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Review:
Red is the color of Doom 3. Blood is everywhere. It
stains the floors, it sprays wildly as demons are shot and
is smeared across the screen when the player is injured. Most
hallways are decorated by long streaks of blood, body parts
and an occasional decapitated or mutilated body. A visit into
a bathroom will reveal an arm floating in the toilet bowl.
And, the graphics of this game are designed to be the most
realistic ever-even to improve with the capabilities of computers
not yet designed.
It should
be obvious based on the amount of blood alone, that Doom
3 is not a kid-friendly game. However, on top of being
bloody, Doom 3 is outright terrifying. The darkness
is a key factor in this. Most times it is difficult to see-making
it easier for monsters to leap out of hiding places and sneak
up behind players. The artificial intelligence of the game
is also very sophisticated, with monsters working in teams
to trap and ambush players. Both of these elements keep the
player on the edge of their seat, as attacks are almost always
a surprise. Even the audio is designed to enhance the fear
factor: the screams of former coworkers can frequently be
heard in the background.
The storyline
is not really an essential part of the game, although it does
work to enhance the sense of foreboding and fear. Problem
solving skills or puzzles are limited to simple find the correct
computer screen or to listen to audio files that contain codes
or passwords. In truth the game only really shines in what
is was designed to do-kill or be killed. Doom 3 is
not a good choice for children of any age.
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Jeremy
Gieske has been an avid game player since the days
of the Apple II+ and Karateka. Recently, however,
his interests have developed beyond simply playing
the games, but also trying to understand the historical,
social and cultural impacts of video games. He recently
acquired his Masters degree with distinction from
the University of Salford in Manchester, England,
where he conducted research on videogames. Jeremy
has a background in design and marketing, and has
worked with several Internet and publishing companies.
Recently, he has written articles for DIGA-the Digital
Game Archive and has worked with the Computerspiele
museum in Berlin, Germany.