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• 28Aug 12

  Confessions from an annoying Doom fanboy

  So I just went and pre-ordered myself the upcoming Doom 3 BFG Edition, despite the fact I've had the PC original since it's release in '04. The same applies for it's expansion, Resurrection of Evil. Oh, and did I mention that I also have Doom 3 and RoE on the Xbox? And the fact that I've beaten both games countless times on either platform? And who could forget the fact that the BFG Edition is also going to contain both Doom and Doom II...If you've been following me on GameSpot for some time, you'll know that I'm a crazy old-school Doom fanatic and own all original Doom titles - Doom, Ultimate Doom, Doom II, Master Levels for Doom II and Final Doom - across countless different systems.

  Yep, I have had an unhealthy obsession with the entire Doom franchise ever since I first had the opportunity to play it God knows how many years ago, and it's quite pathetic to say the least. I need my Doom fix every month, and I usually don't have a preference as to which game in the series I play. I think the title to this blog post is pretty suitable.

  So yeah, what I'm trying to say is that this fanboy seriously can't wait for Doom 3 BFG Edition. Let's be honest, there isn't much NEW content other than that new chapter titled The Lost Mission, and I know this...but I don't care! Doom 3 has aged incredibly well in my eyes (was I really going to say it hasn't!?), and I'm psyched for a tweaked, HD version a definitive edition if you will. Heh, maybe the title Ultimate Doom 3 would have been more suitable, as a reference to The Ultimate Doom from 1995.

  If you wanted to know (which you probably didn't, but hey, I'm going to share it anyway), I pre-ordered the PS3 version. This may seem a little controversial, maybe even hypocritical coming from a PC gamer, but I just want to see the game in action on my Sony HD TV. Besides, I'd prefer to have another version of Doom 3 on a platform I haven't already played it on, so it makes perfect sense really. Sort of. Plus, I have faith that the PS3 version will be pretty competent given that Doom 3 was originally released in '04.

  This annoying Doom fanboy needs more Doom!

  • Posted Aug 28, 2012 11:59 am GMT
  • Category: Games
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• 25Jul 12

  PS3 games I've been playing lately...

  Obviously I still consider myself a PC gamer primarily, but I must admit that I am having a lot of fun with my new PS3. Here are a few games that have been entertaining me over the past month or so.

  
  
  

  Heavy Rain

  I played Heavy Rain solidly after work on the late shift for about a week until I completed it. I have to say it's by far one of the best games I've played in recent times. I'd have to put it up there as one of my favourite games of the past couple of years, along with L.A. Noire. The story is fresh and unique, the characters interesting, and I had no idea whatsoever how the game would end, especially since there are several endings that occur depending on your actions throughout the game. By far the best PS3 game I've beat so far. Just need to beat Metal Gear Solid 4 now, and maybe my opinion will change...
  
  

  GoldenEye 007 Reloaded

  Although the game's single-player isn't as close to the legendary N64 game as I was hoping it to be, I'm finding this to still be an enjoyable, polished Bond game. The shooting is solid, the visuals are crisp and clear at 1080p (which it actually does support for once) and the framerate is FAR better than your average console FPS. I know Daniel Craig replacing Pierce Brosnan does add a somewhat more mature feel to GoldenEye and the story, but it still works for the most part.

  The multiplayer is actually where the game shines the most, in my opinion. I love how you can play as an endless amount of Bond characters (provided they're from GoldenEye or before), and this is close to the N64 game. Several friends have all checked out the split-screen modes, and I think it's safe to say we've been having a blast.
  
  

  Dead Island

  I'm not a much of a fan when it comes to zombie horror games or movies - other than the odd title I find them to be too similar to one another, but I found Dead Island in a sale, and it's pretty decent for the most part. I like the emphasis on melee combat in the first person perspective, and I'm keen on the almost RPG-like side to the game too. I wasn't actually expecting the game to have as much depth as it does. While I am having fun with Dead Island, I do think some of the missions and tasks are a bit on the stale side, and the game feels a bit rough around the edges, like it's missing a coat of paint. Still, it's a solid game with a unique setting that does make you feel stranded, helpless and desperate to survive the outbreak. The game does what it sets out to do just fine overall.
  
  

  Medal of Honor

  Alright, I've been a fan of the series since Frontline was released in 2002, but I'm not keen on the new direction EA has taken. Obviously I'm talking about the sudden change from WWII to present day, although this was inevitable. Still, the game isn't bad even if it doesn't particularly feel like a Medal of Honor title anymore. The single-player is somewhat generic, but the multiplayer is really quite awesome. Also, since I picked up the limited edition version of the game, I got a free HD copy of Frontline as a bonus, which is nice.
  
  

  Gran Turismo 5

  Predictably I'm loving this one. GT5 has so much depth, and so much to do it's absurd. There are a couple of flaws along the way - I don't like the fact that only certain cars have the full inside view for example, but there's not enough cons to prevent the entire game from being the best racer on the console, because it is in my opinion. The game looks sweet at 1080p, and you can really feel the effort the developers put into this game. Essential if you ask me.
  
  

  
  
  

  Other games I've picked up so far include Metal Gear Solid 4 (which I've already mentioned), Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising, Red Dead Redemption, Fallout: New Vegas, Tom Clancy's Endwar and Condemned 2. I haven't played much of these games to have an opinion as of yet, seeing as I don't have as much time to play games these days, but I'll get there eventually.

  • Posted Jul 25, 2012 4:08 am GMT
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• 2Jul 12

  Retro: DOOM - PSX vs. Saturn

  As one of the most sad and annoying Doom fanboys you'll ever meet, I've played just about every official, commercial version of Doom out there. I own many console ports of the game, and the one's I don't, I've still played at some point in my life, from the humble Jaguar port to the abysmal 3DO interpretation. Just because these ports have the Doom logo slapped on the case, don't expect all of them to be worthy of that name. Two of the ports that I find particularly interesting, for different reasons, are the PlayStation and Saturn ones. Both games are similar as a whole, yet one is vastly superior to the other, despite the fact both systems are around the same power. Here's a comparison of the two...

  GAMEPLAY:

  The PlayStation port was developed by Williams, and was released in 1995. To make things a little more complicated, the game is technically a port of the Jaguar version of Doom, which featured all three chapters of Doom, and of the twenty-four levels featured, many were altered slightly; these were mostly just minor changes, such as a few odd rooms and details removed here and there, but you still got a great Doom experience either way (plus, the completely re-done versions of Hell Keep and Spawnign Vats were actually better than their original counterparts, in my opinion). To add to this, many levels from The Ultimate Doom's added bonus chapter, Thy Flesh Consumed are also thrown in for good measure. Heck, if that's not enough, you're also getting at least two-thirds of Doom II, which leaves a total of over FIFTY levels. It should also be noted that a couple of levels were also console-exclusive and never seen before the game was released.

  Doom for the Saturn was developed by Rage Software and released in 1997, and is more-or-less a direct port of of the PSX game, so, admittedly, there isn't much to say in terms of actual game content. You're getting every level that you saw in Williams' port. HOWEVER, Rage Software lied to their American market. The US box claims that the game features over 60 levels, when in actuality there are 59...

  GRAPHICS:

  
  Of all the Doom console ports out there, the PSX version is certainly one of the better ones. Williams' took advantage of the 32-bit system by improving Doom's light sourcing and using coloured lighting that you didn't see in the PC original or any other port. This not only gives the game a very atmospheric vibe, but it also makes many of the levels feel completely different to how they did initially, in a good way. While the actual textures are a little on the pixellated side, they are more than acceptable for an early PSX title (which it is). Also, the framerate is fairly consistent throughout. It's true that the game will occasionally bog down when the action really picks up, the game runs probably around 30 fps for the most part, and it's great. It is true that many of the levels don't quite have the detail that the PC had, but the game still looks and runs nicely, and with the coloured lighting, Williams actually improved upon Doom's atmosphere.

  The Saturn port is similar to the PSX in terms of textures, but lacks the coloured lighting that was exclusive to the port. The game doesn't look particularly bad without this lighting as such, but at the same time the Saturn, being a 32-bit system like the PlayStation, was more than capable of having that same lighting Williams implemented in their port.

  That's not the problem sadly, because Saturn Doom's legacy as a rushed port is all because of it's framerate. Anyone who's ever, EVER played Doom on the Saturn must have complained about the choppiness of the game upon their first (and probably only) time playing. As soon as you are dropped into Hangar, the first level, you'll instantly notice the horrendous framerate. It makes no difference as to how many enemies there are on the screen, or how large the level is as the framerate is always sub-par, no matter what. It's an absolute abomination to the Saturn! And come to think of it, Doom is quite possibly the most simple, straight-forward first person shooter on the Saturn, yet powerhouse games (at the time)like the true-3D Quake and the impressive Duke Nukem 3D ran far better on the system. The simple answer: lazy programming.

  SOUND:

  Williams did an amazing job here. They completely re-did all the sound effects and music, and what you have is something truly unique. With the limitations of the PlayStation, Williams focused their port on atmosphere and horror, something that was present in the PC game, but not nearly to the extent of the PSX port. The music is much, MUCH more eerie and ambient, and to this day stands as some of the best video-game music of that direction in my opinion. The sound effects are often echoed too, depending on the level, and this is something else the PC didn't have. With the coloured lighting effects, foreboding music and sound effects, this is the most atmospheric and disturbing version of Doom to date, and for that reason alone it's still worth playing. I have absolutely no complaints with the Williams' sound design overall.

  The Saturn version boasts the same sound and music you saw in the PSX game, only some of the music tracks have been removed and they appear in a different order. What is also missing is the echoed effect you saw in Williams' port. While this isn't exactly the biggest complaint, it is a flaw none- the-less. Without the coloured lighting, Saturn Doom doesn't really feel 'right' having the same music and sound effects however. Because the game lacks the atmosphere of the PSX, the game is a little brighter and if anything looks more like the PC version than the PSX, and therefore, I think it would've made more sense to have imported the original, up-beat MIDI music of the PC. Not a huge con overall, but certainly not a pro either.

  CONTROLS:

  
  Doom is by far the most-suited FPS for the PlayStation controller. Because the game lacks the ability to look up and down, playing with the D-Pad is just fine. Add to this the fact that you can customise the controls at your own will, and you have the best handling console port of Doom out there. The shoulder buttons are perfect for strafing, and the entire layout just feels perfect. Naturally, this being a console FPS, you can't compare it to the good old keyboard and mouse, but as far as the controls go, I again have no complaints.

  The Saturn controls are also customisable, but I never found the Saturn controller to be particularly good for shooters. There's just something about the design of the controllers' D-Pad and buttons that never felt right. Saying that, the controls are technically as good as they can be. Circle-strafing is still easy and there's nothing about the control schemes within the game that are worse than any other FPS on the system, it's just that PSX controllers suit first person shooters better while Saturn controllers are more suited to arcade/fighting games etc.

  MULTIPLAYER:

  Actually, both games are completely worthless in this sense, yet the Saturn still comes off as worse purely for the fact that the game came out two years after the PSX version, meaning they had more than enough time to work on a functional multiplayer mode. Unfortunately, both versions of Doom require two TV's, two consoles and two copies of the game to play the co-op and deathmatch modes within the package. To be quite honest, I just don't see the point in even bothering with a multiplayer mode of any kind if split-screen is not available.

  The box of the US version of Saturn Doom contains another, BIG error, and claims that the game supports the multiplayer I have just described. Well, it doesn't. Only the PAL and Japanese versions do. Fail.

  OTHER:

  This category is basically just an excuse for me to rant about any other pros/cons within these ports. The PSX version does not have memory card support of any kind, and instead you are stuck with passwords. This is a minor inconvenience, not really a big deal, at least in my eyes. Since Wiliams' port was released in '95, it was an early PlayStation title anyway, and I would imagine that the majority of PSX games at that time lacked memory card support too. The Saturn version also features passwords, but in this instance, there's absolutely no excuse for it, a) Rage had two years to sort this out and b) the Saturn has INTERNAL MEMORY as well as a memory cartridge option.

  CONCLUSION:

  So, there you go. An in-depth (almost) comparison of the two ports. One is superb, the other is an epic fail. True, the PlayStation does have it's flaws, but they are outweighed by the game's unique atmosphere and intense sound design. In my opinion, PSX Doom is a must-have for all Doom fans. The Saturn port on the other hand is a depressing mess of a port; an abomination to id Software that doesn't take advantage of, well, ANY of the 32-bit power brewing inside the Saturn console. The only thing it has going for it is the fact that it has all the levels of the PSX version. But seriously, just thinking about that sluggish framerate makes me sick!

  If by any chance you own a Japanese or mod-chipped Saturn, you may want to track down the Japanese version of the game, which has a slightly smoother, cleaned-up framerate, but honestly, it's not worth it at the end of the day. Even if it has been improved, the PSX still runs faster.

  • Posted Jul 2, 2012 8:15 am GMT
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