DOOM: The Dark Ages prompted id Software to recreate many of its weapons from scratch, but it also boasts some fun new additions, like the Skullcrusher. You’ve probably seen it in all the gameplay thus far – a chaingun that grinds down skulls and spits them out.
Speaking to PC Gamer for its 408th issue, game director Hugo Martin revealed that it originally started as the Bonecrusher and eventually became the Skullcrusher. “It does exactly what you think it does. It’s kind of a spread minigun that you could also turn into a long-range minigun.” The idea of its base form is starting slow but gaining an increased fire rate as you hold the trigger down. The Slayer’s movement speed increases as well.
“You’ll get a speed boost, and the rate of fire will increase. So it goes from this kind of heavy, slow-moving chain gun, to like, you just zip it around the arena. So it gives you an advantage with movement, but you need it because it’s not very long range,” said Martin. Players can remedy that with a choke mode unlocked as they progress.
“The base one that you’ve seen in the trailers, I kind of describe that as a weed whacker. That’s what it feels like when I’m running around with it. And you’ve got to get close, but when you get close to guys, we’ve done a lot of custom tuning to the gore and the falters.”
Using the Skullcrusher may evoke memories of the ED-209 going berserk in RoboCop, and that’s exactly what id Software is going for in terms of gore. “At this point, it’s destructible demons version three, from 2016 to Eternal to now. We’ve got, I’d like to think, the best gore in the industry. Our gore system is really where we spend a lot of money.
“So that, coupled with the falters, the incredible animations, the physics, the sound design, the blood squibs, we really create that [Robocop] moment. It feels so good with the Skullcrusher because you’ll run up to a bunch of fodder, and you’re just holding them in place as their limbs come off and their bodies shake, and they don’t drop until you let go of the trigger.”
DOOM: The Dark Ages arrives on May 15th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC while launching on day one for Game Pass. Head here for more details on its campaign, weapons, and setting.
