Doom 3 Hands-On

A rumor came out last week that stated that the Xbox 2 would be shipping at the end of 2005. It's hard to believe that the Xbox is ready to be shoved aside in favor of a better box. Part of the reason I am having a hard time understanding why its life cycle is already over is due in part to what I witnessed today. In the conference room of a posh downtown San Francisco hotel, Activision worked a little magic with id software and once again brought forth Hell on Earth. Doom 3 for the Xbox is slated for release on April 4, and Actiontrip.com got to sit down with id, Activision and take the venerable old console for a spin with what looks like an impressive use of its 'aged' technology.

Co-op mode is fun! Fire at the head and I'll aim at the crotch!

Wait, weren't we best friends a couple of minutes ago?

When Doom 3 for the Xbox was announced last year, there were many gamers (myself included) that rolled their eyes. The popular opinion was that there was no way id was going to be able to do justice to a console version of a premier, bleeding edge, PC title. I mean, just looking at the screen shots for the PC version back then caused me to drool great puddles on the floor. Following the flow of salvia was the sense of worry over the inevitable system upgrades I would have to perform in order to get those sorts of graphics out of my machine. So skepticism for a console version that could cut the mustard was understandable.

Flash forward to May of 2004 and E3. Activision has their corner staked out on the show floor and are showing off all their upcoming titles. After getting an eyeful and the lowdown on their PC titles for the upcoming year, I'm about to leave the booth and hit my next appointment when the PR rep says: "Hey, you want to try out Doom 3 for the Xbox?"

I look at my watch. I have about 10 minutes before my next appointment that I could use to rest my feet. But I figure it might be good for a laugh. Especially since Doom 3 for the PC was nowhere to be seen this time around.

So against my better judgment and the throbbing of my sore feet I reply: "Sure. Why not?"

I am ushered into a room with about 5 other people and take my place in front of a TV screen. After a briefing from the game presenter, I put on my headphones and step into the express elevator to Hell. I only was allowed to play for 10 minutes but it felt as if it was only 10 seconds. I was so caught up in the game that the time literally flew by. In those 10 minutes, my opinion did a 180. The game looked good and more importantly, it felt like a Doom title.

So when we got the email that wanted to know if we had some spare time to come and spend 5 or 6 hours on the Xbox with Doom 3, I did what I had to do to clear my schedule so I could be there. The Xbox version of Doom 3 is the same story as the PC version: Union Aerospace Corporation (UAC) accidentally (well, maybe not) opens a portal to Hell on Mars and the player takes on the role of a tough as nails space marine to try to clean up the mess. This much we all know. What you don't understand until you see it yourself is how good this game looks and plays. While id had to sacrifice a few of the glitzy visual effects due to hardware limitations of the Xbox (when compared to a PC that is), Doom 3 is the best looking game I have seen on the Xbox, period.

And it's not just the visuals. Usually I don't like playing First Person Shooters on the Xbox because I am too used to the mouse and keyboard combo used in PC games. However, Doom 3 uses the same controller layout as Halo, so if you are one of the 8 billion people who have played either Halo or Halo 2, you should nave no trouble adapting to the controls. I was able to jump right in and start blowing away demons without any control fumbling. Weapon selection can be cycled using the B button or for faster weapon selection, players can map 4 weapons to the D pad. The game also features the ability to save wherever you like and even includes a handy 'Quick save' when you hit the back button. All of these touches say to me that id used its usual 'Ship it when it's done' philosophy and it pays off. I was able to enjoy the game and use the controller as a tool, rather than fighting with the configuration.

If my opinion on how the game looks and plays is not enough to convince you, then you should know about the other things it has going for it that should motivate people to pick it up for their Xbox, even if they own a copy for their PC.

Demons sure like to work out a lot.

Main thing is, don't panic.

First, Doom 3 on the Xbox is not a new, 're-imagined' version of the PC title. It is the same game with a couple of slight changes. Due to a lesser amount of memory in the Xbox, the maps have been resized. This means the 24 maps that were in the PC version have been sliced into 45 maps in the Xbox version. Also, id had the chance to trim some areas in the game that seemed a little too long in the PC title, allowing for a better game experience. Tim Willitis said this will make the Xbox version a wee bit shorter in play length but not by much. These map edits should increase the enjoyment of some of the levels that you had to backtrack through in the PC title.

Second, the Xbox version features 4 player deathmatch like its PC brother, but it also features 2 player co-op as well. Using system link or Xbox Live, each player gets a full screen view as you try to tackle the legions of hell with your buddy. It was incredibly rewarding to creep down a dark hallway with my shotgun at the ready while the guy I was playing with was right behind me with the flashlight chasing away the shadows from the dark corners. As the clawed nightmares jumped out of the doorways in front of us, I was able to mow them down as he lit them up. Those who complained about the PC version being too dark will be glad to see that the Xbox version is not quite so murky. This was done on purpose because most players have their systems in the living room or other part of the house that has more light from windows or overhead fixtures.