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Review: Doom 3 BFG Edition – Big F’ing Game

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Written by Kaleb Steenmeyer

Doom 3 is back and it is better than ever. Now completely re-mastered for the 20th anniversary of the series, and packed with all sorts of extras including eight brand new levels together called The Lost Mission. If that’s not enough, Doom 3 BFG Edition also includes the Resurrection of Evil add-on, network multiplayer availability, as well as the classic Doom and Doom II games.

Let me start by saying that I absolutely love this game. I first played it when it was originally released back in 2004 on the Xbox, the only console version available. It was one of the best first person shooters I had ever played, and it still is. The white-knuckle intensity and constant edge of your seat suspense made Doom 3 boldly stand out and gave great honor to the series that many consider to be the Patriarch of all first person shooters. Nearly ten years later the new BFG Edition delivers all that and more yet again.

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The single player campaign on Doom 3 is fantastic. From the moment that all hell breaks loose, the mood is set and the thrills begin. And the tension does not let up until the final battle is over. One of the many great things contributing to the powerfully chilling setting, and all around horror vibe of this title, is the lighting. A truly visceral experience as you wander through absolute darkness with naught but a flashlight to illuminate your path. Which has actually been upgraded for the BFG edition. Now the flashlight can be turned on and off even while you carry a weapon, whereas before it was one or the other. From the bright and cheery corridors to the flickering lights, glowing projectiles, and the deep dark shadows, the lighting in Doom 3 is one of its best features. Having now been re-mastered, the rest of the graphics and textures are equally as impressive. The game is so beautiful that a friend of mine thought it was a next gen release and had no idea that it was actually a remake of a title nearly a decade old. True story.

Equally as impressive and disturbing, are the sound effects of Doom 3. As well as the plot-moving/locker-code-revealing NPC audio logs that you will discover along the way. The fact that the game features 5.1 surround sound only adds to the nervous feelings that never let up. Listening closely may be the difference in life and death, as the sounds will be an integral part of your survival…and your terror.

I also must mention one other great element about Doom 3. So simple, yet profoundly true: You can never let your guard down. The moment you do, is right when the two enemies you never even knew where there start clawing your face off. Solid hallways are not so solid when secret compartments instantly open, in the shadows no less, and enemies attack from all sides as you pass. And just when you think you have ‘cleared’ a room, a new demon literally spawns out of thin air to remind you that you haven’t. Back tracking for health and ammo is sure to reward you with new foes that will surprise the hell out you time and time again. I’ve never spent so much time in any game constantly checking around and looking behind me. It’s seriously nerve-racking.

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Another really big new feature, for consoles at least, is the ability to now play Doom in the online arena. What is unique and special about the multiplayer on the BFG Edition is that all three games are playable individually online. You can actually play Doom, Doom II, or Doom 3 in separate online game arenas, and all three are awesome. Dumping rockets on some randoms, cleaning house with a chaingun, or beating your friend to death while you’re invisible, are the makings for an incredibly good time online, regardless of which game you do it on. I myself have had a little bit of a hard time finding lobbies and matches, but the feedback I get is that everyone is too busy enjoying the single player campaign or simply are unaware how much fun the online play really is. Either way, the multiplayer is just one more thing that makes this new edition such a phenomenal value and wonderful experience.

This game has everything that a first person shooter needs. Without overcomplicating it with all of the stuff that you don’t. Once it’s all over, and you have finally made it through hell and back, you still have two full add-ons with a bunch of new levels including a few new surprises around the corners. After that, you can always try your luck on Doom’s hardest difficulty setting, the infamous Nightmare mode. That is of course, if you think you can handle the hordes of hell with a most detrimental handicap to your health throughout the entire playthrough. If you’re feeling nostalgic instead, you can always run through the original Doom I and II, and this time, you can even bring a friend to help you co-op. Or you can just meet them in a deathmatch and work things out that way. This is the best version of one of the greatest shooters of all time, and with 3 games in one and all the extra content, including over 65 trophies\achievements, it is a must own collector item for fans of the series or genre. If you are brave enough to face the Nightmare that is…

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[checklist]The Good

  • Phenomenal Lighting
  • High Quality HD Remaster
  • Great Value Package
[/checklist][badlist]The Bad

  • ItemDifficult To Find Lobbies In Multiplayer
[/badlist]

[button color=”blue” link=””]Must Play[/button] Must Play: A game that receives a “Must Play” rating may not necessarily be perfection – no game truly is – but it is something that the editor believes must be played by you. They will not hesitate to tell you to right that instant. Example: The Last of Us, Journey

About the author

Kaleb Steenmeyer

Reader, writer, gamer. Hungry for knowledge, and thirsty for a good debate. Ready to learn, grow, and share with all sources, so feedback is welcome. Come chat me up on twitter @Marada1740, or come play online with me on PSN, also at Marada1740.

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