DOOM: The Dark Ages – Gameplay Breakdown & First Look

DOOM: The Dark Ages is the latest installment of everyone’s favorite shooter series. As Bethesda promised, on March 31, news related to the game appeared, including new gameplay and first previews. The Blix team will talk about the key talking points from the game’s previews. You should take a fresh look at DOOM.

Highlights

• What journalists say about the game DOOM: The Dark Ages
• A review of the game’s highlights

DOOM: The Dark Ages is only a month and a half away from release, but journalists and selected bloggers have already had a chance to try out the game, after which they were quick to share their impressions in the previews. We will also attach gameplay footage so you can get a better feel for the game’s atmosphere.

Key Things to Know About DOOM: The Dark Ages

The preview praised the new gameplay, and the shield and heavier Doom Slayer completely changed how the game is played. The medieval setting is also impressive. However, some were surprised by the franchise’s new emphasis on story with long cut-scenes.

• Unlike DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal, The Dark Ages emphasized more elaborate melee mechanics. As mentioned, the game can be played without firearms, requiring special skills.

• The key innovation of the game is the shield-saw, which the reviewers called the “heart” of the shooter. It entirely fits into the very essence of the DOOM series but adds the necessary variety to the battles. The shield allows you to block, parry, and deflect attacks and break the distance with enemies with a powerful blow or throw it like a deadly disk.

I thought I knew what Doom was. Doom: The Dark Ages doesn’t fit that image at all. It has a shield. It has parries. You move slowly, deliberately. But it’s not this Doom Eternal sequel that has it wrong, it was me. Far from a safe sequel, this radically shifts what you’d expect from Doom, but in a way that, well, still feels a hell of a lot like Doom. 

Gamesradar

I was amazed by how quickly and effectively I was able to incorporate it into our gameplay. While I could throw it into a hulking enemy and stop his reign of fire, that would leave me exposed and unable to parry smaller enemies. 

VGC

• The first level of the game conveys the feel of classic DOOM, combining battle arenas with corridors in between. The developers have found a middle ground, bringing the dynamic combat from DOOM Eternal to the more balanced design of DOOM (2016). This allows the game to feel familiar to fans of the series while still keeping it fresh.

• Levels have become much more open compared to previous installments in the series. In one mission, journalists had to defend the perimeter of a castle, which was a reasonably large area with hundreds of demons to destroy.

The overall impression I got from The Dark Ages’ Siege map is that, although it’s large in size, it’s still dense with breathtaking discoveries and diverse encounters. 

IGN

• While completing missions, Doom Slayer can come across enemy camps, which are mini-levels – each with their landscape features, hordes of enemies, and various secrets.

• Several reviewers noted that the dragon and mech battles haven’t convinced them yet. They said these segments seem too slow compared to the main fighting. However, they indicated that they only tried the game for a few hours.

• The reviewers estimated that the story in the game is better developed than in previous installments. The shooter takes the players to the distant past, revealing the backstory of Doom Slayer. The journalists also liked the gloomy and even gothic atmosphere.

• Another plus of the game is the flexibility in customization. The shooter offers six difficulty levels and a variety of gameplay customization options, including changing combat speed and parry timings. Hardcore players can add challenges to their playthrough, and beginners can simplify battles if they seem too difficult.

In DOOM: The Dark Ages, the developers kept the spirit of the series but did not hesitate to experiment, adding mechanics that made the gameplay more intense and varied.

Conclusion

DOOM: The Dark Ages will be released on May 15 on PC (Steam, Microsoft Store, Battle.net), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series. Right at launch, the game will be available with a Game Pass subscription. Earlier, the developers revealed that the shooter’s finale will not be the point in the medieval adventures of Doom Slayer.