Doom 3
Aspyr Media & iD Software
Price: $49.99 (demo available)
Pros: Immersive interface with in-game objects, superior graphics, clever story-telling devices, and a scary story.
Cons: High system requirements and mediocre online play.
by Gerrit Dalman
In 1994 I played a seminal piece of shareware that did something no game before had. It scared the heebie-jeebies out of me! The game was, of course, Doom. I remember backing up against walls only to hear the unearthly growl of a monster on the other side that sent a shiver up my spine. Fast-forward ten years and iD Software is doing it again!
Despite the number in the title, Doom 3 is really a reinterpretation of the original. Under the much-touted graphical improvements is a serious fleshing-out of the story. In short, the Union Aerospace Corporation's (UAC) research outpost on Mars mistakenly opens a gateway to Hell during a teleportation experiment and a single Marine is left to repel a demonic invasion.
Though embracing spiritual elements, iD has created a plausible future world with sufficient detail to maintain a suspension of disbelief once you're immersed in the game. The story is worthy of attention but even more interesting are the variety of well-implemented devices used to carry it.
In addition to conventional cut-scenes, supplemental plot information can be picked up by overhearing the conversations of non-player characters and by using an in-game personal digital assistant. On the PDA you can watch videos that describe facilities and weapons, read the emails of UAC employees, and listen to well-acted audio logs that explain the decline of Mars City.
Since those plot layers are optional, the story unfolds only as far as the player desires, allowing gamers to adjust the balance between story and action to their liking.
Obviously the graphics are great. The system requirements are high, but they make Doom 3 the unmatched visual leader on the Mac. Under those good looks is fairly traditional first-person gameplay with a large arsenal of familiar Doom weapons, lots of running and shooting, and some clever (yet easy) puzzles.
One way that Doom stands out is interaction with the environment. Mars City is full of interactive computer displays that are accessed without leaving the first-person game view as touch-screens, keeping the player immersed in the world. Such displays are common and used to access supply lockers, control equipment, and download data to the PDA.
It's the superb emphasis on suspense and horror that really makes the game fun though. If played in the dark, with the volume up, there is no reason this game shouldn't make you jump a few times.
Critical to the atmosphere of fear is the combination of eerie sound effects, purposeful lighting, and great cinematic timing. All this wizardry is so essential that the gameplay is molded around it. For example, you aren't allowed to hold your flashlight and a weapon at the same time. You have to choose between lighting your way or keeping your guard up with no idea what might lie ahead.
Unfortunately those elements don't make the multiplayer games special because everything boils down to a Quake-like run, jump, shoot scenario. Online play is also less forgiving of a system on the low end of the requirements. Still, the maps are beautifully derived from the solo campaign, some elements (such as light switches) are still interactive, and the in-game menus are both accessible and useful - a welcome improvement over games that use a text-based console for things like voting.
When played properly and alone, this game is a thrilling ride and a nice contrast to plotless shoot 'em ups. Doom 3 distills the best parts of a haunted house, a horror film, and a shooting gallery into a single satisfying package.
If you want a scarier story than what's been in the theaters lately or if you're a serious gamer, Doom 3 is well worth it. Anyone else who meets the system requirements should at least download the demo.
System Requirements:
* Mac OS X 10.3.8 or later
* 1.5GHz G4
* 512MB RAM
* 2 GB of disk space
* 64MB or better video card
* DVD drive