DOOM 3: BFG Edition

Doom 3 came out one time in the best year ever.

Doom 3 wanted to make the Doom franchise more horror focus and that's ok but what I can't stand is the execution.

Doom 3 is a first person shooter survival horror game and there is nothing wrong with that however Doom 3's base game is a something else. It starts off with this sort of set piece driven walking segments which is so impressive by today's standards. Doom man is on this dark corridor planet filled with scientists trying to go back to Hell or something. Eventually the demons show up on this game. Then you pick up some guns and ammo and shoot away. The levels all feel the same though. I see they where trying to be like Half-Life but ended up with just any other game of the time because there is little exploration here. But you do pick up audio logs and stuff. Tons of smart AI.

The graphics are amazing for 2004. This is the best graphics of 2004. Objectively speaking. Some people may think they are too dark or dated or even shiny as they contrast with the previous Doom games immensely. But I digress. Gone are the days of pixelated sprites and walls with no bottom parts. Doom 3 was a peek into the future. The bump maps, the lighting, the art style, the animation. What every game would look like or so we thought. Every game compared to it looked like a Playstation 1 game and Doom 3 was their CG cutscenes. They look a little blocky today as they did back then but Doom 3 is unmistakably and Xbox 360 game.

As for the expansions they do better than the base game of Doom 3. There is better pacing and level designs and better lighting.

I think Doom 3's base game peaks and valleys on every level. Be it the graphics, storytelling or gameplay. Be it the third person cutscenes, the minimalist horror tunes, the blocky models, or even the jump scares and flat level design. But it's a solid horror experience.