We have almost reached the Top of the first ever Top 10 MegaGames of 2004 countdown and the heat is definitely on. At Number 2 lies a game which will have most of the sinners out there cringing at its thought. Originally intended to be a remake rather than a brand new game and following over four years of development Doom 3 would probably win the title of the most misunderstood game of 2004.
When the Texas-based developer, iD produced the original, DOS-based Doom game in 1993, the FPS genre was very different to what it is today. It was definitely not a successful multi-million dollar industry but the arrival of iD’s little treasure, lifted the entire genre into the mainstream. Every developer that has made an FPS game following that release owes some form of gratitude to iD.
iD decided that most fans of the game and there were a lot of them, deserved to see it again in an updated and visually stunning version. The visual aspect of the game however was not all that the developer revamped. This time around Doom was given a storyline which basic as it was, was still effectively told through the logs of a variety of base employees. The original monsters from the 90’s have also been updated and they look and feel freshly spawned. Possibly the greatest improvement present in Doom 3 is the enhanced immersive quality which will have you playing from the edge of your seat. At this point we think a special mention should go out to the incredible use of sound within the game which manages to creep you out but also to keep you involved with the game. There are few gamers who can say that the faint calls for help, heard in some levels of the game, have no effect on them.
Doom 3 may have its flaws but there are times, while playing it, that you feel that you are the nameless grunt being chased around Mars by beasts that have escaped from hell.
Doom III is misunderstood as a game by many since iD decided to give it slow build-up. The pace during the early stages of the game is slow and you begin to feel that you are the one who is Doomed to keep repeating yourself. Those who persist and play through the early and mid stages of the game however, are in for a big reward. At about the final third of the game, once you reach hell, the game really picks up and the pace keeps building up until you reach the great climactic finale which will leave you stunned.
The great advantage of Doom III has to be the stunning engine created by iD. For a very long time now, FPS games had seemed trapped by older technology and companies were unwilling to put in the necessary resources to develop new ones. Granted, Doom IIIs impact would have been greater had Far Cry not been released just a few months before it but then again iDs engine tackles a very different environment and delivers it in great style. Everything from the art direction and the impressive physics, to the tiniest detail in the environment is delivered with stunning realism and amazing production values.
Doom III may be a slick game but it is definitely not one without flaws. Some of the problems gamers will encounter will seem more like omissions rather than simple mistakes. The lack of a co-operative element in the game, both in multi and single player modes, can be frustrating while the repetitive journey to hell can lead even the most determined gamers to extreme boredom. Getting to hell however, is highly recommended.
Voters were also impressed by the drop-dead-gorgeous visuals of the game … what can I say? It`s the sequel to The Game that marked an entire generation of gamers, I’m talking of course of Doom, playing Doom3 was like playing the original, for the first time, its obvious that in Doom3 the graphics are impressive and I bought a new graphics card on purpose, to get the most out of the graphics and art and what an experience it was!!! A five star game and definitely one of my 2004 favorites. Characteristic of how Doom 3 divided opinion is the response from some of the people that actually voted for the game, I picked Doom 3 for its graphics, although I did not like the story (Story was so predictable) I am still a major fan of the Doom series.
Another similarly confusing comment was made by a voter who manages to praise and trash the game he voted for, Doom 3 was a hit of nostalgia and really scary. I’ve never jumped so much in a game before. Having only ever played Doom and Doom 2 in co-operative mode I was somewhat proud to actually complete this game alone. It had a couple of down falls, the game became a little too samey and tedious in places and unfortunately, you sat there wishing for the level to end . Also due to this you also sat there wishing for the whole game to end eventually. However, it was very refreshing to go back to the old style of FPS where you really didn't have to think a huge amount about tactics.
Other voters seem still a bit shaken by the in-game atmosphere; Doom 3 was a horrifying pinnacle of art. The graphics were so good… Other gamers felt compelled to share some very personal experiences which followed Doom 3 gameplay, …first game where a zombie coming round a dark corner and mildly slapping me resulted in brown pants. Exceptional lighting, awesome sound… Mundane sort of gameplay brought it down 1/213th of a notch. Still, I can sit there are stare at the screen for hours on end, not moving and immersing myself in the atmosphere of Doom 3. Yet more voters were confused by Doom 3, …this (Doom 3) is nothing special in gaming terms but the reason it makes my list is simply the atmosphere that it creates. The game is just an average 'shoot everything that moves' game but when the things you’re gunning for jump out at you from a dark corners or are hidden in the darkness by failing lights only to be seen by their glowing red eyes then you actually start to worry about opening the next door. I've never jumped so much in my life, even when watching a film and that helped separate it from most of the other games out there.
Finally we will leave you with a clear and unambiguous statement It kept me on the edge of my seat with all the gore and hellish creatures. The lighting especially added more suspense because you have a worthless flashlight that is not tagged onto a gun. You constantly feel like someone is behind you and you are being hunted. The graphics were good and the physics were decent. But for a follow-up on one of the greatest FPS games of all times this sure hit the jackpot. Constantly short on ammo, and checking your back while traveling alone in a facility filled with decaying corpses, Doom III was by far the scariest game I have ever played.
Number 3