What's Ahead: Though we did eventually get to see the game being played, it still isn't clear whether id--a developer known for its fast-paced, run-and-gun shooters--will be able to consistently pull off the kind of terrifying, suspenseful gameplay it wants in Doom III. Also, even though Doom III is primarily intended to be a single-player game, it remains to be seen how the multiplayer component, which id intends to be a "simple, fun" addition to the game, will turn out.

What we watched was an actual real-time demo of the game in action, exactly as it will be played when it's finally released next year--yet we had trouble believing that at least parts of the demo weren't CG-rendered graphics. The characters in Doom III are unbelievably detailed, and the engine's use of real-time lighting and shadows was nothing less than stunning. And judging from the rolling demonstration we saw on the show floor, as well as the actual gameplay demonstration we saw later with id's John Carmack and Tim Willits, it's also clear to us that Doom III's powerful new engine isn't just for window dressing. The engine's remarkably realistic use of lighting and shadows add to the game's creepy atmosphere considerably and represent what looks like a giant leap for what's possible in terms of gameplay.

In addition, the demo's 3D sound--which was provided by longtime id collaborator, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails--also went a long way toward adding to the game's tense, suspenseful atmosphere. At one point in the demo, we came across a revised version of the original Doom demon--a squat, hulking mass of muscle that eviscerates a corpse, splattering blood across the floor in an extremely realistic (and grisly) way. When the demon first came crashing onto the screen, people in the theater literally jumped out of their seats. (Well, everyone except us, of course.) We also saw some examples of Doom III's physics engine in action: At one point in the demo, we watched a zombie get shot down from the top of the stairs and come tumbling down the steps. At other points in the demo, we watched ambient bits of scenery, like metal airshaft grills, slide off the walls and clatter to the floor realistically.

Considering the remarkable demonstrations we saw at E3 both on and off the floor, as well as the potential impact that id's powerful new technology will have on games in the coming years, we can say with complete certainty that Doom III was the top game of the show.