Computersight -

On June 29, 2009 iD Software released their newest Doom game; Doom Resurrection. This game is exclusive to the iPod Touch and iPhone. The game’s storyline goes right along with Doom 3. There is a respectable variety of weapons and enemies which should bring back memories to anyone who has played Doom 3. Doom Resurrection has 8 different levels and 4 different difficulty settings.

After getting a ton of iTunes gift cards from friends and family last Christmas I said to myself “Sure, why not?” and went ahead and payed 10 bucks for the game. The game takes up around 75 Megabytes and puts the iPod’s hardware to the test. After a couple minutes of playing your iPod gets pretty warm. Anyway, after starting up the game I went through the short introduction of the controls. It’s pretty simple and easy to control. You tilt the device to aim and tap for other functions such as reloading, dodging, hiding behind cover etc. There’s also a ‘calibrate’ button so you can play the game holding your iPod at basically any angle.

The first time I played the game I was reminded of those old games at the arcade where you would aim with a plastic gun and the game controlled your movements, deciding where you would move. That’s pretty much how Doom Resurrection works. You take care of the aiming while the game moves you around. It is not a free movement game. It is a bit disappointing that the game is a rail shooter, but on the other hand this eliminates the problem of difficult movement controls. Plus, now you can’t get lost.

As for graphics it pretty much met my expectations considering the iPod’s hardware. It doesn’t exactly have its pant-soiling moments like Doom 3 did, but it tries. Expect zombies to pop around corners constantly. The enemies are decent, and there is enough variety to make sure you are on your toes when confronting different zombies, but in the end it is your run of the mill first-person shooter on rails.

The game also incorporates a point system. After each level it calculates your points based on accuracy, head shots,  health remaining and items gathered, among other things, to decide how many points you get. Based on your score you get a letter grade from A to F. It’s a simple trick developers can use to milk the replayability, but it works with people.

My recommendation? If you have money to burn in your iTunes, Doom Resurrection is not a bad choice. It is a decent title that’s easy and fun to play, but in all honesty it merits a smaller price tag.