Even with a DOOM 3, the horror-leaning entry in the usually action-heavy franchise, called DOOM 3: VR Edition. This will be the second VR-focused game in the franchise after DOOM VFR, which pulled from 2016's well-received reboot. At first glance, a decades-old PC shooter may seem like an odd choice for a 2021 PSVR conversion, but DOOM 3 actually has ties to the foundations of modern VR.
The story goes all the way back to the beginning, with the debut of the Oculus Rift on Kickstarter. One of the promised rewards for developer kits of the state-of-the-art headset was a copy of DOOM 3: BFG Edition. The game was touted as one of the first to the headset, even demonstrated by id Software founder John Carmack to press reporting on the project at E3. The company never secured a version of DOOM 3, but it did secure the main mind behind the game.
Following the successful crowdfunding, Carmack ed Oculus as their chief technical officer. A few months later, he resigned from id Software, telling USA Today he would have remained working for both companies if id had allowed its games to be developed for Oculus. Unofficial Oculus ports of DOOM 3 are available online, but DOOM 3's recently announced PSVR version will be the first time players can officially see this particular version of Mars.
Why DOOM 3 Is The Perfect Game For A PSVR Port
While many VR players praised DOOM VFR's movement controls, they were clearly a compromise over the fast pace of the modern DOOM reboot. Rumors seemingly pointed to a DOOM VFR follow-up using DOOM Eternal's sandbox, but finally bringing DOOM 3 to VR makes much more sense.
No other game in the franchise plays quite like DOOM 3. Previous DOOM games were the product of John Romero and John Carmack's combined strengths as designers, but DOOM 3 came about after Romero departed id Software. Carmack bent the DOOM formula nearly in two in order to showcase advances in lighting, shadows, and textures. The end result is a DOOM 3 steeped more in horror than action and that takes its time dishing out the scares. It's a fine game in its own right, but it doesn't feel like the rest of the series, especially considering DOOM's recent reboot.
All the changes that make DOOM 3 controversial to DOOM fans make it perfect for PlayStation VR. One of the hang-ups of VR is the simple fact that letting players gain too much speed might make them sick. DOOM 3's occasionally glacial pacing fixes that problem while still offering an action-packed experience. DOOM 3 pits players against fewer demons than other games, and they all hide in the shadows, just off-screen. This means fewer resources for the headset to handle and fewer targets for players to deal with while holding a giant, physics-based chaingun for the first time. It's a win-win, and Carmack probably knew that when he first made the connection with Oculus all those years ago.
While it will likely always be the black sheep of the DOOM family, perhaps DOOM 3's PSVR release can give it a new lease on life. The platform needs more full-length games for players to enjoy, and DOOM 3 has a meaty campaign with plenty of interesting twists and turns. It also might be just enough of an interesting prospect to lure in those who playing through the game on PC or the original Xbox; just keep an eye out for those monster closets.
Source: USA Today