Latest news with #DoomEternal
The Star
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Review: 'Doom: The Dark Ages' reinvents run-and-gun formula … again
LOS ANGELES: The rebooted Doom series has been a masterclass in reinvention. Bucking the trend of military shooters, the id Software team crafted a brilliant gameplay loop that's the spiritual successor to the run-and-gun action the developers pioneered in 1993. It relied on movement, herding enemies and creating satisfying combo-based combat while introducing exploratory elements. The sequel Doom Eternal refined that formula, emphasising vertical gameplay that made the Doom Slayer protagonist feel like a fighter jet, according to game director Hugo Martin. The third entry for the reboot goes in a different direction. A vision that works Doom: The Dark Ages is a prequel to the first two games and lets players discover the events leading up to the original reboot. It finds the Doom Slayer as a tool of the Maykrs as he's deployed to help the Sentinels in their battle against the minions of hell. Over the course of 22 levels, players will be in the heart of the Argenta Unholy Wars' politics and drama as the villain Prince Ahzrak searches for the Heart of Argent, a power capable of making him a god. He and his hell minions attack the Sentinels, who are hiding that power and trying to keep it out of his hands. The beauty of The Dark Ages is that players don't need to know much about the past games. They can jump into this chapter and enjoy the spectacle of seeing the Doom Slayer become the ultimate demon-fighting machine. When playing The Dark Ages , veterans will notice that this version of the Doom Slayer is a different beast from the past games. Developers at id Software revamped the combat to emphasise a more ground-based approach. If Doom Eternal made players feel like a jet pilot, The Dark Ages will make them think they're controlling a zippy modern tank. Most of the combat revolves around a shield that can deflect attacks and protect against projectiles while dicing fodder with a Captain America-like throw. Further in the campaign, the shield is imbued with runes that give it other ways to attack. Aside from offence, the shield also has a role in exploration, with players using it almost like a grappling hook at certain nodes. They can also crash through weakened walls or destroy pulleys that hold doors shut. It's a simple tool that's controlled by two buttons, but id Software does a remarkable job of giving it versatility, so that it can do much more, especially when combined with weapons. Weapon versatility The Dark Ages has an arsenal with enough versatility that players won't be leaning on two weapons. The fan favourite Super Shotgun can handle a wide range of encounters, but the Doom Slayer will encounter enemies that move too quickly or have attacks that take advantage of its limited range. That's when players will have to rely on other weapons and their properties, which emerge when they're powered up at the Sentinel Shrine. The team at id smartly crafted weapons to encourage players to switch them up, depending on the circumstances. If players need to stun enemies, the Cycler can shock swarming adversaries, giving players the opportunity to thin the herd. The Rocket Launcher has the ability to regain health when players parry an attack and enter the splash damage zone. Combine this with the melee weapon and shield rune upgrades, and players have several strategies to survive the demon horde onslaught. The weapons and shield forge a fascinating offshoot from the combat of the first two games. It's ground-based but manages to feel fast while satisfying players' desire to combo attacks, showing off the Doom Slayer's maneuverability. The gameplay echoes the original Doom titles that reward players who can circle strafe around attacks and dodge the shower of projectiles that flash across the screen. In The Dark Ages , series veterans do the same thing, albeit with a bigger arsenal and solid defensive moves that make dodging unnecessary. In fact, the campaign has moments where it feels as though the Doom Slayer is slugging it out with Cyber Demons, trading blows while blocking the enemy's melee attacks. At times, combat is essentially a heavyweight prize fight in mid-fisticuffs. A flow state The developers mix up the main gameplay with levels, in which players control an enormous mech called an Atlan and pilot a dragon named Serrat. The giant robot action gives players a sense of scale in these battles where they fight enormous demons mainly with melee attacks. The simple fighting mechanics work as the behemoths don't have much in terms of subtlety of movement. Meanwhile, the dragon levels are less successful but still exhilarating. Flying Serrat is more complicated than controlling the mech and requires a different set of skills. Players have to locate aircraft and shoot them down while also locking in on other adversaries, while dodging attacks, in order to blast them away. The developers do a notable job of mixing these elements of play through the campaign. For example, players fly their dragon and take down a massive enemy hell-icarrier (for lack of a better word) and they can land Serrat atop the vehicle, enter it and wipe out the enemies inside. All of this flows remarkably well, and that's the driving force behind the gameplay. Amid the whirlwind of extreme violence, The Dark Ages builds a momentum in its level design and pushes players along. And though it has secrets and rewards exploration, the team lays out these secrets in way that keeps propelling the Doom Slayer forward. In other words, it's a game that keeps the energy going forward and doesn't stop until its epic conclusion. – The Mercury News/Tribune News Service
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
NAG magazine unveils winter edition with Doom: The Dark Ages
Doom: The Dark Ages is the prequel to the critically acclaimed Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal. The winter issue of NAG magazine, featuring Doom: The Dark Ages on the cover, has been praised for its artwork. NAG magazine launched its latest gaming read on a cold winter Friday afternoon in Johannesburg. Artwork NAG publisher Len Nery said that previous issues of the magazine had been much sought after, with the winter issue expected to garner the same interest. 'Chris, our incredible designer, had a chat about the look and feel of this cover and he's always been pushing for it to be purely about the artwork, having as little as possible writing on here. The issue looks so well-designed and amazing, and we are proud of this'. WATCH Len Nery speaking about NAG's winter edition ALSO READ: Assassin's Creed Shadows transports gamers to feudal Japan What is Doom: The Dark Ages? The new Doom is likely to enthral gamers with its gameplay. Doom: 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 instalment of the modern Doom series, players will step into the blood-stained boots of the Doom Slayer in a never-before-seen dark and sinister medieval war against Hell. 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 Doon franchise, powered by the latest idTech engine. Availability As the super weapon of gods and kings, shred enemies with devastating favourites 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. Doom: The Dark Ages is now available, having launched on May 15, 2025, on PlayStation 5, PC (via Steam, and the Microsoft Store), and Xbox Series X/S. It is also available as a day one launch title for Xbox Game Pass subscribers. NOW READ: WATCH: 'Resident Evil Requiem' release date revealed: A new era of survival horror begins
Metro
28-05-2025
- Metro
First Nintendo Switch 2 unboxing has already happened but there's a catch
Switch 2 consoles are now out in the wild, but Nintendo has a safeguard in place to stop people from playing the console before launch. We're just over a week away from the Switch 2's launch on Thursday, June 5 and some retailers have already received stock in advance of the big day. Like all console launches, the problem with sending stock to retailers is that it virtually ensures that leaks will happen – especially as some shops appear to be leaving Switch 2 consoles in public view. It turns out, Nintendo has concocted a plan to counter this concern, by making the console useless until a day one patch is released. This detail was confirmed after someone on YouTube posted a video showing them unboxing the Switch 2 console. The video has since been taken down (although it's been shared elsewhere), but in the comments, they claimed the console is 'locked' and 'needs update to function'. Someone else supported this claim to gaming deals guru Wario64, stating that when they try to boot up an original Switch game on the Switch 2, a message reads: 'Please connect to the internet and update your system.' While it's unclear if this update is required in order to play Switch 2 games, it's safe to assume that's the case considering no leaked footage of Mario Kart World has (at the time of writing, at least) made its way online. If there are restrictions on how Switch 2 works without online connectivity then that is going to be very poorly received by fans, but that would be quite out of keeping with Nintendo's usual approach. More Trending So far there's no indication that physical copies of games need any kind of online connection to work but no one's going to know for sure until next week. It's possible the update mentioned is tied to backwards compatibility. Nintendo has already said some original Switch games, including Doom Eternal and Pizza Tower, require an update to function on the Switch 2, which will be rolled out 'by launch or shortly after'. Either way, whether intentional or not, this seems to mean that anyone who does get a Switch 2 before launch won't be able to play the system early. Aside from Mario Kart World, the Switch 2's launch line-up includes Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, Split Fiction, and many others. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Blades Of Fire review – hammer of the gods MORE: Games Inbox: When will the new Tomb Raider be revealed? MORE: Official PS5 price cut slashes up to £140 in upcoming PlayStation sale
BreakingNews.ie
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BreakingNews.ie
Doom: The Dark Ages Review - A medieval brawl with a modern twist
There's just nothing quite like dissecting demons or blasting them in the face with a shotgun. Doom has been a staple of the first-person shooter genre since the 1990s and has set the benchmark for how a shooter should feel to play. id Software are masters at making you feel like a badass demon slayer. With each new iteration, they reinvent the formula without losing the DNA that makes Doom so special. Advertisement Doom: The Dark Ages continues this tradition, offering an action-packed first-person shooter with enough weapons to satisfy anyone's power fantasy. Before delving deeper into the combat, it's worth noting how impressive the game looks. It runs consistently at a smooth 60fps on the Xbox Series X. While the environments are your standard Doom fare—Gothic cathedrals and barren hellscapes—they harness the power of modern consoles with more enemies on screen and larger set pieces. There are plenty of secret areas to discover, including plush toys and Codices, which make each area feel less linear. You can also find new skins for your weapons hidden in nooks and crannies, often behind puzzles that act as a carrot on a stick for players. While Doom Eternal focused on giving players a large variety of weapons, The Dark Ages strips things back and provides a more melee-focused experience. The Shotgun, Chaingun, and Rocket Launcher are still available, but they serve more as companion weapons. Advertisement This change may irk some fans, but those willing to adapt will find it just as satisfying as previous entries. Parrying projectiles The biggest addition is the new shield, which fits the medieval aesthetic while doubling as both an offensive and defensive weapon. The developers said their goal was to make you feel like a tank—to stand and fight rather than dodge and weave. The shield allows you to parry green projectiles from demons—a mechanic that plays a central role in combat, with some mini-bosses requiring well-timed rebounds to break their defences. Offensively, you can lock on and smash into enemies from afar. Later, the shield gets upgraded with a rotating saw that continually stuns tougher enemies while slicing through weaker ones with ease. The shield's versatility makes it one of the most satisfying weapons in the game, evoking the feel of the axe in God of War . Launching it and watching it return is always rewarding. Advertisement It takes time to get used to the melee focus, but once you enter the flow state—slicing through smaller enemies to regain health before tackling behemoths like the Cyberdemon—it clicks. Each enemy has an exploitable weakness. The Pink Rider, for example, is weaker than his mount, while the Shield Soldier becomes vulnerable once his defences are lowered. Robust package The Dark Ages continues Doom's tradition of combat experimentation. You start with the parry ability and later unlock upgrades like Runes, which add even more nuance. 'Ground Fissure' creates a shockwave upon parrying, 'Holy Swarm' unleashes daggers, and 'Auto Turret' does exactly what it says. You can also upgrade melee weapons such as the Power Gauntlets or the medieval-themed Flail by increasing damage or reducing cooldowns. It's a robust package, full of variety and replayability. Advertisement Some fans may miss the emphasis on Doom's signature Glory Kills, but the developers said these would interrupt the pacing with so many enemies on screen. Accessibility options are excellent—sliders adjust incoming and outgoing damage and fine-tune the parry window. Normal difficulty ('Hurt Me Plenty') offers a decent challenge, though seasoned players may prefer the more punishing 'Ultra-Violence' mode. While the gameplay is undoubtedly a blast, some of the missions can be repetitive. You are often dropped into a location, asked to destroy four demon portals or have to take down the bosses' grunts before you can kill them. Advertisement Some missions become repetitive—clear four demon portals, defeat grunts before facing bosses—but detours break things up. You ride dragons and pilot mechs in explosive set pieces. The mech levels are a highlight: giant, punchy, and gloriously straightforward. The dragon segments are less compelling—fiddly lock-on mechanics and underwhelming gameplay drag them down. Dragons and mechs The more traditional missions are balanced out with detours where you get to fly on a dragon and operate a giant mech. The latter is much more fun and straight forward as you are essentially a giant Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robot able to smash demon Titans. They do not overcomplicate things and I always looked forward to those levels. While the dragon level help break things up, what you actual do in the levels can be quite dull. To destroy hell ships you have to lock on to their missile launchers and dodge them to break their shields. It is far from thrilling gameplay but there is nice mix between flying around destroying ships and slaying demons on the ground. Where The Dark Ages falters is in its story. As a prequel, it had the chance to delve deeper into the Doom Slayer's origins. While it is more cinematic story than previous games, as a prequel it could have gone much deeper into Doomslayer's origins. Instead, you are dropped into the ongoing war between the forces of Hell and the Night Sentinels and their allies the Maykrs. The Doomslayer is their secret weapon, and you are seeing how he is summoned when their forces are getting overwhelmed. You learn through the game how he is being controlled by them and eventually how he breaks free of their control. It is not a terrible story, but it feels like a missed opportunity not to expand on the lore in a substantial way. At the same time, I did not expect to be an HBO drama, and if it was too earnest it would detract from it. Ultimately, The Dark Ages could turn off hardcore Doom fans who see it as too much of a departure from Eternal. However, if you come in with an open mind, you will find another great entry in a series that is constantly evolving while still honouring its considerable lineage. Our score: 8/10
The Hindu
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘Doom: The Dark Ages' game review
Doom has always managed to stay at the cutting edge of the first-person shooter (FPS) genre — something it practically invented with the original 1993 release. Synonymous with pulse-pounding gunplay, the franchise saw a major revival with 2016's Doom and its follow-up, Doom Eternal. Rather than a direct sequel, Doom: The Dark Ages is iD Software's bold attempt to expand the mythos further. Acting as a narrative bridge between the end of Doom 64 and the opening of Doom (2016), while carefully sidestepping the non-canonical Doom 3,The Dark Ages takes the series in a bold new direction. With a heavier focus on melee combat and medieval fantasy aesthetics, the gamble pays off. The story centres around a key MacGuffin known as the 'Heart of Argent', a precursor to the Argent energy mined by humans in Doom (2016). This mysterious artifact sets the stage for a fierce conflict between the forces of Hell and the Sentinels of Argent D'Nur. You play as the Doom Slayer, a former space marine turned superhuman demon-slayer, now under the control of a third faction: the Maykrs. Enslaved and deployed like a weapon, you are sent to battle Hell with a very short leash. While the plot may initially seem like standard action-game fare, it is clear that iD Software is attempting to weave a more cohesive lore around its dark fantasy setting, albeit with mixed results. At times, the exposition feels overwrought, borrowing the brooding tone and deliberate pacing of Dune. Still, I found its predictability oddly comforting. The art direction is phenomenal, and the slower moments gave my hands a chance to recover before the next burst of ultra-violence. The Dark Ages delivers a near-hypnotic gameplay experience. It is fluid, immersive, and meditative in a way that few shooters manage. Compared to the frenetic chaos of Doom Eternal, this entry feels more controlled, more rhythmic. Once you are locked into the flow of melee-gunplay combat, it is almost like dancing through a storm. Early on, the game arms you with a shield-chainsaw hybrid and introduces parrying as a core mechanic. Time your moves right, and you will deflect green hellfire back at enemies, opening them up for brutal finishers. One standout moment saw me parrying fireballs while surrounded by towering demons, triggering a chain reaction of gory carnage. It was exhilarating and gory. Then come the Kaiju levels. Yes, you get to pilot a mech and take on skyscraper-sized demons with your bare metal fists, Pacific Rim style. Do not worry — this is not a spoiler; it is in the trailers. These levels are a visual and gameplay spectacle. And because no dark fantasy would be complete without dragons, The Dark Ages lets you ride your very own cybernetic flying beast. It is not quite as jaw-dropping as the mech segments, but it is undeniably fun — especially when you are blasting down hellships and boarding them mid-flight. Doom: The Dark Ages Publisher: Bethesda Developer: iD Software Price: ₹4,999 on Steam, Xbox One, Playstation 5 Of course, a Doom game lives and dies by its arsenal. You begin with your trusty shotgun before unlocking the Quake-inspired nailgun. The standout weapon, however, is the Skullcrusher — a monstrous gun that grinds skulls and fires bone shards in wide, devastating arcs. While the guns are slick and satisfying, they serve more as support tools for your melee and shield play. Combat becomes a dance of crowd control, perfectly timed parries, and brutal finishing moves. As you explore massive levels, defeat demon hordes, and collect gold, you will be constantly upgrading your weapons — giving you ample reason to revisit previous stages. Visually, The Dark Ages is a technical marvel. Running on iD Tech 8, the game renders massive levels and colossal enemies with breathtaking clarity. From detailed ground-level skirmishes to epic aerial battles atop dragons, the scale is immense and fluid. One flying level, which has you soaring through a demon-infested city, is a standout set piece. The Dark Ages may be the best-looking game of the year, with a unique visual identity that makes many Unreal Engine titles look generic by comparison. Doom: The Dark Ages is an absolute must-play for fans of fantasy, action, or first-person shooters. It is a triumphant reminder that one of the genre's founding fathers still knows how to innovate, stay relevant, and deliver unforgettable experiences. Without question, one of the games of the year.
