Mixed or average reviews - based on 16 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 16
  2. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. Nov 6, 2012
    Doom 3 is an old game and it definitely shows its age. If you, however, are willing to look past that obvious defect, this game will prove that it is still just as nerve-wracking as it ever was.
  2. Oct 26, 2012
    Doom veteran or newcomer, the BFG Edition is a superb addition to any collection.
  3. Oct 23, 2012
    Sprinkle in the fact that it's a polished older game that is packed full of fun and there will be little reason why gamers won't be fighting their way through a hellishly altered version of Mars for quite some time to come.
  4. Nov 25, 2012
    An utterly essential pack for Doom virgins; a dated-but-potent blaster for the rest. [Christmas 2012, p.83]
  5. Oct 25, 2012
    Unfortunately, for all its merit, BFG Edition fumbles the ball in a number of baffling ways. Load times are atrocious, (particularly on PS3), mandatory auto-saves interrupt gameplay, and there's absolutely no way to customize your control settings.
  6. Throw in the original two Doom games, some online multiplayer, and a handful of extra content that fans of the original Doom 3 may have missed, and suddenly the $40 price tag seems pretty long as you don't expect too much. [Holiday 2012, p.82]
  7. Nov 6, 2012
  8. Nov 30, 2012
  10. Nov 29, 2012
    BFG Edition of Doom 3 might be interesting only for its nostalgic values (Doom and Doom 2 are included), because it's way behind contemporary shooters. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.74]
  11. 65
    Both games have been ported nicely, with a few new features that weren't there originally.
  12. Oct 24, 2012
    The DOOM 3 BFG Edition still boasts some decent thrills here and there, it controls fine, and the atmosphere remains impressive. However, id Software didn't do enough (if they did anything) to upgrade the presentation, so we're left with glaringly old-fashioned technical elements that hinder the quest at every turn.
  13. Despite the heritage, and the memories of the time (if you did play it) promising a nostalgic trip, it's a reminder of how far we've come. In the end, Doom 3 just feels old. [Christmas 2012, p.81]
  14. Oct 22, 2012
    Far from the loving tribute to an important milestone in modern games it could have been, BFG only adds a couple of esoteric technical features and a short, mediocre new campaign add-on to Doom 3, at the expense of some of the core graphics and gameplay features that defined the game's identity on its initial release.
  15. Jan 7, 2013
  16. Doom 3: BFG Edition has its darkly atmospheric highlights. But a generous amount of content can't salvage a package that's decidedly dated. If you want a cracking Id shooter, buy Rage on PS3 for about a tenner, because this is one mission to Mars you're better off skipping.
User Score

Mixed or average reviews- based on 82 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 26
  2. Negative: 5 out of 26
  1. Oct 24, 2012
    About the reviewer: I'm 30 years old and grew up with PCs and consoles of all sorts, starting with the Coleco Vision in 1983. I love emulators as they take me back, but you'll never see me playing a classic NES game for more than an hour at a time. I'll admit I've been spoiled by the latest developments in gaming technology, but I still respect older games for the nostalgic value. In summary, I'm not a self-entitled brat and I am capable of reviewing games in the context of the time they were released.

    Onto the review: Doom 3 BFG edition is getting a lot of scathing reviews and I've noticed that many of these reviews contain false information. If you dislike a game, ok, but don't make up false info to support your whine-fest.

    I played Doom 3 on a very beefy PC when it came out. I loved every second of it. I'm a huge horror fan and it takes a LOT to scare me... but doom 3 knew what scared me. Though I was aware of the shortcomings in gameplay (repetitive combat, monster closets, etc), I still thought it was a masterpiece and a milestone in gaming technology. So how does it hold up today? PRETTY DARN WELL.

    It's no secret that this 8 year old game is showing its age in the graphics department, but it still looks good. Damn good. Doom 3 is all about lighting and a creepy atmosphere and I was blown away at how much this game still made me jump when I played the BFG edition. If mindless shooting and sudden jump scares are your bag, this game WILL deliver.

    In regards to this new edition, I will attempt to document the changes and honestly as I possibly can:

    Graphics: YES, the textures have been beefed up, regardless of what a lot of brats on here are saying. They are sharper, clearer, and some detail has been added (pock marks for skin, facial hair, etc). The character models, however, haven't been touched. No matter, they still look decent. Just don't expect "Crysis". Let's face it, the character models weren't exactly mind-blowing when Doom 3 was released in 2004, but again, this is a game about lighting and atmosphere. While I'm talking about lighting, it must be mentioned that the game's look has been brightened somewhat, which is a double-edged sword. Lights are now more vibrant both in brightness and color vividness. When lights shine, they shine beautifully, but they shine almost a bit too much. This game is supposed to be dark. Brightening the environments has inadvertently taken away some of the fear element, but it wasn't a big deal. It's also worth mentioning that the game DOES in fact run at a beautiful 60 frames per second (I understand Bethesda and ID had announced that they were having a hard time achieving this on the PS3. Evidently, that's been remedied). I did notice a small amount of screen tearing at various points, but these occurrences were few and far between. In regards to shadowing, it's all intact save for the flashlight effect (which is now a part of your armor, meaning you can shoot and light at the same time. For those who have never played Doom 3, you previously had to swap between your flashlight or weapon depending on the situation). Flashlights no longer cast shadows via obstructing objects. Not sure why they removed this, but I didn't even notice it until about halfway through the game so no big loss.

    Sound: I keep hearing a ton of reports saying that many of the sound effects are missing. FALSE. I counted ONE instance of a missing sound, and I'm glad they removed it. There were only so many times I could hear the words "VIDEO LINK UP REQUESTED! VIDEO LINK UP REQUESTED!". Overall, the game sounds great in 5.1, though many of the sound effects have been mixed down a bit so they're not so jarring. Again, this is a double-edged sword. It's an easier game to listen to now but some of the impact is gone, though I must admit to always feeling the sound effects were too loud in the original release.

    Save feature: This one is a bit annoying. The game advertised a new checkpoint system. What we actually get is an occasional auto-save that takes much longer than it should (10-15 seconds actually). Manually saving your game takes the same amount of time and requires you to go into the menu. Not sure why this couldn't be improved. Even the old Xbox port of this game had a quicksave button...

    Package: Doom 1, 2, 3, 3's expansion, and an extra small campaign. That's a lot of playing time. This really is a full package and if you're a Doom 3 fan, you'll have an orgasm. If you aren't a Doom 3 fan, what right do you have reviewing a special edition of a game you don't like in the first place? Bugger off. Summary: I reviewed this game without comparing it to shooters of today, which is how it should be reviewed. That said, Doom 3 DOES still hold up. I was 100% honest about everything documented and had no intention of misleading you. If Doom 3 isn't for you, fine. Go back and review the original release.
    Full Review »
  2. Oct 16, 2012
  3. Oct 17, 2012