-op through Xbox Live allows you to go through the game with a partner making it easier as well as a lot more fun.
Wackness: After awhile you get tired of being inside for so long, plus some players may experience some motion sickness. Even the hard core FPS gamers will feel a bit queasy. Also, the multiplayer death match on Xbox live is just played out.
Test Drive Rating: 4/5
More Gaming Reviews:
Halo 2 (Microsoft)
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Rockstar Games)
FABLE (Microsoft)
