Doom 3 The Basics:
Platform: PC
Developer: ID Software
Price: $50
ESRB rating: M (Mature)
Summary: As bloody as games get
Note: The level of fear, blood,
gore and violence make Doom 3 a poor choice
for kids of all ages.
Further Breakdown:
Overall rating: 1 out of 5 stars
Best for ages: 17+
Playability: Controls are simple, but the game
is difficult to master
Graphics: The best of the best
Entertainment value: Low
Educational value: None
Reading Level: 8+
KidScore
Rating
Ages 3-7: Red
Ages 8-12: Red
Ages 13-17: Red
Violence Amount: Red
Fear: Red
Illegal/harmful: Yellow
Language: Green
Nudity: Green
Sex: Green
Review:
Red is the color of Doom 3. Blood is everywhere.
It stains the floors, it sprays wildly as demons are
shot and is smeared across the screen when the player
is injured. Most hallways are decorated by long streaks
of blood, body parts and an occasional decapitated
or mutilated body. A visit into a bathroom will reveal
an arm floating in the toilet bowl. And, the graphics
of this game are designed to be the most realistic
ever-even to improve with the capabilities of computers
not yet designed.
It should be obvious based on the amount
of blood alone, that Doom 3 is not a kid-friendly
game. However, on top of being bloody, Doom 3
is outright terrifying. The darkness is a key factor
in this. Most times it is difficult to see-making
it easier for monsters to leap out of hiding places
and sneak up behind players. The artificial intelligence
of the game is also very sophisticated, with monsters
working in teams to trap and ambush players. Both
of these elements keep the player on the edge of their
seat, as attacks are almost always a surprise. Even
the audio is designed to enhance the fear factor:
the screams of former coworkers can frequently be
heard in the background.
The storyline is not really an essential
part of the game, although it does work to enhance
the sense of foreboding and fear. Problem solving
skills or puzzles are limited to simple find the correct
computer screen or to listen to audio files that contain
codes or passwords. In truth the game only really
shines in what is was designed to do-kill or be killed.
Doom 3 is not a good choice for children of
any age.
Jeremy
Gieske has been an avid game player since the
days of the Apple II+ and Karateka. Recently,
however, his interests have developed beyond simply
playing the games, but also trying to understand
the historical, social and cultural impacts of
video games. He recently acquired his Masters
degree with distinction from the University of
Salford in Manchester, England, where he conducted
research on videogames. Jeremy has a background
in design and marketing, and has worked with several
Internet and publishing companies. Recently, he
has written articles for DIGA-the Digital Game
Archive and has worked with the Computerspiele
museum in Berlin, Germany.
