ONE of the longest-running video game concepts has at last spawned an up-to-date version and brought us Doom 3 on the Xbox but be warned; be afraid, be very afraid.

I remember thinking how awesome the graphics were when Chronicles of Riddick came out on the Xbox and I did the same thing when I started playing Doom 3 because it looks like Escape From Butcher Bay with bells on and is filled with some of the scariest monsters currently plying their trade on a console or PC.

The action takes place on Mars where some radical experiments have opened a gateway to hell unleashing all manner of horrors that have just one thing on their mind - to kill you and anything else they can lay their claws, jaws and multiple legs on.

You play a newly-transferred marine who literally arrives on Mars just as the sh*%@e hits the fan and as luck would have it you get charged with the responsibility of defeating evil and fulfilling the prophecy which is no mean feat I can tell you!

You have to make your way through the Mars station as all Hell breaks loose around you which will prove to be a stern test for even hardened first-person shooters as level design makes it very easy to be ambushed by some very tough cookies.

You could be walking down a corridor and a panel will fall from the ceiling in front of you only for a rather horrible looking demon to sneak up behind you and give you a rather nasty clip round the ear.

Luckily (or unluckily depending on what way you look at it) for us gamers, shortly before a pack of demons ports in to your location all the lights go out leaving you with a flashlight and a weapon of choice to take them out.

I have to admit, this tactic does play havoc with your nerves and your trigger finger so keep the Andrex handy and prepare for a ride that will leave you on the edge of your seat.

Ammo, health and armour are a constant worry but there are security lockers dotted around the place which you have to find the three-digit combination for and that can be a bit of a challenge in itself.

In short, this is a fantastic game but perhaps not one for the youngsters as it carries a xxx rating and could be a bit too frightening for children. It plays brilliantly with a varied range of weapons from machineguns, shotguns and miniguns to rocket launchers, plasma rifles and strange alien weapons.

The soundtrack compliments proceedings perfectly and will have you nervously exploring many a dark corner only to find some nasties hidden behind a screen which is opened when the pick up is made.

On top of the single-player story mode there is also multiplayer mode which allows all the usual deathmatch-type permutations and a co-op mode which puts you and friend into the heart of the story.

Whatever you choose I'm sure you won't be disappointed - just scared - which all adds up to a wicked gameplay experience.

Overall 5/5