While Doom 3 originally came out way back in 2004 on the PC and was later ported to other platforms, its ripples are still being felt today. As one of the forefathers of the FPS genre, any update in the franchise is something worth talking about. Enter: Doom 3 BFG Edition. This epic collection of demon killing goodness is headed to PC, 360, and PS3 this fall, and will include Doom 3, Doom 2, Doom 1, and bonus material previously unplayed for Doom 3 entitled: The Lost Mission. This new add-on pack includes seven new missions and a new storyline.
In addition to all of this, the visuals for Doom 3 will see enhancement including lighting, rendering, and even a new checkpoint system for progression. Additionally, Doom 3, its expansion: Resurrection of Evil, and The Lost Mission are all going to include stereoscopic 3D support. Throw in achievements on top of all that, and you have the complete Doom package.
Thankfully at QuakeCon, I had the pleasure of playing an excerpt of The Lost Mission add-on for Doom 3, and came away very impressed. Old school gaming tropes that have defined Doom and the FPS genre aside, there is a lot to love here. The game plays beautifully, combat is visceral and satisfying, and it has that undeniable charm that keeps you wanting to come back for more. There isn’t any loot, you don’t level up, and the graphics aren’t exactly pushing the boundaries of this generation; the game is just pure fun to play.
My demo started by dropping me into the beginning of a level, where I’m found at the entrance of some hell gates with my supplies. I was lucky enough to have an entire assortment of weapons from pistols, shotguns, laser rifles, rocket launchers, and so much more at my disposal from the start. Flying demon babies are as annoying as ever, and everything is fun to kill – right down to the most basic zombie.
I do not have a ton of experience with 3D gaming, but I was very pleased with my experience here. Instead of using the traditional cross-hair for the 3D mode, the game switches your aiming to use a laser sight. This worked great because it added that extra layer of depth on the screen and helped your eyes adjust to the 3D display.
Enemies lob fireballs and other projectiles at you constantly, so you will be hard pressed to not subconsciously duck and weave your head while gaming. The fresh coat of paint looks really nice on the game, and you can tell they put a lot of work into smoothing the textures very well.
While this isn’t Doom 4, I walked away from that demo very impressed. The game ran great on the PS3 version I tested, and I look forward to seeing more of it leading up to and after release. What do you guys think? Are you going to pick up the ultimate collection of Doom games once it releases? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
