Doom: The Dark Ages is one of my most anticipated games of 2025. That’s no surprise given how much I loved Doom 2016 and Doom Eternal — the latter is the game I always play when testing the best gaming laptops and best gaming PCs. But id Software’s upcoming game isn’t just a copy of its predecessors. It’s something more daring… and brutal.
As shown during the Xbox Developer_Direct 2025 live stream, Doom: The Dark Ages is a prequel to Doom 2016 that delves deeper into the game’s lore. We’ll once again take on the role of the Doomslayer as he battles demonic hordes while uncovering the machinations of the villains he faces. The game focuses on grounded combat that hearkens back to the original 1993 Doom and takes place in expansive environments you can explore at your own pace.
Based on what we’ve seen and what the developers told me during a virtual briefing, Doom: The Dark Ages could be the most badass game of the year. As a fan of the franchise, I cannot wait to sink my teeth into this game. Here are 5 reasons why.
Grounded combat
Like its predecessors, Doom: The Dark Ages has no shortage of brutal combat scenarios. But unlike the corridor shooter-focused Doom 2016 or acrobatic-leaning Doom Eternal, The Dark Ages is all about holding your ground and bringing pain to your foes. This is certainly more akin to the original Doom, though you now have new tools to facilitate grounded combat.
The most notable is a shield you can use to block and parry attacks, or which you can throw at enemies Captain America-style — all with the press of a single button. Other weapons like an iron flail, electric gauntlet and spiked mace pair well with the shield, and deliver an appropriate medieval feel to combat. Since this is still a Doom game, you can also utilize an assortment of guns and projectile weapons. Every weapon has various combos and upgrades, which will open up their utility.
The Glory Kill system is now unsynced, which gives you more control over how and when you can perform them. As the developers explained, ditching the canned animations maintains the game's fast pace by not stopping everything to show you a brutal kill. And unlike before, you can now stagger and glory kill multiple enemies in succession. This plays out like Leonidas from 300, with time slowing down as you butcher foes one by one. There is a pool of different Glory Kill animations, ensuring you won’t see the same actions ad nauseam.
This game’s general combat loop has you shooting from afar, using the shield up close, and getting 1-hit kills on weakened enemies. Melee plays a bigger role than before and is as important as shooting guns or tossing your shield. This is meant to make you feel like a big heavy iron tank that can take on any monsters in your way.
Doom: The Dark Ages features greater mechanical variety than before but it’s still intended to feel intuitive to pick up and play. The developers designed an ergonomic control scheme that ensures all your attacks are easily accessible — with melee attacks on the left shoulder buttons and shooting/projectiles on the right. The left and right analog sticks also serve more functions beyond player and camera movement. While the game’s controls are more accessible, this doesn’t take away from The Dark Ages’ challenge. Doom’s essence remains.
Expansive environments
According to id Software, Doom: The Dark Ages is an expanded linear experience with an emphasis on exploration. Though not open-world, the larger environments contain a slew of new weapons and abilities to try out and unlock (respectively).
Searching for items in the previous Doom games was half the fun, so it’s good knowing the new game has a greater focus on exploration. You’ll choose where to go and which objectives to complete in whatever order suits you. As the devs said, this will be a Doom sandbox.
Given The Dark Ages’ setting, you’ll explore environments ranging from dark forests, gloomy dungeons and otherworldly realms. Though medieval-inspired, Doom isn’t ripping off other fantasy games’ aesthetics. Yes, there are giant castles and labyrinthine caves, but there’s a dash of science fiction that helps set this game apart.
Based on what we’ve seen, Doom: The Dark Ages will be a feast for the eyes thanks to its expansive environments.
Story woven into the gameplay
Doom 2016 and Doom Eternal placed a greater emphasis on narrative than the original Doom titles from the ‘90s. That said, most story elements happened during scripted cutscenes or were found in codex entries. While that worked well enough, Doom: The Dark Ages aims to draw you into its story like never before.
Though the game still has its fair share of cutscenes, most of the core story beats will happen during actual gameplay. This should not only be a more compelling way of telling a video game story but also help you better understand this rich world and the people (and monsters) who inhabit it. And if you’ve read the previous games’ codex entries, you’ll no doubt delight in seeing those events unfold in The Dark Ages.
Don’t fret if you’ve never played the previous two Doom games since The Dark Ages tells a self-contained story that anyone can enjoy. Yes, knowing the previous plots will no doubt enhance your immersion, but it’s not required. If this is your first Doom game, you won’t feel lost.
Mechs and dragons
Going back to mechanics, I want to discuss two aspects that truly differentiate The Dark Ages from its predecessors: Atlan mechs and dragon mounts.
We saw Atlan mechs in some of Doom Eternal's backgrounds, and I always wondered what it would be like to pilot one of these towering 30-story tall robots. Now, we’ll be able to do just that in colossal battles against giant demons. Said battles look like something straight out of Pacific Rim, which I’m all about.
Then we have the dragon mounts that allow you to soar over the game’s environments. I’m not sure how much control you have over dragon mounts or if they’re only available during certain sections of the game. That said, any time spent flying around on a dragon’s back will no doubt be a heck of a fun ride (pun intended).
The developers say Atlan battles and dragon-riding will have deep mechanics, meaning they won’t be shallow experiences tossed in for cool points. This should take the game’s power fantasy to the next level.
Headbangin' soundtrack
The last two Doom games featured heavy metal-inspired soundtracks and the new game is no exception. If you loved the previous soundtracks or are a headbanger like me, your ears are in for a grand (and painful) time.
It won’t just be thrashing riffs and blast beats, as the game also weaves in medieval layers that complement the adrenaline-fueled soundtrack. While the score will be distinctly Doom, it will have its own flavor. I haven’t even heard a full theme but I already want to own this game’s soundtrack.
Outlook
Doom: The Dark Ages promises to give fans like me everything they love while also delivering a fresh experience anyone can enjoy.
I’m curious to see how the grounded combat works against the various enemy types and eager to explore the game’s vast environments. And though I never gave it much thought before, I’m looking forward to seeing how the story plays out and how it’s woven into the gameplay.
If Doom: The Dark Ages lives up to the hype, it should be one of this year’s most intense games. Expect it to arrive on PC, Xbox Series X and PS5 on May 15.
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