Xbox 360 Ultrimate Doom (52k in 52weeks)

Platform: Atari Jaguar, Sega 32X, PlayStation, Sega Saturn. Super Nintendo. 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance, Tapwave Zodiac, Xbox, Xbox 360 , PC, Mac
Players: 1 - 4

NERVE should be applauded for employing the control scheme so well on the 360. Many of the DOOM console ports died by some pretty abysmal console options but the 360 controller stands tall. Shooting is tight. Accurate runs are easily achievable and the process of changing weapons/opening doors never feels like a hassle. once you master the controls.

The gameplay itself also stands up reasonable well. Enemies are varied and the levels are designed well enough to allow you open movement within a contained enviroment. Some of the levels are better chalked than others though so don't be surprised to get lost every now and then in what seems a directionless mess.

The main problem is that Doom hasn't aged well in certain areas. Most evident is the graphics department where 15 years of existence have left once ground breaking visuals serverly lacking. NERVE should be credited for trying to bring Dooms visuals into the High Definition era but there's a phrase that you can't shine shit and unfortunately in high definition Dooms visuals really nothing to write home about. True it's aged better than a number of other games from this era but given that the PC version of the game has been given numerous reworkings (Thanks to the fans) to bring it in line with more modern games - it's a shame NERVE iddn't consider this option and instead opted for the original. For better or worse - this is the classic Doom look.

Another problematic area is the online. For reasons unkown the games online will lag without warning and seemingly randomly. This issue has blighted the 360 port since its release and no attempt has ever been made to fix it - instead it's allowed what could of been an amazing co-op game become a laggy mess. Speaking of co-op, for a game that was built with this in mind it seems somewhat pathetic that the achievements for completing the game are merely limited to the games single player. What this means is that while the option for co-op is there - no incentive will be given to actually use it.

The biggest issue for me though is the lack of new content. I appreciate NERVE wanted to keep the game as close to the roots as possible - but most of the console ports had some quirky feature which made them unique to any other Doom. Playstation Dooms had new levels. SNES Doom had different levels. Segas had new levels also. Xbox 360s has nothing. There is nothing new from this game to the 1993 PC original. Sure the musics been slightly remixed but there's no new content for veterans to get their teeth into. Heck - even the Xbox version came with an added level which has once again disappeared.

So what you have here is a direct port of one of the greatest games of it's generation. The question is does that generation still mean anything and unfortunately it appears DOOM falls some way short of giving itself a definitive answer. Veterans will get bored of the same game they bought 15 years ago while new comers will feel the archaic gameplay and early 1990s music is too much of a barrier to overcome. Don't get me wrong - I love DOOM and as a game its own right I feel it sits up there but as a game competing in the current Xbox Arcade arena it's hard to

Should you buy it? If you have 400 Microsoft points going spare and you've never played DOOM then it's a yes because there is alot of fun to be had if you can overcome the technical shortcomings. If though you've played DOOM before then this is a case of been there and done that.

Gameplay = 7
Fun, fast paced with a few clever tricks. Might feel outdated though.

Visuals = 4
Doomed by age.

Sound = 7
Enemies sound distinctive. Music isn't that bad. It all works and serves a purpose.

Lifespan = 8
36 levels of Doom with secret ones included in that. There's plenty to be getting on with should you want too.,

Overall = 6
Part of me want's to give this 8 and say it's an amazing look at one of gamings truest forebearers. While that's true - there are better Arcade titles out there at the moment which might be better suited.

And because I was bored last night I made a rather crap video xD

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AWL_coq2rE4&feature=channel_page