As one of the most influential names in the FPS genre, the Doom IP carries lofty expectations. 2016's reboot introduced the series to a brand-new audience, and its sequel, Doom: Eternal, was able to build on its success. Despite both titles being popular among old and new fans of the franchise, the upcoming Doom: The Dark Ages will eclipse both games in terms of scale and ambition when it releases.
The Best War Games was recently shown some of Doom: The Dark Ages' fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled gameplay, and it's shaping up to be everything fans have come to expect from the franchise and more. The footage showed off the game's new setting, as well as some of the brutal new weaponry on offer. It also gave a glimpse of a few more new additions that should spice up the gameplay formula.
Doom: The Dark Ages' Setting is Expansive
Doom: The Dark Ages acts as a prequel to 2016's reboot, which was simply titled Doom. It finds the Doom Slayer caught up in the middle of a medieval war against hell's creatures. The narrative plays a much bigger role than in previous games, and unlike its predecessors, it will mainly unfold in cutscenes. While players will still be able to read item descriptions to uncover more of the story's lore, there will be no expectation to do this, and the narrative can be fully understood and digested purely from the cutscenes alone. The Doom Slayer finds himself imprisoned in the game's opening moments, and as the game unfolds, the narrative's events will take players up to the beginning of the 2016 game, making it a perfect entry point for new players.
The Doom franchise is known for its combat: high-octane, adrenaline-pumping encounters. Doom: The Dark Ages will be no different, but it is set to be more open and expansive than its predecessors. The player will travel to various realms, including forests, dungeons, and even huge battlefields. Interestingly, the game will feature some large sandbox-type areas sprinkled in among the more linear sections. These bigger areas are primed for exploration, with plenty of rewards on offer for players who stray off the beaten path. The rewards themselves can vary, but they will usually be tied to the character's progression in some shape or form such as new abilities or powers.
Combat is Still the Core Element of Doom: The Dark Ages' Gameplay
While Doom: The Dark Ages has more of a focus on narrative and exploration than previous titles, this doesn't mean that combat is an afterthought. Players are free to tackle the game's many combat encounters however they wish, and id Software has cooked up a plethora of offensive and defensive options to experiment with. Guns remain a key component, with a range of ancient, brutal options ensuring they are the most powerful weapons in the game. For fans of melee though, Doom: The Dark Ages provides three different options: The iron flail, the electric gauntlet, and the spiked mace. Players can switch between them based on their personal preference, as each comes with its own set of upgradeable moves and combos, while the game's new 'glory kill' system offers new, creative ways to finish off enemies.
Id Software's general feeling is that Doom: Eternal's control system was perhaps too complex at times, so Doom: The Dark Ages takes a simpler approach, with fewer inputs and mechanics for players to memorize. While this does make it more accessible, the combat still takes a high degree of skill to master, and the game will be as challenging as expected. For fans who are looking for less of a challenge or even a more extreme one, The Dark Ages will feature Accessibility sliders which will allow players to customize several aspects of the game's combat, such as the parry window and enemy speed, tailoring the challenge to their requirements.
The New Shield Saw Will Add Layers to Doom: The Dark Ages' Combat
Another new aspect of combat is the shield saw. It looks exactly as it sounds, a giant shield with razors circling its entire edge. It serves multiple purposes for the player: it can be used to block, parry, deflect, it can even be thrown at enemies, or it could be used to finish them off in a particularly gory fashion. While Doom: Eternal emphasizes movement, Doom: The Dark Ages instructs the player to stand toe to toe and fight, giving Doom Slayer a tankier, heavier feel than in previous games. In a nod to the original games from the 1990s, The Dark Ages also encourages strafing as a viable way for players to weave through enemy projectiles while aiming and firing their weapons.
Doom: The Dark Ages is a Blend of Old and New
Great care has clearly been taken in ensuring Doom: The Dark Ages pays homage to older Doom games, some of which id Software played a lot during development. Most of the game's guns are short-to-medium range, encouraging the player to get up close and personal during combat. Enemy types will be varied and will feature a mixture of new and more recognizable fiends for Doom Slayer to take care of.
No Multiplayer Means a More Focused Narrative With a Few New Surprises
Unlike its predecessors, the game will not feature a multiplayer component. While this may disappoint some fans, it has allowed id Software to focus all of its energy on creating the best campaign possible. There are perhaps no better examples of this than two of the most exciting additions to The Dark Ages' gameplay: the huge mech suits known as Atlans, which stand 30 stories high, and massive mech dragons that are fully capable of flight. Both of these destructive weapons can be piloted by Doom Slayer. These new components will pop up multiple times throughout the campaign in pre-determined sections, completely changing the dynamic for players and offering fresh gameplay and new ways to wage war.
Doom: The Dark Ages Fans Don't Have Long to Wait
The Xbox Developer Direct revealed that players only have a couple of months before they get their hands on Doom: The Dark Ages. With a perfect blend of old and new mechanics, gameplay that pays homage to its heritage while providing fresh and engaging ways to play, and a world and narrative bigger in scale than any of its predecessors, Doom: The Dark Ages promises to satiate fans' ever-growing appetite for over-the-top action when it bursts onto the scene on May 15.
DOOM: The Dark Ages
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 86 /100 Critics Rec: 95%
- Released
- May 15, 2025
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence
- Developer(s)
- id Software
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda Softworks
WHERE TO PLAY
BECOME THE SLAYER IN A MEDIEVAL WAR AGAINST HELL
DOOM: The Dark Ages is the prequel to the critically acclaimed DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal that tells an epic cinematic story worthy of the DOOM Slayer’s legend. In this third installment of the modern DOOM series, players will step into the blood-stained boots of the DOOM Slayer, in this never-before-seen dark and sinister medieval war against Hell.
DOOM: The Dark Ages is a dark fantasy/sci-fi single-player experience that delivers the searing combat and over-the-top visuals of the incomparable DOOM franchise, powered by the latest idTech engine.
REIGN IN HELL
As the super weapon of gods and kings, shred enemies with devastating favorites like the Super Shotgun while also wielding a variety of new bone-chewing weapons, including the versatile Shield Saw. Players will stand and fight on the demon-infested battlefields in the vicious, grounded combat the original DOOM is famous for.
STAND AND FIGHT
Experience an epic story of the DOOM Slayer’s rage in this cinematic and action-packed story. Bound to serve as the super weapon of gods and kings, the DOOM Slayer fends off demon hordes as their leader seeks to destroy the Slayer and become the only one that is feared. Witness the creation of a legend as the Slayer takes on all of Hell and turns the tide of the war.
DISCOVER UNKNOWN REALMS
In his quest to crush the legions of Hell, the Slayer must take the fight to never-before-seen realms. Mystery, challenges, and rewards lurk in every shadow of ruined castles, epic battlefields, dark forests, ancient hellscapes, and worlds beyond. Armed with the viciously powerful Shield Saw, cut through a dark world of menace and secrets in id's largest and most expansive levels to date.
- Engine
- id Tech
- Franchise
- DOOM
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PlayStation 5
- Genre(s)
- FPS, Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
