Science fiction is to Doom like the BFG is to Slayer. One could be skeptical about the medieval setting of Doom: The Dark Ages, but id Software easily combines these two seemingly incompatible worlds. In keeping with the wild mix of futuristic elements and archaic designs, the first-person shooter also offers some fresh ideas.
“Before he became a hero, he was the superweapon of gods and kings.” This introductory sentence set the mood for, which producer Marty Stratton and game director Hugo Martin presented in a detailed presentation. It tells the back story of the 2016 reboot and is therefore perfect for getting started in the series. But honestly, the story plays a minor role in Doom, if at all. The action is much more important - and from the first impression, it's really good!
A prime example of action
The first trailer showed the Doom Slayer's latest toy, a mixture of a round shield and a chainsaw. You not only use this to block incoming attacks, you also throw the shield saw mercilessly into the faces of your opponents, use it to parry attacks and even in platforming segments. You throw them at certain points, pull yourself closer and overcome even the largest abysses. For all maneuvers you only need one button, which is assigned depending on the context. Despite all the options, accessibility is still on the agenda.
Especially when it comes to parades, many of you will probably panic that Sekiro-like reflexes will be required of you. However, id Software includes some elements that reduce frustration. Clear visual cues such as enemy body parts glowing green indicate incoming attacks. If that doesn't help, Doom: The Dark Ages even offers extensive setting options. For example, you can adjust the time window for the parades - this makes the game either easier or significantly more difficult.
According to id Software, The Dark Ages goes back to the core of Doom. Where Eternal required you to move and jump a lot, now the focus is on a completely different directive: Stand and Fight! The game scenes sometimes seem like a bullet hell shooter: the enemy projectiles move significantly slower than in the two predecessors, which is why strafing is brought back into focus. According to the developers, the Doom Slayer should feel like a tank and the scenes shown make it clear what is meant: He moves slowly and powerfully through the masses of enemies, fends off attacks effortlessly and processes everything in his path into kindling and minced meat.
Of course, the iconic glory kills are not missing. In The Dark Ages you have three melee weapons at your disposal. Regardless of whether it was with an energy glove, a morning star or a huge club: watching the demonic faces burst open was a hell of a joy in the scenes that were played. Especially since, according to id Software, the finishers should run much more smoothly. The game no longer pulls you to specific areas of the enemies, instead you kill them from the exact position and angle from which you execute the attack.
This way you can string together several Glory Kills without having to ignore stunned enemies because the game moves you to a certain position and puts them out of reach. In combination with the once again brutal shooting, a ballet of violence emerges that could even eclipse its predecessors. For the weapon designs, the team first looked at medieval torture instruments and used them to create crazy killing tools such as a bolt gun or the bone thrower, which shreds demon skulls and spits the individual parts at your opponents.
Everything is one size larger
The sections on the back of the cyber dragon are likely to be particularly bold. In predefined missions you ride the futuristic mythical creature through the air and bombard enemies with tons of projectiles. If that sounds brilliant to you, let me tell you: the Atlan tops it all. This is a huge mech that you often slip into and have juicy fist fights with equally huge demons. Or you can unpack a gigantic Gatling gun and dismantle vicious beasts and entire sections of landscape into rubble and ash. The team wants to deliver a true action blockbuster of a campaign and so far it looks like the plan is working.
Since non-stop action also carries the risk of heart attacks, there's a lot of exploration on the agenda in between. You will find challenges, hidden Easter eggs and of course upgrades for the Slayer everywhere. Doom: The Dark Ages does not offer an open world; rather, the linear experience with its relatively open areas sounds like the recently released Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
Conclusion
A brilliant action fireworks display where hardly anything can go wrong
Huge demons that I blast into their individual pieces using every trick in the book, tons of enemies, quick glory kills, a fresh science fiction fantasy setting and even a cyber dragon: What id Software brings up in the Doom: The Dark Ages campaign, is nothing less than a really big popcorn cinema.
After the 2016 reboot and Doom Eternal, fans' expectations are of course huge. However, what I've seen of the prequel so far seems to hit exactly the right tone. The slightly too complex and slightly overwhelming combat puzzles of the predecessors have been streamlined to the right extent and the shield saw promises wonderfully brutal killstreaks. According to id Software, especially in conjunction with the Glory Kills, they are intended to be reminiscent of the famous scene on the beach in the film 300.
All this campaign bombast comes at a price, however, because Doom: The Dark Ages does not offer a multiplayer mode. To be honest, I don't care much, the soundtrack is much more important. After Mick Gordon and the studio fell out, the production company Finishing Move stepped in. The hard metal sounds I've heard so far made a solid impression. In short: Look forward to May 15, 2025. On this day, Doom: The Dark Ages will be released for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
