Note: This game may require an additional serial key for multiplayer mode. In case it is not automatically generated in your GOG.com library (open it via website → select the game → More → Serial Keys), please reach out to our Support team.
The BFG Edition cuts several important elements from the game, like shadows and the flashlight. Textures are blurry and well lit. The game is less challenging. Mods, which are an important part of Doom 3, dont work with the BFG Edition.
Do yourself a favor and get the original Doom 3, not this crippled console port.
When Doom 3 released in August 2004, I skipped it due to several reviews I read about the game "not feeling like Doom" Boy, was I mistaken. Both the BFG and original (1.3) editions are here, and, dare I say it, Doom 3 has become my favorite game of the series. And yes, Doom 3 absolutely feels like Doom.
Biggest criticisms of the original game are:
1) The flashlight can't be equipped at the same time as a weapon
2) Shotgun feels somewhat underpowered (this is not entirely true)
3) "Cheap" enemy attacks, e.g., the Imp's leap
4) Annoying enemies, such as trites and cherubs
5) Excessive screen jostling when hit
Critics of the BFG edition say that it has too much ammo, is generally too easy, and that the shoulder lamp was poorly executed. I completely disagree.
Despite all these criticisms, Doom 3's "scare factor" is what makes it so good. Also, the game's open approach to modding makes it possible to modify scripts and definition files to allow us to address issues such as the shotgun spread, screen jar/kick amplitude, etc. Note that modifying these files, while fun, can also upset the game's balance.
As for running Doom 3, the BFG edition plays on just about anything relatively modern in Windows 7 x64 and newer. The original (v1.3) edition from GOG plays on Windows XP, and supports Creative's EAX. If you want to play the original version on period-correct hardware, then, in my experience, Doom 3 (original) plays well with:
- Pentium 4 (Prescott 2.8 GHz) or better
- Creative X-Fi or Audigy2 PCI sound card. I'm using an X-Fi Elite Pro, and it sounds incredible
- A decent ATI Radeon x800-series or nVIDIA GeForce 6800-series GPU with 256 MB of VRAM
- 2 GB of system RAM.
A Core 2 or early Core i5/i7 build with an available PCI slot (for a Creative X-Fi or Audigy2 sound card) and an nVIDIA 9600GT or better makes the v1.3 GOG release (non-BFG edition) of Doom 3 run like butter.
Absolutely the inferior product when compared to the original Doom 3. This updated edition should never, ever have been made. So what's new here?
- Narrower FOV.
- Brightness has been cranked WAY up, destroying the ambience.
- More health, ammo, and armor pickups, reducing the challenge.
- Zooming is removed.
- Armor decay is removed, reducing the challenge.
- Cutscenes are now unskippable.
- Many enemy encounters have been cut or changed.
- Flashlight is mounted on weapons, destroying the ambience and reducing the challenge.
Forget this trash. Play the original Doom 3.
Game works well, but they were supposed to completely remove that CD-KEY thing before they added it on GOG, it's annoying, it was annoying back in 2004 and it's still annoying in 2023. Sometimes it just asks for serial key for no reason again.
DOOM 3 is a misunderstood release, many people said it isn't a proper Doom continuation, but this comment probably come from people that didn't play the originals back in the day, those games where obscure, full of darkness and more like horror game back in the day. Many source ports increased the Draw Distance, the illumination, time change the concept of horror and Doom started to look like a pure action game.
Not gonna lie, the game has some creepy looking enemy and the tension you feel when you have to choose between your gun and you flashlight is genuine.
I really like DOOM 3 and think everyone should give it a try.