Summary
After rumors and rumblings of its existence previously, id Software officially unveiled their latest project,Doom: The Dark Ages, at the 2024 Xbox Showcase; part of the extendedSummer Game Festthat recently concluded. The nextDoomgame’s presence at the event was eagerly anticipated, and it seems not to have disappointed.Doomis, of course, one of the all-time most legendarily important games and franchises ever devised for how it impacted the burgeoning medium, and its indelible influence on it since inception is hard to miss.
As beloved and renowned as the original two titles were, 2004’sDoom 3was met with a more mixed reception. The series then went officially quiet until a reboot came in the form ofDoom (2016.)While it was initially uncertain whether it could make the transition to a modern context, the entry saw players ripping and tearing across a campaign that captured thebloody essence ofDoom’s old school spiritcombined with current-gen top-of-the-line production and informed design.
It was followed up in 2020 by the arguably even more intenseDoom: Eternal.Eternalthen receivedThe Ancient Gods DLC, a two-part story expansion that featured more of the world of Argent D’Nur, a sci-fi-medieval-styled planet from the main plot with ties to the Doom Slayer’s past.Doom: The Dark Agesappears to take the futuristic fantasy elements and aesthetic featured and seen prominently specifically in Argent D’Nur and run with them, while doing the all-important job of keeping the feel and playstyle ofDoomintact.
Doom: The Dark Agesis currently slated for a 2025 release, and will be a day-one Game Pass inclusion.
Doom The Dark Ages Seems to be Smartly Sticking to its Guns
Doom The Dark Ages Appears to Perfectly Understand the Importance of its Identity
Given its colossal status,Doommanaging to reinvent itself to remain relevant and engaging in the hugely changed landscape and scope of first-person shooter design and technological advancements since its original was a notable accomplishment. In addition, 2016’sDoom, and to a much greater extent,Doom: Eternal, expanded extensively on the series' lore, filling out background information and some of the history of the Slayer’s life and travels prior to his current incarnation. Without the gameplay to back it up, though, this wouldn’t mean much. Both previous titles understood what it meant to be a trueDoomexperience, and found the right balance to achieve it.Doom: The Dark Ageslooks to be following suit, not attempting to fix or change what isn’t broken, but putting a cool twist on the general framework.
How Doom The Dark Ages Looks to be Keeping What Already Works While Adding Even More into the Mix
Per the above lore,The Night Sentinels, aka the Argenta, are a mighty warrior tribe from the planet of Argent D’Nur. The upcoming entry’s title implies it will be set in the “lost” era from The Slayer’s time there, and it seemsThe Dark Agesmay be exploring this period when the Slayer joined the Sentinels' ranks. It will possibly have players controlling the Slayer alongside the Argenta when he helped them defend Argent D’Nur from the forces of hell, perhaps explaining his familiarity and expertise in eradicating demons by the score. The Argenta were shown to be no strangers to the art of warring against demonic spawn either, and the premise is ripe with potential.
Doom The Agescontains a confluence of sci-fi and fantasy aspects in its presentation and other elements glimpsed in the footage. Decked out in a version of his iconic armor with medieval trappings like spikes, the Doom Slayer is seen wielding a shield that almost seems to function similarly toKratos' Leviathan Axein the two most recentGod of Wargames. In an excellentDoom-like touch, this shield is edged with sawed teeth, perfect for slicing up hellspawn. There is also what appears to be a mace, possibly a special weapon similar to the Crucible sword or Hellbreaker hammer, returning glory kills, and more.
In a savvy move, the range of tried-and-true as well as new mechanics and itemsThe Dark Agesaims to introduce seem poised to slot seamlessly into the series' setting and combat philosophy, not seeking to radically alter the rock solid structure it has in place. The nextDoomthus promises to be as gorily over-the-top and satisfyingly crunchy to play as its predecessors, while injecting it into a brutal fantasy-flavored world.
DOOM Eternal
WHERE TO PLAY
Hell’s armies have invaded Earth. Become the Slayer in an epic single-player campaign to conquer demons across dimensions and stop the final destruction of humanity. The only thing they fear… is you.Experience the ultimate combination of speed and power in DOOM Eternal - the next leap in push-forward, first-person combat.SLAYER THREAT LEVEL AT MAXIMUM - Armed with a shoulder-mounted flamethrower, retractable wrist-mounted blade, upgraded guns and mods, and abilities, you’re faster, stronger, and more versatile than ever.UNHOLY TRINITY - Take what you need from your enemies: Glory kill for extra health, incinerate for armor, and chainsaw demons to stock up on ammo to become the ultimate demon-slayer.Enter BATTLEMODE - A new 2 versus 1 multiplayer experience. A fully-armed DOOM Slayer faces off against two player-controlled demons, fighting it out in a best-of-five round match of intense first-person combat.
