Doom's Medieval Makeover Unveiled

Following the resounding success of 2016's Doom and its 2020 sequel, Doom Eternal, id Software's latest entry, Doom: The Dark Ages, takes a different approach. Instead of building upon Eternal's platforming elements, The Dark Ages refocuses on intense, close-quarters combat, emphasizing powerful melee weapons and strategic movement.

While the iconic arsenal returns—including the skull-crushing new weapon showcased in the reveal trailer—the prequel heavily features three melee options: the charged electric gauntlet, the flail, and the versatile Shield Saw (throwable and usable for blocking/parrying). Game director Hugo Martin emphasizes a shift towards grounded, power-focused combat: "You're gonna stand and fight."

Martin cites inspiration from the original Doom, Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, and Zack Snyder's 300 as key influences. This is reflected in the game's design, featuring large-scale combat encounters reminiscent of 300's battle scenes and the original Doom's arena-style combat. The Glory Kill system has been redesigned for fluidity, allowing for finishing moves from any angle. Levels, while slightly shortened for pacing, maintain a roughly one-hour playtime per level, allowing for exploration and objective completion in any order.

Addressing criticisms of Doom Eternal, The Dark Ages presents its narrative through cutscenes rather than in-game codex entries. The story promises a large-scale narrative, described as a "summer blockbuster event," focusing on the Slayer's power and its implications within the Doom universe.

The control scheme has been simplified for improved intuitiveness, with melee weapons equipped individually. The game's economy is streamlined to a single currency (gold), and secrets reward tangible gameplay improvements rather than lore. Difficulty customization offers extensive sliders for fine-tuning aspects like game speed and enemy aggression.

Showcased sequences featuring a giant mech (the Atlan) and cybernetic dragon riding are not one-off events but offer unique abilities and mini-boss encounters. Importantly, The Dark Ages will not feature a multiplayer mode, allowing the development team to fully focus on the single-player experience.

Martin highlights a deliberate shift from Doom Eternal's direction, aiming for a return to the core principles of the original Doom. His goal was to create a distinct experience while maintaining the empowering feeling of playing as the Doom Slayer, but with a different kind of power fantasy rooted in classic Doom gameplay. The anticipation is palpable; May 15th can't arrive soon enough.