The opening half hour of the game is very reminiscent of the original Half-Life. So much so in fact, that we found ourselves holding quiet bets as to when exactly things would hit the fan. Once they do and all Hell breaks loose (quite literally) the pace picks up instantly as you are forced to fight for your life.

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Game play

In this aspect, it seems like Id balanced their desire to make the new Doom an homage to its predecessors with the knowledge that so much more could be done with the engine they had created... like imitate Half-Life. The game has a much slower and more deliberate pace than the original Doom games had, with less enemies and more suspense.

Where it does evoke its predecessors is in its desire to make you jump. Enemies will frequently emerge from secret doors or from passages you just thought you cleared, hitting you from behind or the side. The one dark corner of a room may contain a crouching beast, with only its yellow eyes giving it away. The pace picks up later in the game, with periods of frenetic action becoming commonplace.

Also similar to Doom is the game's habit of stocking you up before major confrontations. Most levels progress logically from start to heart-pounding conclusion, with occasional rest stops along the way, generally used to give you clues or advance the plot.

As a shooter, Doom 3 has a good feel to it. The control is fairly precise, though it can feel a bit floaty at times, and the combat is extremely satisfying. Since most of the enemies take at least two or three shotgun hits, or a bunch of bullets to go down, you'll find yourself backpedaling quite a bit to avoid getting your faced chewed off.

The enemies are not the most brilliant adversaries you will have ever faced in combat, but each has enough moves in their arsenal to keep things interesting. They don't often stand still and fire or charge in a straight line. Better yet are the pyrotechnics of combat. Sparks, smoke and spent rounds fly, often obscuring your vision. In darkened areas, every fireball casts jagged shadows. If you are hit, your perspective skews realistically and a red-mist blocks your viewpoint briefly.