Doom 3 Review [Xbox]

I own and have beaten this game for both the PC and the XBox, and there is no real discerable difference in the platforms, save the controls. Also, depending on how powerful of a PC you have, it either looks better on XBox (like for my struggling PC) or worse with some wall textures looking kind of flat and pixelated. The Collector's Edition of the game also comes with full versions of Doom and Doom 2. So this review could go for either platform.

This is not a thinking man's shooter. It's not Half Life. This is pure balls to the walls, demon killing action. Think if the original Doom wasn't released until now, and you get Doom 3. It's a remake of the old game, not a sequel as the "3" implies. And just like the original, the story is disposable and not even worth mentioning really. Once again, if you're looking for anything more than a simple shooter, just stop reading and play another game.

If you're craving old school-style action with amazing graphics and tense, frightening atmosphere, this is your game. At it's core, Doom 3 is an interactive haunted house. The corridors are dark and confining, monsters jump out at you when you least expect it, and disturbing visuals are around every corner. This is action/horror at it's finest.

The graphics and animations are top-notch. Creature design is truly nightmarish, with all of the original enemies returning (with the exception of the cybernetic spider thing) and some new ones are thrown in. "Dark" is an understatement when describing the levels. Without the use of a flashlight, you're screwed. Some dorks complain that you can't tape your flashlight to your weapon, but having to switch back and forth really creates tense moments and lends to the lonely atmosphere. Sound in here is just as amazing and important as graphics. To truly appreciate the game as a whole, a decent surround sound system is vital.

Weapons more or less remain the same as well, with the addition of a versitile machine gun which will become your main gun alongside the shotgun. While using the machine gun, I had a strange feeling of Aliens vs. Predator nostalgia. As a matter of fact, alot of things in Doom 3 remind me of that PC classic. If you liked that game, you'll love this one.

While the single player game is excellent beyond description, the multiplayer is sorely lacking.

The co-op is fun for awhile, but you can't change any options. It seems like the game runs on easy mode while in co-op, plus the fact it's nearly impossible to die makes it all the easier. The levels are very small as well, making it possible to run through the game in a couple hours.

The deathmatch on the other hand is a joke. Four player maximum with limited options doesn't make for a very fun game. That's not even mentioning the lag you'll experience, making luck just as important as skill. After playing Halo 2 for five months, I couldn't take more than a couple matches before getting bored and disgusted.

If there was one game I would want to give a 666, it's this one, but some flaws prevent me from doing so. First and foremost is the lackluster multiplayer as described above. Also, the game has some flow issues. After getting into a groove and collecting some badass weapons during the first half of the game, you're sent to Hell (beautiful Hell...) and stripped of them, having to start all over again. It also gets a bit repetitious going from room to room shooting the same demons, and the initial frights go away after the first five hours or so.

Nevertheless, this game is a modern classic. If you a shooter fan at all and have played the original Doom (who hasn't) this is a must buy. Granted of course you have an XBox or a PC powerful enough to run it...