Overall, I really enjoyed Doom 3. I don't know how you can compare it to Quake 3 Arena, that game isn't anything at all like D3. Q3A was mainly intended to be a multiplayer-only game, whereas D3 is the opposite, mainly single-player only. Q3A has no story whatsoever, it's just a ladder-based deathmatch (and variants) with bots (out of the box). It's really not much fun if you don't get online with it, while D3's main purpose is a single-player game. I don't know how you can compare the two!

I do think D3 suffered from a few cop-outs, though. Perhaps it was necessary due to the high graphical demands, but I really thought the way dead creatures "poofed" away with an admittedly cool fire effect was a major cop-out. No bodies lying around to kick at or enjoy the ragdoll physics! Just *poof* and it burns up. The effect got old in a hurry.

I also didn't like the "cheap thrills" that you got with the scripted creature attacks and lack of realism. For example, you walk down a corridor and suddenly behind you, a secret door opens and a creature jumps you from behind. You kill it and walk to where it came from, and that's all you see...a little box area. I guess the creature just sat there in it's box until a person walked by. The creatures who spawned in, that's a bit more creative and realistic for a game that has to do with bridging multiple dimensions. The "creature in a secret wall-box" or "demon suddenly appearing under the stairs" is a cop-out; it gives the player a thrill but it's a cheap thrill. I'm a horror movie lover and I hated this as much as I hate the "cat jumps screeching out of the dumpster" and "movie actress walking backwards in fear and buddy's hand claps down on her shoulder" clichés. Cheap thrills suck, they startle you but give you an empty feeling that makes you say "gee, that was lame".

I really enjoyed D3's ambient audio. With 4 or more speakers and a decent surround-sound audio card, walking through the various levels with their intriguing machinery was very immersive. The audio effects also enhanced the scariness of the game.

The boss battles were mostly fun and engaging, including the final level as you're descending deeper and deeper. The sense of foreboding was awesome!

Unlike most people who play a game for a few days (or hours?) and then deliver their review or verdict, I usually try to finish a game. I finished Doom 3 and it was worth it. Definitely worth a 'bargain bin' price if you can find it in one!