Doom: The Dark Ages – The First Preview

Doom: The Dark Ages, a prequel to the acclaimed Doom Eternal, returns to the series' roots while retaining the high-octane, skill-based combat that defines the modern Doom experience. Instead of the platforming elements of its predecessor, The Dark Ages emphasizes intense, strafe-heavy combat with a focus on powerful melee weapons.

The game retains the signature arsenal of powerful firearms, including the new Skull Crusher, which utilizes the skulls of defeated enemies as ammunition. However, The Dark Ages significantly elevates the importance of melee combat, featuring an electrified gauntlet, a flail, and the standout Shield Saw, offering diverse tactical options for blocking, parrying, and deflecting attacks. "You're gonna stand and fight," game director Hugo Martin confirmed.

Martin cites the original Doom, Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, and Zack Snyder's 300 as key inspirations. This influence is evident in the game's design, featuring large-scale combat encounters reminiscent of 300's iconic battle sequences. The Glory Kill system has been redesigned for increased fluidity, allowing for executions from any angle. Levels, while slightly shorter than in Doom Eternal, maintain a focused, approximately one-hour playtime per level, with objectives tackled in any order.

Addressing criticism of Doom Eternal's Codex-based storytelling, The Dark Ages presents its narrative through cutscenes, promising a compelling storyline described as a "summer blockbuster event." The developers have also streamlined the control scheme, aiming for intuitive gameplay, and simplified the in-game economy to a single currency (gold). Secrets and treasures now offer tangible gameplay upgrades rather than solely lore-based rewards.

Customizable difficulty sliders allow players to fine-tune the challenge, adjusting parameters like game speed and enemy aggression. The impressive giant demon mech (the Atlan) and cybernetic dragonback riding sequences showcased in the trailer are not isolated events but feature unique abilities and mini-bosses. Importantly, The Dark Ages will not include a multiplayer mode, allowing the development team to fully concentrate on crafting an exceptional single-player experience.

Martin's decision to shift away from Doom Eternal's direction and return to the core principles of the original Doom is a deliberate choice, aiming to deliver a distinct yet classic Doom experience. "It's just gotta be different," Martin stated, emphasizing a desire to create a powerful yet familiar feeling, closer to the original game's design. The anticipation is palpable; May 15th can't arrive soon enough.