Doom 3: VR Edition
“YOU’LL FORGET THAT YOU’RE HOLDING A CONTROLLER RATHER THAN A GUN.”
Back in 2004, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, the third Doom was a stab at a slower, more story-heavy experience. Totally unlike today’s manic rollercoaster of intense, prolonged fights, enemy encounters were drip-fed (mostly) throughout a dark and creepy outpost on Mars, with screens to interact with and plenty of (shudder) audio logs to listen to. Now it’s back, with polished graphics and the promise of a goryous PSVR experience.
Not only was Doom 3 not built for VR, it’s now old enough to get married (with its parents’ permission). Surprisingly perhaps, these two facts prove to be advantages. Without the spectres of motion sickness and a perceived low attention span to hold the original development back, what we have here is a full-fat adventure with a runtime that cruises into double figures. That’s far from the VR norm. Because of the age of the graphics only so much could be done to improve them, but this isn’t a problem here, it just means that everything runs smoothly.
If you have a PS Aim controller, blow the dust off for this. Sony’s gun-shaped peripheral adds an extra layer of authenticity (and therefore fun) when you’re wielding chonky weapons such as the shotgun and plasma rifle. The game as a whole is an excellent choice for VR; the unreliable lighting and shameless jump scares are now twice as effective, and getting up close and personal with a demon so that you can blow its head off is incredibly satisfying. Holding a two-handed weapon while you play is the icing on the cake, but surprisingly, the DualShock proves to be an excellent alternative. The motion sensitivity has been so well judged, you’ll forget that you’re holding a controller rather than a gun.
There are annoyances from the original that persist. Want the code to get into that weapons locker for a little extra ammo? You’ll need to find and listen to the right audio log to get it, and of course the number comes at the very end of the message. And while there’s not much platforming, what there is is usually the best representation of hell that the game has to offer. Make use of the fact that you can save whenever you like.
ARCH-SMILE
These flaws are instantly forgotten when you’re not faced with them and are in the thick of the action. Playing in virtual reality gives Doom 3 a new,
The unreliable lighting and shameless jump scares are now twice as effective.
more exciting edge. Hearing enemies appear behind you is more tense; being surprised by an enemy more hilariously frightening; letting a demon get too close more panic-inducing. Being able to shoot around corners is a small but welcome boon, too. Saving humanity has never been so enjoyably creepy.
What was already a good game proves to work excellently as a VR adventure. Grab plenty of ammo, plenty of armour, and don’t wear anything that’ll stain. Luke Kemp