Doom 3: VR Edition (PlayStation 4) Review

Ever wondered what it's like to be the DOOM marine? Well DOOM 3: VR Edition has an experience tailored to that wish! Step into his shoes and grab a DualShock 4 controller, it's time to kill some demons. DOOM 3 is the first time the series stepped into a more creeping horror. It featured state of the art visuals, and a whole new emphasis on survival rather than action. Landing on Mars our lone marine finds himself in the middle of a demon incursion, while also untangling a web of deceit on the station. It's not the most compelling due to how the story is presented, but it's a good premise to frame fighting demons.

The original game lacked any real hell levels, but worry not brave adventurer, as the DLC packs are also included in this VR conversion. Having this entire pack retooled for VR is incredible, and offers a much fuller experience than many of the other VR games on the system. Were there a few more interactive items and points, this would have the potential to be the best VR game on PlayStation.

Obviously, PSVR is limited to 1080p per eye, so there is a limit to how clear the image can get, but this does a really decent job of remaining clear without losing much in the way of environmental detail. Basically, what's here is the entire unfiltered DOOM 3 experience, but featuring the player as the main character. The full immersion and 3D depth offered by the VR headset completely transforms the overall feel. Being close enough to kiss the enemies really ramps up the tension. The scaling of the environment feels odd, almost like the DOOM marine is tiny, but it makes the larger rooms feel much grander. It retains the classic DOOM 3 look, with lots of metallic surfaces, as well as having lots of particle effects and sharp shadows to hide the various enemies stalking the area.

The gameplay is limited to either a DualShock 4 or the Aim controller which unfortunately means that there is no separate hand interaction, and that without the Aim controller interaction is limited. This choice has been made to make sure the player has access to joysticks for movement. This is a downside of PSVR in general as the Move controllers are seriously lacking when compared with their PC VR competitors. However, once the controller is set up the gameplay is excellent. Tracking is accurate and fast, and in general the aiming freedom elevates the gameplay significantly.

The physical distance from the camera influences the gun position in the game which can be a real helper when using the shotgun and it also helps to ground the character in the world. Sound is also of excellent quality with little in the way of extra crushing when trying to cover everything. The music and sound effects are mixed well and help to reinforce that the player is right in the middle of the action. The guns are meaty, and the enemy shrieks are unnerving.