It seems that everyone from Time to CNN to every game-related website is talking about Doom 3. For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past 2 years, Doom 3 is the latest creation to come out of id Software deep in the heart of Texas . Continuing a tradition that spans over a decade and several games such as Doom, Doom II, and Final Doom; Doom 3 is scary, spooky, and down right frightening. But the real question is…does it live up to the hype? Well, here is my opinion….

The Technology

Graphics Engine

Nobody on this planet won't argue that John Carmack and id Software build some of the most advanced, and most popular, game engines on the planet. It all started back in 1993 with a little thing called Doom which changed the world of gaming as we knew it. Then in 1996 Quake, and the game engine that powered it, was responsible for more FPS games and mods then anyone can count. So it is no surprise that Doom 3 raises the bar in graphics technology yet again.

The visuals are simply amazing. That's about all I can say about them, anything else is just redundant and useless. From the sheen on the organic growths that gives the impression of a slimy, mucous covered surface to the smoking pits of hell. The textures and what id has done with them is mesmerizing. Screen shots cannot show it, but the surfaces of many of the growths in the game are actually moving, either sliding or pulsating.

The lighting effects are terrific. There are full shadows and flashing lights. Desk lights can be knocked off tables and used to light other areas. Ambient light is realistic and amazingly well done. In a world that is very dark, your flashlight becomes your best friend. The level of detail in the lighting goes so far as to make the rings in the light from the flashlight.

The particle and shading effects are just as good as the lighting. Seeing smoke come from the chainsaw as you start it is just cool. Burning pits of lava, candles with flickering light and smoke are some of the endless effects. Doom 3 provides all the eye candy a gamer could want, even if it is sick and twisted.

If I were to sit here and list all the technology that went into Doom 3 from a graphical standpoint, it would take hours and days. As a matter of fact, the technology list would look similar to the list of features from the newest nVidia and ATI video cards. Many of the hardware features that are in the 68xx and X800 series cards are there at the request of Carmack and id Software.

Have no fear…There is no doubt that that Doom 3 will stress your $500+ video card to it's limits.

Audio

The audio work in Doom 3 is another standout. The haunting sounds, tortured screams, plaintiff whispers saying “Help me”, drips, doors, footsteps. All of the audio is rendered in glorious 5.1 surround sound and will make you jump when a monster screeches behind you suddenly. It is great to see id follow in the footsteps of the last revolutionary FPS, Half Life, which was the first game to take full advantage of sound to make an immersive environment.

With Doom 3, id has stepped it up a notch with the audio work. In previous games the graphics were king, and they still are, but the audio used to be the bastard stepchild. Nobody that played Doom or Quake were amazed at the sounds and voice acting. Doom 3 has put the audio up there in level of importance with the graphics.