I'm surprised to see that no other have made a thread about this game (the only other being to talk about a fake e-bay auction, not the game itself).

So, well, I'm voluntering ^^

It's, basically, a retelling of Doom first of the name : you come as a security guard in a science station on Mars (it was Phobos in the first game, here it's directly on the planet) that deals with many experiment, including teleportation.
And then, all Hell break loose (and trust me, it's more than just an expression).


I just finished it today. Wow. That was a blast. The game have some somehow serious shortcomings (far too linear, really, really FAR TOO LINEAR ; a bit simplistic on the gameplay side, not much variety in the kind of landscape - dark tunnels for about 95 % of the game - even if it was expected ; some tricks, like the "light flickers and a monster appear" or "you take a bonus and this make a pannel move in the wall and a monster appear") are REALLY overused, but it also has incredible strenghts :

- First, as it's the first thing that will blow your eyes, the engine. It's simply incredible. Dynamic lights everywhere, and photo-realist-like models. It's, of course, quite gluttonous, and require a good card and computer, but it's not THAT demanding (runs quite smoothly on my 2200+, 1 Go RAM and Radeon 9700). The details are impressive, and the lights are just, well, awesome. Half of the game is the lights and shadows, and it's the first time I REALLY noticed an ennemy coming from behind because I saw his shadow before he reached me (you know, the kind of things you only see in movies).
The models are simply gorgeous, and life-like. They are incredible of details and animations. The final boss is a masterpiece.

- Second, the ambiance. This game is all about ambiance. It's dark, it's spooky, it's full of anguish and despair and cries in the dark. It's the first game since the first Doom where I was REALLY scared playing it. No joke. Of course, you have to play along (ie : play at night, all lights off, alone and with a good sound). But then, it's an horrible experience, in the meaning that you will hope to never live it for real. After some jours, I had to stop playing, simply because my nerves gave up and I couldn't take any more. Pressure is constant, and the whole game is creepy and gory. There is not that many monsters (there is still plenty, just less than oone could expect from a Doom), but it's on purpose, to put the player on his toes, always waiting for something, most of the time horrible, to come.
It's REALLY a game that deserve it's restriction to 18 years-old and more. Really. Never let a children plays it, unless you plan to have him awake in cries in the middle of the night for several weeks in a row. Yes, it's that frightening.

The whole game is a kind of survival horror, with emphasis on "horror". It's not hard as a game, and you rarely die, but you are constantly scared about something popping in front of you, or spooky things happening, creepy sounds or voices, demonic laughters, ugly monsters and so on.


These two things are the pillars of Doom III. For the old-timers, there is also the pleasure to see most, if not all, of the "good old friends" coming back : imps, dog-like demons, hellknights, mancubi, cacodemons/elemental of pain, archviles, lost souls, revenants, THE cyberdemon, and many others. Yes, they're back. For you.

*evil laugh*

Ankka: Thanks for the write up. I was a big-time DOOM & DOOM II player in the 80's & 90's. I've been reading about this on the ID web site and was hoping somebody would post an unbiased review (not trade publication review where everything's great). Looks like I've got a new item for my Christmas list.

BTW: Do you know of any site that's posted a demo version (Like the old Doom 1, postiing levels 1-3 only)?

Thanks Akka!

I have looked on the official website and at reviews etc and couldn't find the minimum specs (especailly graphics card) - glad to hear it runs on your PC. My graphics card will need an upgrade, but I was planning on doing that soon anyway. :)

Now roll-on Half-life 2 :D

I played Doom 3 for about an hour or so. I was bored. Didn't even find it that scary. They've got the right atmosphere for making you scared, I just never felt scared. And I was playing it in the dark with only a small lamp on. :rolleyes:

Course the graphics are great, but that's not enough to make me keep playing.

I think it's great, wish my computer was good enough to run it. To make it creepy you NEED surround sound

Denyd : I don't think there is a demo version, considering how Id Software was keen on keeping all about the game secret (oh, and I'm Akka, Ankka is someone else ^^).

Ainwood : Actually, it runs in 800x600 with details on High and all options but FSAA selected on my computer. So it can even works on worse computers. But to get good framerate, there is a little tweaking to do on the configuration file : by default, the game use only 20 Mo of RAM to stock the textures. Which is REALLY not enough. You have to look for "seta image_cacheMegs" and replace the "20" with something more consistant (I went for 384 myself), and then you hugely improve your framerate :)

Ankka: <snip>

<snip> (oh, and I'm Akka, Ankka is someone else ^^). <snip>
That would be me. :p :D


So the Doom's were actually Horror games? I thought they were more like FPS or so... :hmm:

I wonder how Matrix hasn't found this thread yet

Doom is the game that got the FPS market on the front page. The situation is a combination of science fiction and horror. Lots of evil demons, splattering blood and mazes & puzzles to solve. Doom has a couple of brothers in the genre, Quake & Castle Wolfenstien (and their sequels), plus a sequel of it's own Doom II which promised a sequel after the final victory. And considering his avatar, he'll be showing up here sometime soon.

Can't wait to play it!! http://www.straland.com/images/smilies/jump.gif

But it's so expensive and I'm so poor! :cry: Ah well, I'll probably be able to borrow it from a friend. ;)
Though...will it run on my computer at all? :eek: (850 Mhz, 384 MB SDRAM, 3D Prophet NVidia with 8 MB RAM)

I think you might need to upgrade the graphics card their Matrix. ;)

you also need 1.5 ghz too. I think your outta luck Matrix

Can't wait to play it!! http://www.straland.com/images/smilies/jump.gif

But it's so expensive and I'm so poor! :cry: Ah well, I'll probably be able to borrow it from a friend. ;)
Though...will it run on my computer at all? :eek: (850 Mhz, 384 MB SDRAM, 3D Prophet NVidia with 8 MB RAM)
8 MB! :wow:

my condolences..

I liked the weapon set of Doom II, they were all useful to the very last levels. The weapons of Quake were more of one-replacing-the-other. Is the weapon set of Doom III same as in the earlier games?

So the Doom's were actually Horror games? I thought they were more like FPS or so...
Doom is the very start of FPS (after Wolfenstein's Castle), and the one which make it a genre.
But it was exceptionnal in having an EXTREMELY bad, unhealthy and oppressive atmosphere. Well, you were actually battling against Hell itself, and the graphics, sounds and situation were putting the player in a very stressful situation.
It's quite horrorful, yes, in fact ^^
I liked the weapon set of Doom II, they were all useful to the very last levels. The weapons of Quake were more of one-replacing-the-other. Is the weapon set of Doom III same as in the earlier games?
The weapons are EXACTLY the same, except for some minor things :
- you have to reload (YAY ! This is much more credible for a game, and it's much more stressful in the middle of a fight ^^)
- no more spikes on the fists.
- no double-barreled shotgun, only single.
- there is hand-thrown grenades.
- there is a submachinegun.
Except for these small changes - and, obviously, the graphics -, they are the carbon copies of the first game.

Matrix : I don't want to be cruel with you, but... Well... Upgrade your computer first ^^

Some screenshots :

Zombies (http://www.bluesnews.com/screenshots/games/doom3/20020730/shot0233.jpg)

A Revenant (http://www.doomworld.com/shots/doom3_031904/revenant.jpg) (you remember, the rocket-launching skeletton ?)

Vairous screenshots (http://www.3dgamers.com/screenshots/games/doom3/), but beware of the spoilers that they could hold.

Some screenshots :

Zombies (http://www.bluesnews.com/screenshots/games/doom3/20020730/shot0233.jpg)

A Revenant (http://www.doomworld.com/shots/doom3_031904/revenant.jpg) (you remember, the rocket-launching skeletton ?)

Vairous screenshots (http://www.3dgamers.com/screenshots/games/doom3/), but beware of the spoilers that they could hold.
Funny-looking monsters... and everything looks so realistic, especially the weapons! :lol:

Btw, I think they stole these monsters (http://images.3dgamers.com/screenimages/games/doom3/trites.jpg) from "The Thing" movie...

I was very impressed by the trailer. Is there a demo available?

Deleted.

[mod]Advertising deleted.[mod]

Though...will it run on my computer at all? :eek: (850 Mhz, 384 MB SDRAM, 3D Prophet NVidia with 8 MB RAM)
8 MB! :wow:

my condolences..
I guess that's a no. :undecide: It used to be a very good one...three-and-a-half years ago...
Dang, is my machine that old?! :eek:

This game is great but I personally don't find the graphics all that impressive... strange. The atmosphere is really scary though. I love the demonic laughter.
BTW, can anyone tell me how far I am into the game if I'm at Alpha Labs sector 3?

About two fifth of the game, roughly.

Thanks :goodjob:
Just to show how well it works, I have a P4 1.8GHz, 512MB RAM, and a GeForce 4 MX and it runs decently on Medium in 800x600 without any significant lags.

I think this game deserves no praise. It can hardly render more than 2-3 enemies at once, the looks are not that stunning, because you usually see cramped, narrow rooms and close combat with the same Imp that gets created by a trigger in your back over and over.

Gameplay is also a step backward, even compared to the old Dooms. For atmosphere, I found playing as a Marine in Aliens vs. Predator creepier.

But if someone is interested in seeing how this game runs and looks, high detail, no AA:

http://www.longasc.de/stuff/doom3.zip

Radeon 9800 Pro, Athlon 64-3000, 1024 MB RAM.

On my P4 2,8 with 1 GB RAM and Ti4400 it runs not so good, regardless if low or high texture detail - resolution is important for framerate, unusual today.


Note that it is black in black. I recommend increasing gamma and making the monitor brighter.

This game might appeal to a horror crowd, all others will quickly get bored by a repetitive and not really good looking shooter. There are many games out that have more impressive Visuals and larger maps, like Far Cry and Joint Operations. UT 2004 is even capable of having more than 4 players on screen in Multiplayer without getting framerate issues.


So what the fuss about this game. It is a big letdown.

I agree there is repetitivity.
But to say the graphics are not that good, please ! They are simply stunning ! The models are extremely detailed, and the shadows are numerous, perfectly drawn, and accurate.
The game is actually quite slow on default, but as I said, by making a slight modification in the config file, you can actually have an big gain in framerate.

Yea, Akka, too many shadows. I hardly see the gorgeous graphics. Add in the narrow passageways, and you have pissed me off. Hell is a bit better.

I also miss the lush vegetation that many new games feature, wide and large areas, this is simply not my game.

Have you played System Shock 2, Akka? I have a feeling you would really enjoy that game. The graphics aren't so hot by today's standards, but it's hands-down the creepiest game I've played. I was hoping Doom 3 would draw some favorable comparisons to it, but it hasn't.

I haven't played Doom 3, though. I need to get a new computer first.

If I'd want to play Doom III I'd have to spend:
Athlon 2200+ for €79,-
Videocard (128MB) for €169,-
Doom3 itself for €55,-
Total: €303,- :ack:

Never played System Shock 2. Planned to, but I admit I have a hard time to dare to try something with early nineties graphics ^^
I should go to the underdogs and try, one day :)

System Shock 2 (http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/doswin/data/24167.html) is not early nineties. Was released in 1999. So unless you get a pirated copy, you won't find it freely available for download.

I "played". I shut it off after 1 minute. My system cannot handle it.

The biggest weakness is the fear factor.

Atmosphere and all the scripted stuff make for nice eerie setting, but game is too damn easy that you would hardly get scared. Great the zombies look damn scary and all, but they can hardly harm you. I feel 100% safe even with my flashlight out with most of the enemies. The game is like the most wonderfully propped movie monster you've seen in a dark alley, but when you know its just a guy behind a custom.. it just kills it.

Heck I'll club most enemies to death with flashlights. Whats the scare in that if you can simply exploit dumb AIs to kill monsters without any threat to ur character? No threat just kills fear.

Also, game needs more monster respawning frenzy. It just isnt scary enough with so few monsters scattered on levels. Ive heard technology's limitation is at fault for this, so perhaps next generation games that utilize Doom 3's engine could fix this problem. There just simply isnt enough pressure to make mistakes. You can move millimeter by millimeter and complete all objectives incredibly safely. Boring and so not scary. Wheres the panic factor in that?

I didn't find it scary at all. Not in the slightest. It's just really.... well.... hilarious really. Lots of stupid things happening and all those ridiculous monsters!!!

I was a bit put off by the sheer old-skool-ness of it at first. You can't lean, you don't have a proper weapon sight, you don't get to fight alongside others people (except the robots) and you can't hold a torch and a weapon at the same time. But after I got used to it, I'm really starting to enjoy it!

Not to say I would have paid for it though, luckily a friend who was to wussy to play it gave it to me. He said it got to scary for him at the part in the communications station at the very VERY begining. Wuss.

Some screenshots :

Zombies (http://www.bluesnews.com/screenshots/games/doom3/20020730/shot0233.jpg)

A Revenant (http://www.doomworld.com/shots/doom3_031904/revenant.jpg) (you remember, the rocket-launching skeletton ?)

Vairous screenshots (http://www.3dgamers.com/screenshots/games/doom3/), but beware of the spoilers that they could hold.

what, no floating tomatos? :(

:lol:
I've missed them as well. Pity. I guess they don't fit in the 'horror scene'. :rolleyes:

Yes they are in, but they don't really ressemble tomatoes anymore :)

Here is one. (http://img22.exs.cx/img22/609/caco1.jpg)

well I'm playing it atm. I'm in Hell and I don't care what anyone says, I'm bricking it every step of the way. the game is the scariest game I've played and is all in all just amazing.

IMHO the scariest monsters are thoes baby things with fly bodies, I dunno why but I get totally freaked out when I see them coming and just start unloading shells.

Another scary bit is when you're just entering Delta Labs, and there's no monsters anywhere, but you can hear them, that was pretty cool.

My G/F watched me play Doom III for a few minutes yesterday. Her opinion: "Gross" and "Nasty". LOL!

Of course, her nine year old son can sit there for hours watching me play it...

Yes they are in, but they don't really ressemble tomatoes anymore :)

Here is one. (http://img22.exs.cx/img22/609/caco1.jpg)
Thanks for the screenshot. :)
Unfortunately they're not that funny anymore though.

System Shock 2 (http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/doswin/data/24167.html) is not early nineties. Was released in 1999. So unless you get a pirated copy, you won't find it freely available for download.

Interestingly enough, System Shock 2 is now abandonware, and can not be downloaded here.

Please note that abandonware is free of price, but not legal. So we're not gonna link to it at this site.

Abandonware? So soon?

Looking Glass has closed its doors some years ago. As such, they probably have released their software in abandonware, so it won't be lost for everyone.

Gamespot reviews say that d3 is all graphics and sound and not much deep gameplay. but at least it runs on 'medium' level pcs.

Since when has ID Software been noted for it's deep and meaningful gameplay? Like the Quake games before it, Doom III is basically run through corridors, find keys and shoot anything that moves. It's what I expected, and I'm having fun!

Indeed. It was no different with Doom I & II, and for me game programmers don't have to change a concept with every new version. Never change a winning team. ;)

Do any of you smart guys think Doom III will be another benchmark like Doom I was?
Cos I remember whenever we had a new soundcard, or network card and I couldn't get it working right away, I first checked whether it worked with Doom.
If it did, the problem was the other software.
If it didn't, the problem was hardware. ;)

I think it will be a benchmark as far as testing the performance of the system in graphics - as far as hardware testing, not.

Is it just me, or are others getting into trouble with their spouses or significant others for playing this 'evil' game?

:lol: I hear it happens more often. ;) I never have any problems with my 'spouse' though.

The only problem would be when I let our children play these kind of games, should we ever get them. As in: no problem in my opinion, big one in her opinion.

Is it just me, or are others getting into trouble with their spouses or significant others for playing this 'evil' game?

well mine likes the story aspect of Doom3 and controls the flashight / crouch / other discrete buttons for me while i control the movement / shooting (honestly 4 hands are needed for some of these games) but since the spiders started to turn up in abundance the amount of times she helps is deteriorating rapidly

Ahh, yes. Doom.... I remember the good old days. I just LOVE Doom, although I don't play it much anymore. I only have "Doom for windows 95," and yes, it works on my current computer, a Dell Inspiron. My fave was definately the Cacodemon; who doesn't like shooting rockets at flying globes that shoot lightning balls at you. I don't have II or III, but I is what I like the most. I have played it since I was ELEVEN YEARS OLD!!!! Yes, I have had "Doom Nightmares," but in some ways, the "nightmares" were a bit more entertaining than scary. :)

Should I ever get II or III, hopefully they would be just as good as I.

@Everyone
BTW, does II and III come with cheat codes? :mischief:

Ah yes... the cheats that I am ever-tempted to use.
Doom 3 codes are quite straight-forward: God Mode is god, and give all gives all weapons and full life and armour.

Ah yes... the cheats that I am ever-tempted to use.
Doom 3 codes are quite straight-forward: God Mode is god, and give all gives all weapons and full life and armour.

MMMMmmmmm...... Good...... Very good.....

Heh Heh Heh. :evil:

I think the graphics are phenomanal on a loaded PC, but I think its umph has been dimished by the release of Farcry earlier in the year. All we need now is a twin-engine game that uses the D3 engine for the indoor bits and Cryengine for the outdoor scenes :D

I cant wait for other titles built on this platform :)

Ah yes... the cheats that I am ever-tempted to use.
Doom 3 codes are quite straight-forward: God Mode is god, and give all gives all weapons and full life and armour.
I still remember IDKFA and IDSPISPIPD
(latter being, strangely enough 'Smashing pumpkins into small pieces of putrdi drivel)..I think. :hmm:

I still remember IDKFA and IDSPISPIPD
(latter being, strangely enough 'Smashing pumpkins into small pieces of putrdi drivel)..I think. :hmm:

Actually, the cheat code is IDSPISPOPD.

I also know IDDQD, and IDBEHOLD, by memory, although sometimes I need to consult my Doom Battlebook.... :mischief:

I have a new computer and Doom3! :yeah:

My opinion: revolutionary! A worthy sequence. ;) My only big complaint is that it's too dark. I think that's a cheap and annoying way of making it more scary.
But man, what a graphics! :love: And what an atmosphere! :eek: ID software really did a great job and did not disappoint me, dispite the high expectation I had.

Sometimes the screen turns red and you can't do a thing then. Why's that? :confused: Or will that be explained at the end of the game?

By the way, I won't change my avatar. ;)

Sometimes the screen turns red and you can't do a thing then. Why's that? :confused: Or will that be explained at the end of the game?
That's just some side-effects of having Hell slowly invading the places and the minds ^^

A Q about Doom. When was ''Doom: Ultimate'' released? after Doom I or II?

Because that's the one I have

After Doom II.
Basically, it's a compilation of unofficial levels made with the Doom II engine.

I played DOOM I a lot but only because there was nothing better at the time. Haven't played D3 (I refuse to put up with a slow frame rate and I don't know anyone who has the game) but from what I'm reading here, in official reviews and elsewhere, it offers little in terms of innovation and only the graphics seem to be notable.

I suppose I can't argue with the marketing concept that 'if something sells, why change it' but I expected the guys at id to experiment a little more in terms of game features. For instance, why not have out-door levels where you have to wear a protective suit with limited air supply or use vehicles to a limited extent (would do wonders for the MP game, which I've heard really blows simply because it offers nothing any that other FPSs don't) and expand on the horrer, like trying out new demonic forms--I can think of a ton of stuff that would scare the living crap out of most players and definitely beat the pants off anything offered in Doom thus far...without using rocket-firing skeletons (in fact, that lack of realism makes the wonderful graphics seem almost cartoonish--you're not scared of Mickey right...well, some people are but that's for different reasons).

One thing that tends to get most audiences edgy is grusome torture; remember those half-eaten, still living, bound marines in the original? Hearing screams is fine but eventually you need to see the poor sod being slowly disected in the dim lighting of flickering futuristic lights by some disgustingly horrific, demonic form. This would probably be enough to make most gamers at least sit up a little strighter in that comfy chair.

Also, supernatural events were really lacking in the original (aside from demons spawning out of thin air...but how scary is that). Using D3's physics engine to play with images (e.g. floating objects, warping of objects so that other objects react to them in an odd manner, the images video screens that give you info occasionally warp into screaming faces, reversing of gravity, y'know, all that weird $hit that happens when you eat to much Mexican food) instead of just reddening the screen when the presence of hell gets a little unbearable would make for what I guess you could call a 'creepy' environment (or at least a stoned-out environement).

Nothing ruins a scare more than knowing its going to happen (i.e. you know that there's a good chance that by moving x object, an enemy bot's going to pop out and immediately attack you). Random triggers work fairly well but the thing is you can't make D3 too random because action in this game sticks so closely to the story. Giving demons more complex actions will take up more CPU time and the game's already doing plenty of that.
I think what happened is that designers ran into this wall (i.e. realised that they couldn't make the action tenser within the limitations of the game as they set it up), so they just stuck with the basics of the previous titles and let the cow milk till the hype drains away. This seems to happen all too often in game design and development.
They should have known better because one of the primary complaints of FPS/RPG gamers is that things are too scripted, which takes away from play. You can only script so much until it interferes with the player's enjoyment of the game.

Something that hasn't been mentioned much here is that id spent so much time and energy developing an all-new, extremely advanced physics engine only to limit it to throwing zombies against walls. They raved about it for so long wetting players' appitites (i.e. giving demonstrations of objects realistically bouncing off other objects and things of that sort), you'd think D3 would sport stuff that had not yet been seen in the gaming world.

I was kind of hoping for new, more realistic--but appropriate--weapons too. Like a grenade launcher and flamethower. Instead of limiting it to grenades they could've tried using the Duke Nuke'm trip-laser-activated, wall mounted explosives. So when the baddies try and chase you and walk through the laser they go splat--plenty of fun in Duke. And, keeping with the goriness of the Doom series, what I really wanted to see was innovation in the 'cutting' weapons: the addition of a knife would've been nice instead of a fist...I mean really, what is a fist supposed to do to spawn from hell? Futuristic--but realistic--weapons like a chemical laser instead of that plasma rifle (don't know if this is in D3) would've added to the feel; a cool feature that hasn't really been played with in sci-fi games is a cutting laser (i.e. keep the mouse button depressed and watch the lazer cut the demons into pieces--sounds heavy but the engine could certainly handle it).

I was also dismayed to hear that there is little interaction with other (non-zombie) humans, especially when I read about what they've been doing with HL2 bots.

Some of the backgrounds are quite impressive though--reminds me of looking out at the mountain background in the original (laughable now but it did the trick then). IMO they did a better job on that than the demons. Just that screenshot with the spiders coming down out of a building would be far creepier without the spiders and maybe just something subtle like a camera following you as you move or a person standing at the door watching you only to disappear into the building when you get close. (Not to say that the Lost Souls, for instance, haven't been updated to nicely horrific effect, but the spiders and rocket-firing skeleton...c'mon.)

The biggest problem IMO is the bot limit; 2-3 demons just doesn't cut it--remember that extra level in the original where there's a cage in the middle of a massive courtyard and the moment you let off a round demons swarm out from the various exits.
This is the main obstacle to a successful XP: they can make pretty much any changes because the ground work is already done (like adding new items, demons, even vehicles) but this limitation is something of a brick wall as I see it (of course, I could be wrong and the limitation can be worked around only there was no reason to do so).


BTW, they've started working on Doom, the movie as well. Could be cool...unless they muck it up like most game-based sci-fi flicks. (Hopefully no rocket-firing skeletons.)

Yoshi, you really need to play Doom3 before making certain remarks. :p E.g. Doom3 has oxygen-suits for when walking outside. The environment really is creapy in my observation. The only thing I agree with is that you never have to fight more than 3 demons at the same time. Cos there's nothing more thrilling than mowing down a battery of demons... :evil:

After Doom II.
Basically, it's a compilation of unofficial levels made with the Doom II engine.
So they are custom levels made by gamers?

So they are custom levels made by gamers?
More or less.
I don't really know if they were gamers, or designers that did it in their leisure time, or designers that did it for an official release.

But anyway, they aren't fully official ID Software games (though I think you can buy them on the ID Software website, after all they are the ones owning the engine).

It was fairly easy game to beat and wasn't that scary (there were some parts when I got kind of freaked out, but it was fairly rare), but overall, I love it.

Running around killing demons is always fun. :)

Originally posted by Matrix:
Yoshi, you really need to play Doom3 before making certain remarks. E.g. Doom3 has oxygen-suits for when walking outside.
I figured as much since this was a prevailent theme in D1. I'll get around to trying it eventually but I don't need to play it to get a pretty good idea of what's up with the game; between reviews, screen shots, walk-thoughs, etc., most of the game is pretty much covered...and I haven't even read a fraction of the stuff there is on this product (hence my overlooking certain details). Point is, there doesn't seem to be that much in the way of innovation (i.e. what makes D3 different from any other FPS other than the theme and graphics).

For instance, one thing that new releases tend to market is new game modes. Instead of just sticking to the usual MP free-for-all, the game could try something like a mesh of SP play and the freedom of MP--of course, with the bot number limitation, stuff like that becomes less likely.

Another thing that sells is new player abilities: something that gamers have been asking for for a long time that would go really well with a game of this nature is dual-weapon multi-directional fire (i.e. a gun in each hand but with the ability to fire each in a seperate direction--probably by clicking the alternate mouse button to switch between them). Just imagine demons coming out of every corner and you (the marine), arms outstretched, alternating fire between two SMGs in every dierection--the awsomness factor of the game would double.

The other thing is that from what I hear, the demons are on the ground most of the time. That is, id hasn't used that amazing engine to have demons walking along ceilings and stuff like that, thus making for truely 3D action--not to mention that having to look up as well as around corners adds heavily to the fear factor of the game.

The environment really is creapy in my observation. The only thing I agree with is that you never have to fight more than 3 demons at the same time. Cos there's nothing more thrilling than mowing down a battery of demons...
Although the demon limit is unfortuanate (no 50+ demon slaughterhouses like in D1), but there are ways of adding to the challenge without necessarily having to resort to AI swarming tactics as I mentioned in my previous post.

The atmosphere may intend to be creepy because of the darkness, background noise and the threat of a demon being triggered by each panel you access (you may even be fooled some of the time), but the reality is that you are not really being challenged. It's only really freaky when you start to feel that you can make decisions and that the wrong ones will end you up in a world of hurt. Not that D1 did that, but today's players are way past D1's automated triggering of demon swarms and want something that will offer a new level of depth to the action on the screen--just look at which games have been extremely successful and which ones have flopped miserably to get an idea as to what kind of leaps players are expecting.