DOOM: The Dark Ages shakes up the formula - no double jump, medieval weapons, and more

The latest issue of EDGE Magazine included a feature on DOOM: The Dark Ages. Featuring discussions with ID Software's studio director, Marty Stratton, and Creative Director Hugo Martin, the piece provided some detailed new insights into the gameplay & inspiration behind the highly anticipated title.

The column explored how the gameplay is "quite literally, more grounded."The Doomslayer will no longer sport a double jump, and instead, the prequel opts for a bulkier, tank-like approach to its main character. The developers also reference Batman Year One and The Dark Knight comics as influences for their approach to the Doomslayer this time around, with gameplay catered more closely toward brute-like power.

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Credit: ID Software

The shield-saw, in Captain America-like fashion, will complement this playstyle - allowing players to launch it sharply and swiftly with a squeeze of the left bumper. It'll also react differently in combat depending on whether it hits flesh, armor, or energy-based surfaces. Similar to Kratos's Leviathan axe in the recent God of War games, the shield will also provide ways to interact with the environment-for example, dislodging chains to discover hidden areas or jamming the shield into machinery to activate openings.

The use of parrying and blocking will play a critical role in combat, opening up opportunities to soak up projectiles or stun enemies before delivering brutal kills. Holding onto the block enables players to lock onto targets, while hitting the right trigger with the shield raised allows the player to launch toward them at high speed. With the absence of double jumping, shield bash will become a critical aspect of traversal in DOOM: The Dark Ages.

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Credit: ID Software

On the right side of the control scheme, players will find the traditional range of guns and FPS weaponry. However, guns adhere more closely to a medieval theme this time around, opting for more mechanical options than the futuristic loadouts of its predecessors. Notably, the chainsaw has also been replaced by three medieval-style melee weapons. Including the gauntlet, which allows the player to throw quick punch-kick combos at lower damage,the flail, which has a slower wind-up but deals higher damage, and the mace, which deals the greatest damage but comes with a lengthy charge-up and cool-down time.

The campaign will take center stage in DOOM: The Dark Ages, as evidenced by ID Software's decision to omit competitive multiplayer from the title. They highlight how the story, in particular, will play a bigger role - a departure from previous games. However, they assured players that the new cutscenes will only fuel the player's desire to rip and tear.

You can get your hands on DOOM: The Dark Ages when it releases May 15th 2025 on PS5, Xbox, PC and Xbox Game Pass.

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