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Id Software, a division of Microsoft’s Bethesda, revealed details of Doom: The Dark Ages, a prequel to Doom 2016 arriving on May 15.
It’s a big reveal for a game that is the third in a series of modern Doom games (Doom 2016 and Doom Eternal in 2020) and this one is about the “medieval war against hell.” He has a “shield saw” that flies and cuts demons into pieces and a lot of heavy armor. But make no mistake: weapons are not from this world. I hope this is one of the biggest Xbox games of the year. And it was great to hear the developers answer questions about the direct presentation at a press event.
With the music blaring, id leaders revealed gameplay footage for the first time since Microsoft mentioned the game in passing at its Summer Game Fest event in June 2024. The game is coming to Game Pass, Xbox Series X|S , PlayStation 5 and PERSONAL COMPUTER.
“This is a prequel to Doom 2016 and has given us the opportunity to reimagine every aspect of this experience,” said Marty Stratton, executive producer at id Software, at a press conference.
One of the most interesting things about the notoriously difficult Doom series is that, in this game, id will give you the option to raise and lower the difficulty of many different aspects of the game to suit your play style, the developers said. saying.
“So if you’re new to the franchise, Doom the Dark Agent will be the perfect entry point into the series. And if you’re a long-time fan, then you’ll be proud to see, in many ways, that the feel of the game is truly a return to form. So let’s break it down, starting with the combat,” said Hugo Martin, game director at id Software.
He added: “In Doom Eternal, you felt like a fighter jet. In Doom The Dark Ages, you will be an iron tank, heavy, strong but still fast. A grounded combat system with an emphasis on power over Doom Eternal acrobatics.”
He noted that the balance between enemy projectiles and the player’s movement space. You can move in a more classic way.
“Innovation is always the goal and that’s why for Doom: The Dark Ages it’s a whole new world with new mechanical tools to master,” Martin said.
He showed a video of the shield, which you can operate with the push of a button.
“So in 2016 we introduced the run and gun system. In Doom Eternal, we introduced “jump and shoot.” In the new game, weapons will focus on close combat with things like an iron flail, an electrified gauntlet, and a spiked mace. There will be a lot of weapons that you will control with the trigger.
“That’s right, we have three melee options that are part of a melee system, all in one entry, complete with combos and upgrades. And it’s totally amazing,” Martin said.
There’s a new glory kill system, where you gain extra energy and points for defeating an enemy in glorious fashion, like a finishing move in other games.
“It feels amazing, you’ll feel unstoppable blasting your way across the board with total freedom and that seems like a ton, but it’s only two innings,” he said. “We have one more really important button that we haven’t talked about yet. It’s very good That’s right, we’ve saved the best for last. In the past, people always knew everything about guns. And Dark Ages has some of the most ridiculously powerful weapons we’ve ever created.”
In this game, as the Slayer (the human “demon” who kills all enemy demons), you have the power to mix medieval mechanics and environments to create a new combat loop for Doom: The Dark Ages. Combat is more flexible and accessible, with sliders on difficulty levels.
“It is a condemnation for all hunters. And the gameplay doesn’t just end with the killer. We finally have it for you,” Martin said. “We have been waiting two games to get you your own 30-story athlete, who has amazing size and powerful ability. And if that wasn’t enough, we also have for you your own fire breathing definitely made to code cybernetic dragons.”
Martin said: “We are excited to share with you not only the shootings but also the world back to the Middle Ages. Your hero’s journey will take you to the far reaches of the Doom universe: mysterious worlds of the Slayer’s past: dark forest dungeons, ancient landscapes, battlefields and worlds beyond. And through exploration, you will unlock new abilities and divine powers every step of the way.”
In the game, you will have to slash, jump and smash your way through environments full of secrets and treasures, Martin said.
“There is always something new waiting to be discovered or destroyed,” he said.
The developers showed off a mission that you will experience in Doom: The Dark Ages. In this level, you will meet the enemy at the gates and save a city from certain destruction. You can explore the medieval battlefield outside the castle walls, looking for objectives and enemy formations along the way to engage as you see fit. It’s the largest play space ever seen in a Doom game.
“Discover secret caves and dungeon-like mines in search of vital resources,” he said. “This award-winning kit brings you a guitar-laden metal soundscape. Medieval vibes and pure adrenaline. You will feel like you are expanding the legend of the Hunter with each mission you complete.”
Martin also said that the story of Doom: The Dark Ages, like everything else in the game, is big. It’s a blockbuster summer event with the star of the show all live. Your power is coveted by your enemies and denied to your allies.
The Hunter is imprisoned at the beginning of the story and time is running out. And instead of embedding the story in a Codex that you read along the way, the narrative will be taken out of the Codex and placed into scenes, Martin said.
“It brings new characters, old allies and powerful new villains. And for returning players, it leads directly into the 2016 chapter of Slayers. It’s an action story worthy of a Slayers legend,” Martin said. “The power fantasy is like anything we’ve done on id.”
Ten years of work at id
The team has been working together on modern Doom games for a decade.
“We’ve done better with every game we’ve played. The hope with all of this, the goal, is to give players an experience that is as fun to play as it was to create, and to make something that’s good enough to become the best game id has ever made, but that “You decide.” said.
The prequel has been in the works for a while, as it’s been over four years since Doom Eternal came out.
Regarding the medieval setting, Martin said: “We wanted to do it from the beginning. When we started rebooting the franchise. There’s a playbook of sorts on creating IP, set out by big brands like The Lord of the Rings and directors like George Lucas. Typically, you want to create an interesting world and give that world a story. And then you want to have heroes with a great and interesting past. And if you’re lucky enough and the fans are happy with what you did, you can make more iterations of your IP, your game, your movie. And you will be lucky enough to explore some of that past. And that’s what we’ve been able to do. We wanted to do this from the beginning. This is very close to a complete realization of the Hunters’ Wills. And we are super excited.”
Stratton said you can make the speed of the game faster or slower, making it easier or harder. Stratton said the difficulty settings will allow you to adjust things like the amount of damage you take. He said this works because of the accessibility of the game and how accessible it can be for players who have different motor difficulties. “You can dial it in and it will still be a difficult experience to master,” Martin said. You will still be able to play in Ultra Nightmare mode.
“Obviously, that’s always the goal. And despite being incredibly accessible, it is still a real challenge,” Martin said.
Stratton said the game is campaign-only and will not have multiplayer.
Regarding the changes, Martin said: “We don’t want to repeat ourselves. The core essence of being aggressive is still there. Weaving between projectiles and things. Which isn’t really emphasized much in 2016 or Eternal, but it’s an important feature in Dark Ages, as it was in the original Doom. So it’s really about each game being independent. I always think that if you bought the modern Doom trilogy, you’d really want each game to have its own feel. So that’s the goal right away. “We just want to try to do something new.”
The company wants to challenge itself and not just be repetitive.
There will still be a codex, but this time it will be less necessary. Enemies will vary in terms of the types of projectiles they throw at you and their movement. In that sense it is like chess pieces. The board is flatter to create more space for the direct-to-target combat loop similar to Classic Doom. You dodge slow-moving projectiles and move between them while dealing damage to the demons.
“We have balanced the range of the weapons to be from medium to short range. That way you’ll be encouraged to fight enemies, move through that maze of projectiles, like in Classic Doom, if they whiz by, and deliver that killing blow with melee shields and weapons. So a lot of things have been balanced to create this new circuit,” Martin said.
The game is not an open-world game, but it is one of the most expansive worlds id has ever built, Stratton said. The game will have a lot of progression, where you will unlock spaces and new elements.
“It’s the most expansive world we’ve ever created,” Stratton said. The combat is a throwback to classic Doom, where you return to spaces and discover secret progression elements, Martin said. Economies are streamlined and skill trees are less confusing, he said.
At predetermined points, you can bring giant monsters like the robot or the dragon.
“I would say that the visual style of Dark Ages is a combination of Eternal and 2016, more like the visual style of 2016, more cinematic and gritty, with gameplay elements from Eternal, but simplified,” Martin said. “It is the most important game. “It is, by a little bit, the largest we have ever built.”
There is a weapon called Skull Crusher that grinds skulls and shoots skull fragments.
Movement will be fluid and you’ll be able to use the shield to make your way through the world and move from one thing to another, such as from a melee combo to a glory kill to another move with a different weapon, Martin said.
There will be tough enemies like the Marauder in Doom Eternal. They are like “black belts on the battlefield” and will test your skill, knowledge, and parrying ability.
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