id Software’s Doom reboot series has been on quite the romp sinceDoomchainsawed its way onto the scene in 2016. The critical and commercial darling successfully modernized the Doom franchise all while adhering close to the franchise’s core pillars. It would go on to spawn a direct sequel,Doom Eternal, as well astwo DLCsthat appeared to close the door on the Doom Slayer’s story. Five years later, Doom and the Doom Slayer are back and are taking players back in time.
Doom: The Dark Agesis a prequel to the entire Doom franchise, showcasing a medieval war against hell. After a crowd-pleasing reveal back in June 2024, fans have eagerly waited for more news about the hotly anticipated title. Thankfully, id Software and Bethesda Softworks have finally lifted the lid on what players can expect.
Doom: The Dark Ages Writes History at Xbox Showcase
Are you ready for a royal bloodbath?
From Acrobatic Gymnast to Iron Tank
For id Software, each new entry in Doom represents something different.Doom 2016was a more grounded approach to combat, andDoom Eternalfocused more on acrobatics and weapon juggling. ForDoom: The Dark Ages, id is once again altering the way we play as the Doom Slayer, describing the Slayer in this game as an Iron Tank. While he was as light as a feather inEternal, inThe Dark Ageshe is heavy and strong, yet still fast.
The main goal of combat inDoom: The Dark Agesis to create a grounded system emphasizing power, making strafing to aim viable again, and giving players a stand and fight mentality. This is enabled with the Shield Saw, which can block attacks, be thrown at enemies, parry attacks, and deflect projectiles; multiple melee weapons that replaceEternal’sBlood Punch; and a new, contextual Glory Kill system that keeps players in the action. Of course, there’s also all the new weapons, like the Bone Crusher, just waiting to be found and unleashed upon the demons of hell.
In a massive change fromEternal, id Software is trimming off the fat to provide a more accessible experience. According to the studio, they believe they went a bit overboard withEternal’scontrols, making the game overly complex. ForThe Dark Ages, the goal was to streamline controls and create a game that’s easy to pick up, but still difficult to master. For example, all the functionality of the Shield Saw is contextual and controlled by a single button press. The studio is also giving players the opportunity to tune their experience beyond the standard difficulties.The Dark Agesintroduces a series of sliders that speed or slow things down, providing more control over the game’s challenge.
Of course,Doom: The Dark Ageswill still be a challenge. The studio’s mantra for the game is “a Doom for all Slayers.” It can be as hard or as easy as you want, but it will fulfill the power fantasy for all players, especially when you’re able to get behind the wheel of an Atlan Mech suit or ride the Cybernetic Dragon.
A Medieval War Against Hell
Where id Software is making the most changes is how players interact with the game’s world and story.Doom: The Dark Agesisn’t an open-world game, but it will feature expansive worlds to play in, secrets to discover, and resources to uncover.
To showcase this, id Software showed us a level where the Doom Slayer helps people deal with enemies at their gates. Before the mission starts, players can explore beyond the gates to complete objectives, seek out hidden treasures, and shred enemies. How you approach these sections has an impact on the main mission. It’s important to note that id Software has not given up on the masterfully crafted linear levels seen inDoom 2016andEternal. Instead, there’ll be a solid mix of explorative sandboxes mixed with the linear levels players have come to expect from the franchise.
For the story, it’s taken out of the codex and properly told in-game. Expect cutscenes, a big blockbuster narrative, and a central antagonist to battle in the largest Doom experience ever. There’ll still be a codex filled with additional lore and storytelling, but you won’t need to dive deep into it to understand what’s going on in-game.
A Single Player Experience
Doom: The Dark Agesis shaping up to be another exciting entry in id Software’s franchise that seeks to preserve the core Doom experience while offering a unique twist compared to2016andEternal. While id wouldn’t divulge how long the game is, they did acknowledge it is their biggest game to date. That scale is only possible becauseDoom: The Dark Agesis single player only. Unlike2016andEternal,The Dark Ageswon’t feature multiplayer in any capacity.
Of course, what was shown was hands-off. There’s still plenty left to learn aboutDoom: The Dark Ages, including just how well the Doom dance translates to this new, tankier style of gameplay. Thankfully, we won’t have to wait too much longer to get our hands on the game.
Doom: The Dark Ageslaunches July 04, 2025, on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
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