Latest news with #Maykrs
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
Scottish Sun
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
DOOM: The Dark Ages review… This cacophony of chaos impales itself firmly as a Game of the Year contender
HELL YEAH DOOM: The Dark Ages review… This cacophony of chaos impales itself firmly as a Game of the Year contender Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LIKE a beloved old pet dog, DOOM: The Ages is impossible to put down. It's a demonic drug, a hit of horrifying annihilation that makes you want more and more. Because it slays more than Taylor Swift in a glitter hat factory. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 10 Hell hath no fury... like a Doom Slayer with loads of guns Credit: Bethesda Softworks Care must always be taken when trying to improve a cult classic - and the original Doom rightfully belongs among the icons of gaming history. So it's a huge relief to see that idSoftware has not only been respectful in making this DOOM, they've also been really smart. But is The Dark Ages the best game since the original release? Hell yeah! 10 There's an impressive array of weaponry to dispatch demons with Credit: Bethesda Softworks First off, there's a more involved plot than previous follow-ups like DOOM (2016) and 2020's DOOM: Eternal. Read more Gaming News WHIPS DON'T LIE Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is out on the PS5 and is a rare gem You play the heavy-footed Doom Slayer called upon by the Night Sentinels of Argent D'Nur and the mysterious Maykrs in their battle against the dark forces of Hell. Your job? To save humanity. The Maykrs have a strange hold over the Slayer who gradually starts to think, and fight, on his own terms. Previous follow-ups to this mega franchise were decent nods to the original but they weren't truly great games. They lacked what makes a DOOM game utterly brilliant - an intense, mind-blowing run-and-gun experience which takes your breath away. Literally. The Dark Ages, however, achieves this in bundles. 10 The 22 chapters are bold and intense Credit: Bethesda Softworks Because you become so engrossed in dispatching the multitude of enemies spawning all around you that you forget to breathe. I lost count of the times where I finished a chapter (there are 22 to smash through), let out an exhausting breath… and noticed that I was two feet away from my gaming chair. Such is the intensity of The Dark Ages. 10 Jumping into a giant mech suit feels like Power Rangers but, you know, better Credit: Bethesda Softworks It's not just a blast and dash game either. This time round you have to be more tactically astute in your demon-slaying ways. The sheer number of enemies that bear down on you during battle is daunting, but this just increases the adrenaline rush you get when your planned destruction works. This immersive action results in hours lost wiping the floor with growling Pinky Riders and horrible Hell Knights. 10 Plan your battles wisely as you'll need to be smart as well as sharp Credit: Bethesda Softworks The arsenal is as kick-ass as it is clever. And each new weapon brings slightly different whoops of joy as you learn more about what can be achieved when you pull the trigger. For example, the Impaler is brilliant for headshots and once you get your upgrades to a certain point, it can then slow down time to get the perfect hit. 10 Enemies vary in difficulty and there are some cool close-up melee options Credit: Bethesda Softworks The Shredder can dispatch hordes of Imp Stalkers all at once and again, use your upgrades wisely, and it can auto-charge to a more destructive ammo when following a melee attack. 10 Saving humanity has never been so exhaustively exhilarating Credit: Bethesda Softworks But id Software's addition of a shield is a masterstroke - this can rip through multiple foes or deflect attacks. It's upgradable too and becomes an essential tool at your side. That is until you get the ball and chain - talk about an epic flail! Each chapter is gorgeous in its detail and impressive in scope. The map is easy to read and offers a clear pathway to cute collectables, gold chests and secret areas you won't want to miss in your 20+ hours of the game. 10 A banging soundtrack helps immerse you in the depths of Hell Credit: Bethesda Softworks Even the soundtrack is gloriously DOOM-esque. A head-banging barrage of heavy metal which delights the senses when blasted through decent headsets - I couldn't help but ramp up my Turtle Beach Stealth 700s to complete the experience. It all makes for an epic romp in Hell - you won't just dip your toes in the Lake of Fire, you'll want to go skinny-dipping and plunge in head-first. 10 A deep plot gives DOOM: The Dark Ages an extra edge over predecessors Credit: Bethesda Softworks The Dark Ages is intense - a cacophony of chaos that impales itself firmly as a Game of the Year contender. 10 A dragon! Yes, you can ride a dragon Credit: Bethesda Softworks
The Irish Sun
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
DOOM: The Dark Ages review… This cacophony of chaos impales itself firmly as a Game of the Year contender
LIKE a beloved old pet dog, DOOM: The Ages is impossible to put down. It's a demonic drug, a hit of horrifying annihilation that makes you want more and more. Because it slays more than 10 Hell hath no fury... like a Doom Slayer with loads of guns Credit: Bethesda Softworks Care must always be taken when trying to improve a cult classic - and the original Doom rightfully belongs among the icons of So it's a huge relief to see that idSoftware has not only been respectful in making this DOOM, they've also been really smart. But is The Dark Ages the best game since the original release? Hell yeah! 10 There's an impressive array of weaponry to dispatch demons with Credit: Bethesda Softworks First off, there's a more involved plot than previous follow-ups like DOOM (2016) and 2020's DOOM: Eternal. Read more Gaming News You play the heavy-footed Doom Slayer called upon by the Night Sentinels of Argent D'Nur and the mysterious Maykrs in their battle against the dark forces of Hell. Your job? To save humanity. The Maykrs have a strange hold over the Slayer who gradually starts to think, and fight, on his own terms. Previous follow-ups to this mega franchise were decent nods to the original but they weren't truly great games. They lacked what makes a DOOM game utterly brilliant - an intense, mind-blowing run-and-gun experience which takes your breath away. Literally. The Dark Ages, however, achieves this in bundles. Most read in Gaming 10 The 22 chapters are bold and intense Credit: Bethesda Softworks Because you become so engrossed in dispatching the multitude of enemies spawning all around you that you forget to breathe. I lost count of the times where I finished a chapter (there are 22 to smash through), let out an exhausting breath… and noticed that I was two feet away from my gaming chair. Such is the intensity of The Dark Ages. 10 Jumping into a giant mech suit feels like Power Rangers but, you know, better Credit: Bethesda Softworks It's not just a blast and dash game either. This time round you have to be more tactically astute in your demon-slaying ways. The sheer number of enemies that bear down on you during battle is daunting, but this just increases the adrenaline rush you get when your planned destruction works. This immersive action results in hours lost wiping the floor with growling Pinky Riders and horrible Hell Knights. 10 Plan your battles wisely as you'll need to be smart as well as sharp Credit: Bethesda Softworks The arsenal is as kick-ass as it is clever. And each new weapon brings slightly different whoops of joy as you learn more about what can be achieved when you pull the trigger. For example, the Impaler is brilliant for headshots and once you get your upgrades to a certain point, it can then slow down time to get the perfect hit. 10 Enemies vary in difficulty and there are some cool close-up melee options Credit: Bethesda Softworks The Shredder can dispatch hordes of Imp Stalkers all at once and again, use your upgrades wisely, and it can auto-charge to a more destructive ammo when following a melee attack. 10 Saving humanity has never been so exhaustively exhilarating Credit: Bethesda Softworks But id Software's addition of a shield is a masterstroke - this can rip through multiple foes or deflect attacks. It's upgradable too and becomes an essential tool at your side. That is until you get the ball and chain - talk about an epic flail! Each chapter is gorgeous in its detail and impressive in scope. The map is easy to read and offers a clear pathway to cute collectables, gold chests and secret areas you won't want to miss in your 20+ hours of the game. 10 A banging soundtrack helps immerse you in the depths of Hell Credit: Bethesda Softworks Even the soundtrack is gloriously DOOM-esque. A head-banging barrage of heavy metal which delights the senses when blasted through decent headsets - I couldn't help but ramp up my It all makes for an epic romp in Hell - you won't just dip your toes in the Lake of Fire, you'll want to go skinny-dipping and plunge in head-first. 10 A deep plot gives DOOM: The Dark Ages an extra edge over predecessors Credit: Bethesda Softworks The Dark Ages is intense - a cacophony of chaos that impales itself firmly as a Game of the Year contender. 10 A dragon! Yes, you can ride a dragon Credit: Bethesda Softworks DOOM: The Dark Ages FORMATS: PS5 (reviewed) , Xbox, PC PRICE: £69.99 PUBLISHER: Bethesda Softworks DEVELOPER: id Software RELEASE DATE: Out now AGE RATING: 18+ SCORE: 66/6 (erm, 5 out of 5)
