Do the DOOM
By Ben Barker
My uncle Todd used to have a saying: "Pull my finger." He also had another saying I never understood until last week: "If you're ever stuck on another planet when someone accidentally opens the gates of Hell, try to be somewhere else."
Unfortunately for him (but fortunately for all us gamers) the space marine hero of DOOM 3®, the long-awaited Xbox® version of the terrifying PC hit, never knew Uncle Todd. But if he had, Uncle Todd might have offered him some of the following tips ....
Consider taking the next elevator.
You Can't Shoot a Demon with a Flashlight, but You Can Find Ammo
One of the simplest but most effective innovations in DOOM 3 is the simple fact that you hold your flashlight in your weapon hand—and you're often in very dark environments that require a little extra illumination. That means you need to be ready to bring up a weapon at the drop of a hat when your torch falls upon a lurking enemy. Once you've taken out the terrors, use that flashlight to explore every corner of the game. Power-ups, ammo, and PDA messages can be hidden in the most out-of-the-way places.
In Co-op play, Friendly Fire Never Completely Goes Away
One of the most stunning changes Vicarious Visions made to DOOM 3 when bringing it to the Xbox console was the addition of cooperative play and a completely redesigned series of maps and enemies to take on a pair of marines instead of just one. By default, friendly fire is turned off (in the cramped spaces, that's not a bad thing, either—especially with shotguns and chainsaws lying around). But even with friendly fire deactivated, your shots still strike the armor of your ally and can strip it away.
The shadows can hide literallyanything.
Match the Weapon to the Enemy
As a "traditional" PC-style first-person shooter, DOOM 3allows your lone marine to carry an arsenal on his back. You can cycle back and forth through the weapons with Y and B, but the D-pad lets you put your four favorites at the ready—that way your shotgun is always handy for zombies, your machine gun is ready for demons, etc. When you're in a panic situation, the last thing you want to do is flick through more than a half-dozen guns to find the chainsaw.
Aiming Assist Can Help, but It Can Also Hinder
You might be tempted to use the auto-aiming feature in DOOM 3, since it can be especially hard to aim when you're busy screaming your fool head off in terror. It might seem to make things easier at first, but you soon notice that it can make those crucial headshots a bit difficult, and sometimes makes it hard to target inanimate objects (like the ubiquitous exploding barrels) when an enemy is to close to them.
Your Eyes Can Deceive You: Don't Trust Them
Okay, this was Obi-Wan Kenobi, not my Uncle Todd, but it's still good advice. With all the dark shadows and hidden threats, you need to rely on your ears as much as your eyes to detect incoming danger. Learn to recognize the aural clues and you won't have to rely as much on your flashlight.
Dodge and Shoot, Shoot and Dodge
The enemies in DOOM 3 are insanely aggressive, and many have ranged attacks. Fortunately, these aren't bullets, so you usually have a chance to strafe to one side and avoid the shot before it hits you. But if you're in a tight space, which happens often in the confines of the Mars installation, you can often shoot the blasts before they get to you. Don't do this unless you absolutely have to, otherwise it's a waste of precious ammo.
They're trites, it's true.
Beware the Swarm
I think Uncle Todd was talking about that hornet's nest in the carport, but his advice applies equally well to DOOM 3. Foes like ticks and trites are one-shot kills alone, but unfortunately for you, they always travel in groups—and sometimes it seems like the group is endless. If you can get distance on them, explosive weapons are effective. Up close, the shotgun can take out several at once. And you thought the Flood was freaky ....
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