Hey everyone! This is Hugo Martin, the Game Director of Doom: The Dark Ages, checking in from id Software’s studio. We’re knee-deep in putting the final touches on this exciting new chapter, and just about ready to unleash it upon the world. But before that, we’ve got a fresh gameplay preview just for you. There’s a lot to unpack from that footage, so let’s dive right in. I’m guessing some of you might have a few questions, and I’m here to shed some light on those.
### What’s the Deal with the New Combat Loop in Dark Ages?
In a nutshell, Dark Ages is like a fusion of Doom Eternal and the 2016 reboot, flavored with a medieval twist. Our goal has been to marry Eternal’s intricate combat mechanics with the user-friendly controls of Doom (2016). So, while you performed a host of cool maneuvers in Eternal, each requiring its own button, in Dark Ages we’ve added a medieval flair to these actions but streamlined the controls.
The complexity and ease come together with features like the Shield-Saw, which behaves differently depending on what it hits. Imagine this: it bounces off plasma shields to damage enemies, pins into flesh to stun larger demons, or blasts armor into pieces—all with the press of one button.
I like to think of it like this: We’ve reduced the ‘strings’ on our ‘guitar,’ but added some ‘frets’ to keep things mechanically challenging. This approach gives players something fresh to explore and master. We’ve stuck with familiar FPS inputs, ensuring that these moves are intuitive to pick up, making them both satisfying to perform and tactically rewarding—a perfect blend of fun and strategy.
### What’s Up with the Rings Around Enemies?
Those bright yellow rings circling around enemies? They’re falter indicators. In both Eternal and the 2016 game, falters became a meta-game for skilled players who learned to chain such attacks to stun powerful foes—which is exactly what we wanted. In Dark Ages, it’s crucial for players to see precisely when an enemy falters so they can explore what triggers it and leverage it to their advantage. While falters aren’t necessary to succeed, they become particularly advantageous on higher difficulties. And trust me, if you’re taking on Ultra Nightmare, you’ll want every edge you can get!
### More Story in Doom?
Absolutely! Dark Ages centers around three key elements: combat, exploration, and story. While the narrative is just one piece, it’s a vital part that propels the power fantasy and fuels your drive to conquer the campaign. Through the story, we craft bigger adversaries, richer worlds, and tougher challenges.
The game’s synopsis? With the Slayer captured at the start, the balance between good and evil is teetering, and the clock is ticking. Our hero stands as an outsider among threatened people, with his might kept in check by the gods they serve, all while an ancient evil bears down on their world.
Positioned as a prequel in the Doom timeline, this game explores the beginning of the Slayer’s journey with the Sentinels. As an outlander, empowered by the Maykrs, the gods of the Sentinel, our hero becomes a superweapon in a medieval battle against hellish forces.
### When’s the Release Date?
Mark your calendar for May 15, 2025! We cannot wait for you to experience what we’re aiming to make the most epic Doom game yet. It’s packed with combat aplenty, exploration galore, and a thrilling story that does justice to the Slayer’s legend. Plus, get ready for encounters with the towering Atlan mech and a fierce Dragon!
Thanks for sticking with us through this update—stay tuned for more exciting news coming your way!
