Summary
Doom: The Dark Agesis set to let fans rip and tear through its upcoming outing this Spring. As the third modern entry following the 2016 reboot of developer Id’s Software’s groundbreaking FPS series and its followup,Doom: Eternalin 2020,Doom: The Dark Ageswill expand on the deeper story and lore introduced in the previous two titles while continuing to provide fans with the nonstop demon-slaughtering action that is the heart and soul of the franchise.
Thelatest trailer forDoom: The Dark Agesshown at the recent Xbox Developer Direct delved further into its foreboding medieval sci-fi fantasy setting and the array of armaments that the Doom Slayer will make use of as he joins the Night Sentinels of Argent D’Nur against hell’s armies besieging the planet. While it went over some expected territory, highlighting the stunning visual design, crunchy weapons, and other new exciting additions, there was another feature briefly mentioned that will be a major change toDoom’s prior designs. It’s perhaps a less eye-catching one than others, but no less notable: for the first time,Doomwill include a range of accessibility options to let players adjust a variety of parameters and tailor the game experience to their liking.
Doom: The Dark Agesreleases onMay 15, 2025. It will be available day one on Game Pass.
Doom: The Dark Ages' New Suite of Accessibility Options Could Be its Greatest Tool
Doom Has Previously Kept Things Simple in Its Difficulty and Related Options
Like its core gameplay loops,Doomhas often remained fairly uncomplicated regarding its options and settings. This isn’t necessarily a negative, but it has long been the norm for the series compared to other games. FromDoom’s earliest iterations and into recent generations, its most notable choices available were the aptly-named difficulty tiers, ranging from “I’m Too Young to Die” to “Ultra-Nightmare.” Each affected standard elements like damage dealt and received, as well as the number and type of enemies that appear. This has served the series well over the years, andDoom: The Dark Ageslooks to be keeping this traditionintact. But it will also be expanding on it by providing a whole other list of items this time around for players to alter as they see fit.
Unlike the previous two titles,Doom: The Dark Ages will not include multiplayer.
Doom: The Dark Ages' New Array of Accessibility Sliders Will Let Players Slay Their Way
On top of showing off more ofDoom: The Dark Ages' narrative and the brutal new tools of destruction it will include, Id’s executive producer Marty Stratton took a moment to explain the scope of other settings beyond difficulties that fans will be able to tweak:
By opening up these other aspects for adjusting,The Dark Ageswill let gamers find the perfect balance between their skill level, preferences, and play styles. They will now be able to mix and match the above to make things more interesting and/or manageable. For example, players might turn up enemy aggression or damage while also increasing the amount of resources gained, creating combinations that remain tough but fair.
This addition also comes with the upside of being more welcoming to newcomers, offering a way of finding their comfort zone to enjoy the experience, while simultaneously letting veterans try their hand at dealing with the extreme ends of the scale. As moregames incorporate robust accessibility features,Doom: The Dark Agesmaking this seemingly minor but still impactful change is an excellent choice that will help the upcoming chapter of the Doom Slayer’s journey be more fun and satisfying for all players.
WHERE TO PLAY
BECOME THE SLAYER IN A MEDIEVAL WAR AGAINST HELLDOOM: The Dark Ages is the prequel to the critically acclaimed DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal that tells an epic cinematic story worthy of the DOOM Slayer’s legend. In this third installment of the modern DOOM series, players will step into the blood-stained boots of the DOOM Slayer, in this never-before-seen dark and sinister medieval war against Hell.
DOOM: The Dark Ages is a dark fantasy/sci-fi single-player experience that delivers the searing combat and over-the-top visuals of the incomparable DOOM franchise, powered by the latest idTech engine.REIGN IN HELLAs the super weapon of gods and kings, shred enemies with devastating favorites like the Super Shotgun while also wielding a variety of new bone-chewing weapons, including the versatile Shield Saw. Players will stand and fight on the demon-infested battlefields in the vicious, grounded combat the original DOOM is famous for.STAND AND FIGHTExperience an epic story of the DOOM Slayer’s rage in this cinematic and action-packed story. Bound to serve as the super weapon of gods and kings, the DOOM Slayer fends off demon hordes as their leader seeks to destroy the Slayer and become the only one that is feared. Witness the creation of a legend as the Slayer takes on all of Hell and turns the tide of the war.DISCOVER UNKNOWN REALMSIn his quest to crush the legions of Hell, the Slayer must take the fight to never-before-seen realms. Mystery, challenges, and rewards lurk in every shadow of ruined castles, epic battlefields, dark forests, ancient hellscapes, and worlds beyond. Armed with the viciously powerful Shield Saw, cut through a dark world of menace and secrets in id’s largest and most expansive levels to date.
