Game: Doom 3 - BFG Edition
Developer: id Software
Platform: Xbox/PS3/PC
Release: Oct. 16
Grade: A-
Rating: M
If Wolfenstein 3D is the grandfather of the first-person shooter genre, then Doom must be its psychotic, deranged son.
Doomis back, but unfortunately its newest offering - Doom 3: BFG Edition - lacks what everyone was hoping for: a number four attached to the title. It is instead an updated version of Doom 3 with some additions. While this may be somewhat of a disappointment for fans, this re-mastered version has plenty to offer.
Doom 3,originally released in the summer of 2004, set the standard for survival horror games and laid the framework for games like Dead Space and F.E.A.R. Doom 3 is set in a massive facility built on the unforgiving surface of Mars. The Union Aerospace Corporation has uncovered the ruins of an ancient alien civilization and discovered the secrets of teleportation.
The protagonist is a silent, nameless Marine who has just transferred to Mars in the wake of strange occurrences and mishaps at base. The game begins painfully slow but quickly devolves into demonic chaos.
Hell has been unleashed on Mars. The latest experiments in the research labs have set loose hordes of demonic monsters from another dimension.
The BFG (big f***ing gun) edition's most notable addition is a new chapter to the Doom 3 saga, "The Lost Mission." This additional chapter features seven new levels packed with hordes of the deadliest monsters.
The game'sstory centers on the only surviving Marine of the ill-fated Bravo team that was featured briefly in Doom's original story. The episode revolves around a mysterious, long-range teleporter constructed in hell that has the potential to launch an invasion force to Earth.
As the chapter clocks in at about two to three hours, depending on the difficulty, "The Lost Mission" is relatively brief. Despite this, id Software did an incredible job loading the campaign with a dense and diverse population of demons.
In the second half of the story, the environment contrasts the narrow corridors of Mars City with larger open spaces. The game becomes a cavalcade of powerful demons at every turn and feels more like classic Doom than the survival horror elements found in the original Doom 3 campaigns.
The best aspect integrated into the remake is the new armor-mounted flashlight. In the original release, players were forced to choose between holding their gun or flashlight.
Doom 3introduces revolutionary lighting effects that create dark, impenetrable shadows and wreak psychological havocon the player as he or she creeps throughthe suffocating corridors of Mars City. This system leads to an unrealistic, cheap sense of tension and fear as well as vexing deaths. A short, reasonable recharge time is the only drawback of the new armor-mounted flashlight.
The BFG edition boasts sleek updated graphics and sound. New lighting and rendering give Doom 3 a polished image that looks great on HD screens; 5.1 surround sound capabilities accentuate the eerie groans and demonic screams that help bring the environment and tension to life.
The BFG edition offers stereoscopic 3D support for 3D lovers. The inclusion of the legendary Doom and Doom 2 is this edition's icing on the cake, complete with bonus campaigns.
Set at $40 for console players or $30 for PC gamers ($20 if you already own Doom 3 on Steam), this package is a must buy for diehard fans of the series or someone looking to experience a piece of video game history.
Email: arts@ubspectrum.com
