The best part of this morning’s Xbox Developer Direct was a deep dive into DOOM: The Dark Ages. id Software’s most ambitious DOOM game serves as a prequel to the seminal shooter series, which was recently revived with 2016’s DOOM and 2020’s DOOM Eternal.
Deep Dive offers an extensive look into the game’s development, combat, exploration, and story. id Software is touting this as the company’s biggest and best DOOM game ever, coming from the far reaches of the universe to create a unique experience for DOOM fans old and new alike.
DOOM Eternal feels like a natural culmination of the official identity software established with 2016’s DOOM, and DOOM: The Dark Ages offers It proves that there is room for further innovation and play. As always, Hugo Martin and Marty Stratton provide a lot of insight into how Dark Ages came to be and how it differs from previous entries.
One of the main differences with DOOM Eternal’s breakneck pace is that The Dark Ages is more inspired by old DOOM, with strafing and The focus is on shooting. Martin points out that the Slayer in Eternals is built like a fighter jet, flying across the battlefield with deadly precision, while the Slayer in Dark Ages is more like an iron chariot, fighting alone. He says that they are a steadfast force that can change the course of the world.
There are also attempts to lean a little more towards the exploration side of things, with levels that are more open and filled with secrets that help the Slayer grow in power. Combine this with the introduction of 30-story-tall Atlan mechs and menacing Cyber Dragons, and DOOM: The Dark Ages looks like it’s going to be quite a change from what came before.
You can check out the full details below. It’s worth a look. For more on DOOM: The Dark Ages, check out our hands-off preview of the game with even more insight from Hugo Martin and Marty Stratton. The game will also have another Ripper Collector’s Edition that all DOOM fans should check out.
DOOM: The Dark Ages launches on May 15th for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
