Doom 3 is one of the more divisive entries in the series. Some fans can’t stand its oppressive atmosphere and bleak visuals. But others insist that those elements make it one of the most intense experiences in the Doom franchise. Either way, the game is about to get a whole lot more immersive — and potentially, a whole lot scarier. Doom 3: VR Edition will debut for the PlayStation VR later this month.
Information comes from the official PlayStation Blog, which features a trailer for Doom 3: VR Edition, as well as some information about how the game will work on the PSVR headset. At the same time, Sony also announced five other PSVR games, although Doom 3 definitely seems like the standout title.
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The trailer shows off pretty much what you’d expect from a Doom 3 port. You take control of a space marine exploring a demon-infested facility. At your disposal, you have a variety of guns, a chainsaw and, perhaps most importantly, a flashlight to illuminate the game’s many dim corridors, and the fearsome monsters that lurk within.
In terms of gameplay, things look similar to the original Doom 3, although this time you’ll be controlling a pair of disembodied hands. This is a common graphical trick in VR games, which makes picking up objects and interacting with your environment a little less jarring. Sony also touts a handful of “VR enhancements,” including peeking around corners, motion controls for lining up gunshots and a quick-turn functionality. (This is probably necessary in a first-person shooter, although it may cause motion sickness.)
Doom 3: VR Edition also includes the Resurrection of Evil and The Lost Mission expansions, so Doom fans won’t have to worry about missing any of the original game’s content. Sony has also advertised “new textures, shaders and sound effects,” although the PC version of the game still offers higher resolutions.
While the game will be out on March 29, Sony hasn’t yet announced a price. We’ll know what it is within the next few weeks, one way or another.
If Doom 3: VR Edition doesn’t scratch your PSVR itch, there are also five other titles that Sony highlighted today. After the Fall is a cooperative FPS; Zenith is an MMO that takes inspiration from Japanese RPGs; I Expect you to Die 2: The Spy and the Liar is a tense puzzle game; Fracked is a stylish action/platformer; and Song in the Smoke is a wilderness survival game.
FPS games in VR can be a difficult proposition; doubly so when you’re dealing with a game that requires you to light your surroundings as you shoot. Still, Doom has experimented with VR before in the somewhat well-liked Doom VFR spinoff. We’ll see if the formula will work for a full-length game.
