Doom: The Dark Ages Reveals Fresh Gameplay

In a recent interview with EDGE magazine, the developers of Doom: The Dark Ages revealed new insights into the game's mechanics. This installment will prioritize narrative while delivering the series' most expansive levels to date, offering a sandbox-style experience.

Game director Hugo Martin and studio head Marty Stratton highlighted key aspects from their discussion:

While past Doom games buried lore in text logs, The Dark Ages will feature more direct storytelling. The atmosphere leans heavily into medieval influences, scaling back futuristic elements—even signature weapons have been redesigned to match this darker aesthetic.

Maintaining the series' structure, Doom: The Dark Ages will present interconnected levels that surpass previous games in scale, merging dungeon-crawling with open-area exploration. The campaign organizes chapters into "acts," opening with claustrophobic dungeons before expanding into vast zones. New to the experience is the ability to commandeer both dragons and mechs, introducing fresh gameplay dynamics.

The Slayer gains a versatile new tool—a dual-purpose shield that functions as a chainsaw. This weapon can be thrown at foes, with physics reacting uniquely to different materials it impacts. The shield enables rapid dashes to close gaps, becoming essential for mobility in the absence of previous movement mechanics. It also introduces a parry system with customizable difficulty settings and precise timing requirements.

Parrying serves as a melee "reload" mechanic, while successful close-quarters combat replenishes ammunition—echoing DOOM Eternal's chainsaw system. Players can choose between three melee styles: a lightning-fast gauntlet, the balanced shield, or a powerful but slower mace.