Image: Bethesda Softworks
Bethesda has shown off more gameplay for the upcoming Doom prequel.
This week’s Xbox Developer Direct dropped a fresh look at gameplay for Doom: The Dark Ages, the latest entry in id Software’s seminal first-person shooter franchise. Doom: The Dark Ages is set to be the most expansive game in the series yet, with a larger focus on its story than ever before.
Id Software has also confirmed a release date for the game: May 15, 2025.
Doom: The Dark Ages launches this May, looks highly ambitious
Id Software is returning to the world of Doom in its next game Doom: The Dark Ages, which takes place an eon before the events of Doom Eternal. In this prequel, the Doomguy - otherwise known as the Doom Slayer - is in the midst of fighting the forces of hell as part of a warrior caste called the Sentinels. The campaign will see a larger focus on its story, characters, and cinematics compared to previous Doom entries, as id Software wants to avoid relegating all of its lore to the in-game Codex this time around.
Here’s how the developer describes the game:
Become the DOOM Slayer, the superweapon wielded by gods and kings against the legions of Hell. Traverse dark and twisted hellscapes from the Slayer’s past as you wield ancient and incredible power against the forces of evil. From 30-story mechs and weapons-mounted dragons to guns that pulverize skulls as ammunition, your journey in DOOM: The Dark Ages will be a massive-scale action epic - and the most ambitious game from id Software to date.
In the developer’s developer direct video, game director Hugo Martin outlined the core differences between each of the mainline Doom games released since 2016. He said that “in 2016, we asked you to run and gun. In Doom Eternal, it was jump and shoot. And in Doom: The Dark Ages, you’re gonna stand and fight.”
That certainly shows in the gameplay we saw today, which sees the Doomguy slash and shoot his way through armies of demons using an all-new arsenal of weaponry. That includes four choices of melee weapons: a Shield Saw, a flail, a spiked mace or an electrified gauntlet. In terms of guns, the Shotgun and Super Shotgun return, joined by two newcomers: the Rail Spike, which impales enemies, and the Skullcrusher, which fires superheated bone shards.
Players can also step into the Doomguy’s 30-story Atlan mech to pummel skyscraper-sized demons into submission with their metal fists. Should that prove insufficient, they can then soar through the skies on a cybernetic fire-breathing dragon, armed with boosters and guns for full-fledged combat sequences.
If that all sounds like a bit much, id Software also showed off an impressive suite of accessibility options for players to mess around with. This includes various difficulty sliders that allow players to extend parry windows or slow the game speed down. Alternatively, they can turn things up for a more chaotic experience.
Doom: the Dark Ages features more spacious levels than previous Doom games, with larger open areas for players to explore, and uncover secrets and resources while doing so. The game’s score is composed by Finishing Move, featuring the series’ trademark metal soundscape with a few medieval influences to boot. Finishing Move has previously scored music for games like Borderlands 3, State of Decay 3, and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
Doom: The Dark Ages launches on May 15, 2025.
