Sonic Doom or Big Dud?
By: Chris Sbhira and Uncle Willy |
Tuesday January 18, 2005 |
| Two resident staffers square off on the latest id Software release Doom 3. Are the results of over 5 years of development worthy of "Game of the Year" talk? |
| After five years of development, Lead Programmer John Carmack and the id Software team have put together what some call "revolutionary." If your PC has the power to meet the minimum system requirements, Doom3 is a welcome addition to any first person shooters arsenal of titles. Does the game really live up to the hype, or is it just an inflated chump? We got a few gamers to sit down for a more personal account from the staff couch.
Chris: Doom 3 has it all - good story, good graphics, and awesome guns. The bar is definately set high for the competition. The storyline has a really cool sci fi / horror type scenario. The game really freaked me out a couple of times. The audio has an interesting way of messing with you. There were more than a few times that I jumped out of my seat. I really felt attached to my character. What kept me on my heels was the overall design. The graphics were very impressive, using a tremendous amount of shadows and even long periods of complete darkness with only a flashlight. Eveything seemed to fit the story line and create a mood. Uncle Willy: I really didn't feel as stongly about everything as a lot of others (including our young misled Chris here) did about this game. The minimum system requirements are ridiculous, first of all. Do you have to go out and buy a new PC to play or what? Not to mention the horse power doesn’t even pay off in the end. With the graphics so dark and muddy, it is hard to see much of anything. Chris: Some of that is fair criticism. The game looks amazing on my plasma, but I did see it on another monitor and could see where problems would happen. Regardless, the game-play is still extremely high. The guns all live up to their originals and using them was very life-like. The action on the hand gun was especially impressive. Uncle Willy: I found that actually to be a little awkward and difficult to aim. I didn't feel much consistency and had some real problems when trying to run and shoot at the same time. I had to continuously try and stay square to my targets, straffing right to left. The guns themselves were cool though. The chaingun and plasma are solid, but the chainsaw is by far still the fav in this game. I found myself running around with that more than anything. Chris: *laughing* I love the chainsaw too. Guilty of the same. I admit that there was a little getting used to the aiming, but there is a learning curve in every game. Uncle Willy: Yeah, onto another thing. Some of the monsters get a little tiresome. Those guys zapping out of the air all the time...but then there are some really cool ones. Like that spider person thing. That totally rocked! Chris: Yeah, and what about those little flipper flying baby things? Oh, and what about the zombies? I thought the zombies were totally cool. Put a zombie in any game and I am so there! Uncle Willy:*laughing* Those baby things freaked me out. Chris: See, that game has some real effect on you. It's like watching a real cool movie and afterwards talking about it with everyone you were with, yelling at each other about all the cool parts. Back to the graphics though, that new 3D engine seems awesome. I was very impressed at how smoothe everything looked. Graphics intensive environments were stunning and crystal clear. I think it was completely worth the wait. I am excited to see how this plays on the X Box. Uncle Willy: Yeah, the consoles are really catching up in the graphics department. This should be a most welcomed title. Final Thoughts: Chris: A must have for any gamer and horror fan. Uncle Willy: If you can afford the horsepower, Doom3 offers a new experience in gaming. |
