The enfants terribles of gaming, iD Software, have done it again with the 18-certificate Doom 3, a menacing schlock-horror to spook the soul. The company has spent the past four years developing this instalment of its violent series, and its entirely new engine has allowed them to cram more eye and ear candy into the mix — but at a price. To get the most out of the game, you will need a PC with a bit of poke and a half-decent graphics card.

This sci-fi adventure will keep the trigger-happy on the edge of their seats all the way through to the mighty boss playoffs in the final showdowns. The first-person shooter is set on a remote base on Mars, where scientist and security guards are turning into zombies. Assorted slithering mutants have also taken up residence in the shadows and air vents as your linear quest begins.

Along the way you chance upon an increasingly meaty arsenal to blast your way through in the mutated cast, and target practice is served up in blood-splattered droves. The single-player missions are frantic and the multiplayer clashes online both frenetic and nigh on impossible to survive. Despite this, Doom 3 online is set to be the hit of the year.

For all the game’s overblown dramatics, however, the experience lacks subtlety and is disappointingly low on style. Doom 3 has its flaws, but remains a graphical, audio and visual tour de force.

Tim Wapshott