Doom The Dark Ages Looks Like A Trip To Hell Worth Taking

The slogan “Stand and Fight” has been plastered all over Doom: The Dark Ages marketing: a catchphrase that feels at odds with the modern Doom series. Doom 2016 was applauded for its fast gameplay and Doom: Eternal took that one step further with the Meat Hook that let you whip around the battlefield at breakneck speeds. The movement--for many--is what makes Doom, Doom. So to see Doom: The Dark Ages’ encourage players to hold their ground and fight seemed antithetical to that finely tuned formula. At least, that’s what I thought. After three hours of hands-on time with id Software’s next shooter, it seems like Doom: The Dark Ages has found a hypnotic balance between its iconic fast-paced gameplay and the blow-for-blow combat that Dark Ages is bringing to the mix.

Doom: The Dark Ages is a prequel to Doom 2016. The forces of hell are invading a realm heavily inspired by the medieval era, and the Doom Slayer is summoned to do what he does best: Rip and tear through demons. Although this may sound like standard fare for a Doom game, The Dark Ages appears to be taking its story a bit more seriously. It’s still a campy, somewhat self-aware, bloodsoaked romp through demon guts, but the team wanted to use the fantasy setting to its full potential. According to game director Hugo Martin, “When you think of fantasy, and Lord of the Rings, you think huge… There’s a grandness, an epicness to fantasy that people expect.” Despite the shift to fantasy, some of Doom: The Dark Ages’ biggest narrative inspirations for its story were action films like Roadhouse, Die Hard, and First Blood, when it comes to keeping the story engaging throughout its runtime.

While I loved Doom 2016’s minimal approach to storytelling, I’m curious to see what id Software does with Dark Age’s setting. The arenas, enemies, characters, and weapons have all received a medieval makeover that fits the setting and series perfectly. Gothic castles loom over battlefields, enemies use a mix of medieval weaponry and sci-fi firearms, characters are donned in plated armor, and macabre weapons like the Pulverizer grind up skulls and fire out deadly bone shards. It’s a match made in heaven, or rather, hell. That said, Doom: Eternal’s greater emphasis on story felt superfluous. There were some clever callbacks to previous games and fun moments, but when it comes to Doom, all I want to do is shoot, shred, and eviscerate demons. Thankfully, The Dark Ages has plenty of that.