Doom is back, and this time, it’s taking us to the medieval era with Doom: The Dark Ages.
Forget everything you know about modern shooters; this game promises an epic dark fantasy with a wild arsenal and heavy metal tunes. Rumors about a Doom prequel started swirling in 2023 after some court documents leaked. Originally called Doom: Year Zero, we now know it as Doom: The Dark Ages. Let’s dive into what we know so far.
When is Doom: The Dark Ages coming out?
During the 2024 Xbox Games Showcase, it was announced that Doom: The Dark Ages will launch in 2025.
What platforms will Doom: The Dark Ages be on?
This game will be available on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5. Even though Microsoft owns Doom, they’re still releasing it on PS5. It’s also expected to be part of Game Pass since it’s a first-party title for Microsoft.
Will Doom: The Dark Ages get PS5 Pro enhancements?
Right now, not many games have the PS5 Pro Enhanced label, and Doom: The Dark Ages isn’t one of them. However, Id Software games are known for their amazing graphics, so it might get optimized for the PS5 Pro later on.
Story, setting, and characters in Doom: The Dark Ages
This new game bridges the gap between the original Doom games from the ’90s and the newer ones like Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal. According to the game’s lore, Doom Guy ends up on Argent D’Nur, joins the Night Sentinels, and fights in gladiator pits. When Hell invades Argent D’Nur, he teams up with the Night Sentinels to fight back.
The story gets exciting here: Doom Guy gains powers from Maykr technology to stop Hell’s armies. The Night Sentinels find out they’ve been betrayed by the Maykrs, who are using the conflict for their own gain. They go on a suicide mission into Hell to stop the Maykrs’ plans.
In the end, only Doom Guy survives, becoming the legendary Doom Slayer.
Gameplay in Doom: The Dark Ages
Just like the other Doom games, this one is all about fast-paced, run-and-gun action. The directors, Hugo Martin and Marty Stratton, say it has a lot of the original Doom games’ energy.
“At the beginning of project, everybody kind of goes back and plays the original Doom,” said Stratton. “There were so many things in that original game that just have have fueled us… It’s always that evolution, but there’s just so much of the DNA even with the way that we develop and our our team size. When we were talking about like what is Doom [in development], it was very much like borrowing from those ideas of the original Doom and Doom 2. As the brand has evolved and the ideas through the lore and all the different gameplay mechanics have evolved… it’s amazing when you play the game you’re just like ‘this is unbelievable.'”
We, fans, love how they keep the spirit of the original games alive.
Martin also mentioned that the slower-moving projectiles in this game are a throwback to the first two Doom titles.
“I think in the original Doom, in the opening hours, we all remember imps or soldiers firing slow moving projectiles… and they hit hard,” explained Martin. “And if you get hit by one of those, you’re in a lot of trouble… That’s where the movement comes in. Instead of constructing a multi-tiered arena… if we ground it, slow down the projectiles, make them hit way harder, and create patterns in the space, then that’s the jungle gym you’re going to move through.”
We haven’t seen the health and ammo system yet. In Doom (2016), you had to use certain tools and moves to get what you needed from enemies. Doom Eternal built on that with chainsaws, flamethrowers, and swords. It’ll be interesting to see how this evolves in The Dark Ages.
Weapons in Doom: The Dark Ages
Doom games are famous for their crazy weapons, and The Dark Ages is no different. So far, we’ve seen the super-shotgun, a plasma rifle, a railgun, and the Skullcrusher—a weapon that grinds up skulls into deadly shrapnel.
Doom: The Dark Ages shield
In a cool twist, Doom Slayer will have a shield that can be used offensively. It’s like Captain America’s shield but way more brutal. You can block, push through enemy fire, and even parry attacks. In the gameplay preview, Doom Slayer throws the shield like a deadly frisbee, bounces it off walls, and catches it in one smooth move.
While we wait until 2025 to play, one creative modder has already added the shield to the original Doom game.
Can you ride a dragon in Doom: The Dark Ages?
Absolutely! Doom Slayer will ride a jet-powered, cybernetic war dragon in the game.
Can you pilot a Pacific Rim-style mech against giant demons?
Yes, you can! Get ready to take on massive demons with the Atlan mech.
Keep an eye on GameSpot for more updates on Doom: The Dark Ages!
