DOOM: The Dark Ages is roughly six weeks away but the wait for its carnage-fueled action and high-stakes narrative has been long. It will be available on May 13th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, but several media outlets had a chance to go hands-on with a preview build and provide some new details.
These include new weapons, the overall flow of a larger sandbox-like level, impressions on the Atlan mech and dragon mount sections, and much more. Between all this, we looked at six things that have us excited and four that sound somewhat concerning (and how some are being addressed). Without further ado, let’s jump in.
The Feel of Combat
From all impressions thus far, the verdict is seemingly unanimous – DOOM: The Dark Ages feels like a blast to play. The heaviness of the Slayer is a big change of pace that might take some adjusting after the acrobatic free-for-all that is DOOM Eternal. Nevertheless, the tools offered in this regard reinforce the raw, visceral nature of the series’ combat.
The Shield Saw is your new best friend, allowing you to parry attacks and deflect projectiles (depending on the color of enemy projectiles). However, it lets you leap into the fray to traverse scary distances and clock an enemy sideways. When thrown, it ping-pongs between enemies, Captain America-style, shredding them apart in the process. That’s only the tip of the gory iceberg, though. Alongside the electric gauntlet and flail, id has nailed the feeling of a tanky, nigh-unstoppable killer, that too with a relatively streamlined control set-up.
Multiple Glory Kills on Tougher Enemies
The first worry, however, is related to Glory Kills, though not the mechanic specifically. As previously confirmed, Glory Kills are unsynced and don’t lock you into an animation. A regular melee hit could constitute a Glory Kill and provide the same benefits. However, id Software has introduced tougher enemies that won’t die from a single Glory Kill and can take several before finally dying. I hope these battles are like a high-profile WWE match, where a single finisher won’t be enough to take down an opponent, but it could become annoying if overused.
Reaver Chainshot
The weapon choices thus far have looked amazing, from the Skull Crusher and its close-range, shrapnel-like ammo to the Rail Spike Gun, which outrights impales enemies and sticks them to walls. Fortunately, that trend continues with the newly revealed Reaver Chainshot. It’s essentially a ball and chain as a gun, except the former is sent careening straight into an enemy after a brief charge.
Best of all, the impact can indirectly kill nearby enemies, though this may vary depending on their overall health. Either way, combined with the rest of the arsenal, it’s unique, fits the theme of DOOM and feels right at home in The Dark Ages.
Weapons Lacking Accuracy
Of course, as cool as all these weapons look, one concern that emerged is concerning accuracy. PCGamesN’s preview noted that they all weren’t very accurate, despite firing at seemingly “medium” distances. This wouldn’t ordinarily be an issue in more confined levels but can pose problems in larger open environments.
Plus, enemies don’t have the same handicap and are capable of pelting you at range. I feel like id Software is reinforcing the “up close and personal” approach of the combat, forcing you into scenarios where you leap into the horde to dismantle it. However, it could still balance the overall range of weapons to avoid pigeon-holing players into one particular playstyle.
Large Conflicts, Larger Levels
One of my biggest hopes for DOOM: The Dark Ages is that id Software would replicate the feeling of being on the frontlines in a war of epic proportions. After all, the battles to best the demons attacking Argent D’Nur cemented the Slayer’s legend.
Fortunately, it’s embraced that pretty well, especially in maps like Siege, which are chock full of encounters and minibosses (which require defeating their minions before you can damage them). While these are a big change of pace from the more linear levels – which The Dark Ages still offers – these sandbox portions are noted as optional. How common they are is currently unknown.
Secrets and Discoveries Off the Beaten Path
If you’re someone who loves pouring over every inch of levels in previous DOOM entries for secrets, collectibles and more, then The Dark Ages could be the most packed game yet. What’s even more intriguing is how some areas in the sandbox levels require solving puzzles, like using the Shield Saw to traverse different sections.
IGN’s preview also noted a “giant tentacle from the ground” in a swamp that could hint at an optional boss. While there are always concerns over pacing and whether the overall campaign might feel too bloated, it sounds like The Dark Ages will cater to both kinds of players – those who want an intense single-player campaign and completionists who want to investigate every nook and cranny.
Atlan Mech and Dragon Mount Hype
id Software opted away from multiplayer to focus more on the campaign, particularly adding gameplay elements like the Atlan Mech and the dragon mount. Lo and behold, they each convey all new kinds of scale to the conflict, especially when you’re towering above foes, destroying everything in your path and exchanging earth-shattering blows against a Titan. The mech even has a massive gatling gun of sorts for delivering even more pain. Similarly, that rush on the dragon, taking in the utter size of the battlefield from above, is also enthralling.
Atlan Worries
While the initial excitement of the Atlan is undeniable, especially with special attacks like stomps and finishers, some previews were suitably less impressed with the combat as time went on. Compared to combat on the ground, which is an almost non-stop intense affair, VGC described Atlan battles as more like “pauses for breath.” Eurogamer also felt it didn’t offer enough ideas to “feel fun for very long.”
Dragon Along
However, the reception to the dragon mount sections is even more mixed. At first, it sounded akin to Panzer Dragoon, where you could fly around and take down massive ships. The reality is you’re locking on to turrets while firing, dodging at the right moment to boost your damage. Landing on a ship and battling its threats on foot sounds hype, especially when it’s destroyed, and you plummet out of the sky before eventually landing back on the dragon.
However, if you’re expecting something akin to Crimson Skies’ dogfighting, that’s not what the dragon mount offers. On the bright side, Bethesda told PC Gamer that these sections would have a “lot of work done on them” leading into launch, so it could end up much smoother and less dodge-reliant.
Abundance of Cutscenes
Last but not least is the abundance of cutscenes which actually drive the story forward instead of intermittently appearing. As someone excited about the Slayer’s entire time in Argent D’Nur, I’m happy to hear that it’s getting this kind of epic treatment. Granted, we’ll have to wait and see how the overall writing pans out or how extensively this pervades the campaign, but considering the lore, it could make for an exciting narrative.
