3.5/5 ★ – Pixelguy9's review of Doom 3: BFG Edition.

DOOM 3 is a very different game to it's predecessors, however, I think comparing it to the rest of the franchise feels almost unfair considering just how much the game deviates from it's roots. DOOM 3, is a good game with even better gameplay, but I don't think it fully realises either the survival or the horror parts of the genre it was aiming for. This is one of the most forgiving DOOM games out there, with plenty of health, no risk of running out of ammo, and enemies that are pretty easy to dispose of. The game's horror roots are far more effective, and I can only imagine what this game's original version would have been like without the constant comfort of the flashlight. There were a handful of times when I actually got jumpscared by organic gameplay moments, and I only wish that part of the game was leaned into more and expanded beyond the opening hours. DOOM 3's weapon sandbox doesn't feature anything crazy and new to DOOM with the exception of the Soul Cube, but does modernise what was already there, although I'll never get used to reloading in a DOOM game... Atmospherically, the game does excel with it's impressive lighting and bleak tone, aspects that likely went on to inspire Dead Space and other survival horror games that fully committed to what DOOM 3 only briefly flirted with. DOOM 3 was arguably the first DOOM game to prominently feature it's story, and much like in future games that tried to do the same thing, it doesn't quite hit the highs for me that I'm sure the developers were hoping. However, while the main story is nothing special, the optional PDA's are a neat touch, especially for someone like me who loves optional collectables in the form of audio logs. Searching for access codes may be a chore in some other game's I've played, but here it felt quite immersive, and I wish the PDA played a larger role in the overall pace of the game as a whole. Finally, it wouldn't be a DOOM review if I didn't talk about the music, but unfortunately, outside of the main menu theme, there is almost nothing to touch on here. I feel as though some of DOOM I and II's groovier tracks may have worked in some of the less tense moments, or even just the game's opening minutes, but sadly, that is not the case. Overall, DOOM 3 is a solid game, but for many was a step in a bizarre different direction. While I enjoyed my time with DOOM 3, it is nowhere near as replayable as the original two entries or any of the modern titles.