After id Software's masterful revival of Doom in 2016 and its even more refined sequel, Doom Eternal, in 2020, it's challenging to imagine Doom reaching greater heights. Instead of soaring, Doom: The Dark Ages plants its feet firmly on the ground, bringing the high-speed, high-skill-ceiling first-person shooter closer to the hordes of Hell's minions in a medieval-themed prequel.
The new Doom shifts away from Eternal's platforming and focuses on grounded, strafe-heavy combat with an emphasis on power. Of course, the iconic weapons remain a staple of the series, including the standout Skull Crusher from the reveal trailer, which uses the skulls of defeated enemies as ammunition, firing them back at foes in smaller, faster chunks. However, The Dark Ages also highlights three melee weapons: the default electrified gauntlet, which can be charged up; the flail; and the star of the reveal trailer, the Shield Saw, which can be thrown or used to block, parry, or deflect. "You’re gonna stand and fight," said game director Hugo Martin after my demo of the new Doom.
It might not surprise you that Martin drew inspiration for The Dark Ages from three seminal works: the original Doom, Frank Miller’s graphic novel "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns," and Zack Snyder’s 2006 film "300," which is also based on a graphic novel by Miller.
The modern Doom's Glory Kill system has been updated to allow fatalities from any angle on the battlefield, adapting to the player's position. This change accommodates the increased number of enemies surrounding the player in the expanded combat arenas of The Dark Ages. The game also allows players to complete objectives in any order and explore levels freely. Martin mentioned that the levels have been shortened where necessary to maintain an optimal length of about an hour each.
Addressing a criticism from my review of Doom Eternal, The Dark Ages will no longer require players to read the story in the Codex. Instead, the narrative will unfold through cutscenes, promising to take players to the far reaches of the Doom universe in a story described as a "summer blockbuster event with everything on the line" as the Slayer's power becomes a coveted prize.
Martin emphasized that the development team is simplifying the control scheme, acknowledging that Doom Eternal's controls were too complex. The melee options will be equipped like equipment, one at a time, to enhance intuitiveness. The game's economy has been streamlined to use only one currency, gold, and secrets will now focus on skill progression, offering tangible, gameplay-altering rewards.
Players can customize the game's difficulty with sliders that adjust game speed, enemy aggression, and more, allowing for a tailored challenge experience.
I also learned about two standout gameplay sequences from the reveal trailer: the giant 30-story demon mech, the Atlan, and the cybernetic dragonback riding. These won't be one-off events, but players won't be able to summon them at will. Each has a full suite of abilities and minibosses to battle. Notably, there won't be a multiplayer mode in The Dark Ages, as the team is focusing entirely on crafting the best single-player campaign possible.
As someone for whom the original Doom was a transformative experience in 1993, I'm drawn to Martin's decision to pivot away from the direction taken with Eternal and return to the design principles of that 30-year-old classic. "It’s just gotta be different [from Eternal]," Martin said. "Especially if I loved the game. [If] I wanna play a Doom game, I wanna feel strong, but I’m OK with changing what that power fantasy is, especially if that change brings it closer to classic Doom."
This renewed focus on the essence of Doom has me more excited than ever. The release date of May 15 can't come soon enough.
