Doom: The Dark Ages has shown how it radically changes the approach with a mixture of melee combat, huge mechs, and good old-fashioned demon fighting.
This one part is a medieval prequel to Doom (2016), but with the main focus on parrying and melee combat. This time, Doom Slayer blocks, deflects, and fights huge demons. He also flies on a dragon, controls a giant battle mech, and, of course, destroys enemies in the most bloody ways.
Unlike Doom 2016 and Doom Eternal, which forced the player to constantly run and shoot, The Dark Ages adds a new mechanic — shield parry. The Slayer not only moves but also stands still, blocking attacks or deflecting projectiles right in the face of demons. The combat now resembles a cross between classic Doom and the Sekiro combat system.
The shield will now serve as a weapon that can be thrown, cut through enemies like a circular saw, and set them on fire if you heat it up with the Super Shotgun beforehand. Enemies now use two types of attacks — red (dangerous) and green (parryable). The ability to properly block and deflect attacks becomes critical.
Another big new feature is the ability to control Atlan, a huge combat robot that was previously only mentioned in the Doom universe. This metal monster is capable of crushing enemies with bus-sized fists and releasing shock waves that tear demons to pieces. In addition, at some point, Atlan gets a huge machine gun.
Interestingly, Slayer was able to ride a dragon — a cybernetic monster armed with laser cannons and glowing wings. This machine takes part in large-scale air battles. For example, the demo showed the hero attacking airships, breaking through their decks, destroying the guns, and escaping on his winged horse at the moment of explosion.
To summarize, here are the main points of the demonstration:
- Close combat with parry — the game allows you to stop enemy attacks and deflect projectiles back
- The shield as a weapon — it can be thrown, blocked, and heated by shots to set enemies on fire
- Controlling a giant mech — Doom Guy can climb into a huge combat robot and smash demons like in Pacific Rim
- Flying on a Dragon — instead of traditional platforming moments, there are missions where the hero fights an aerial battle on a cyberdragon
- A more brutal weapon — a machine gun that literally blows skulls to pieces
It seems that this time the developers decided to experiment with more tactical battles with a focus on close combat. Judging by the demo, this is still a good old series, but with new mechanics that can change the approach to the game. Doom: The Dark Ages is scheduled for release in 2025. It is expected to feature the game will be released simultaneously on major platforms and in Game Pass. There is currently no information about its release on Nintendo Switch 2, for which Microsoft is preparing many games. У Steam the game is available for pre-order for 2449₴.
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