Doom: The Dark Ages wants to be more like the original Doom

Rather eternal damnationThe “jump and shoot” gameplay loop, The dark ages focuses more on a “resist and fight” mentality, the developers said. Yeah eternal damnation It was like flying a fighter plane, so The dark ages It’s more like controlling a tank, they added by way of analogy.

Fewer fighter jets, more tanks

Credit: Bethesda Softworks

That means a “flatter” playspace, where old-fashioned “attack to aim” strategies work more effectively than in recent times. Condemn games, with less need to be constantly floating in the air. The developers say they will return to the slower projectile speeds of the original. Condemn games as well, allowing players to more easily intertwine with each other in a sort of first-person version of a shmup pattern. At the same time, your own projectile weapons tend to be medium to short range, the developers said, encouraging you to fight close to enemies.

While stunning enemies to create instant Glory Kills is still a key part of The dark agesThe developers said the system has been redesigned to avoid taking control away from the player during extended, repetitive canned animations. The new Glory Kill system allows for instant physics-based attacks that can be activated from any angle without interrupting the flow of the game.

The more things change

The dark ages The developers also promised a more open layout, where the usual more linear hallways are interspersed with larger play spaces that let you decide which direction to go and which objective to pursue and in what order. And the standard shooting action will be broken down into specific sections where you’ll control a 30-story robot or pilot a powerful dragon.

*Fleetwood Mac voice* You can follow your own path…

Credit: Bethesda Softworks

But the main game will still include the necessary series of secret areas and hidden corners to discover, the developers promised. This time, however, those secrets are more directly tied to your power progression rather than simply being collectible trinkets in the game, the developers said.

It’s all in service of pushing a game that feels “new but familiar,” Martin said. The dark ages It’s still the same feeling of exploration and power that all good Doom games capture. But Martin said the development team is comfortable experimenting with that specific feeling of power, “especially if the change you make brings it closer to classic.” Condemn“.

But “I want to play a Doom game,” he added. “We don’t [want to] It changes so much that it’s no longer a Doom game.

Doom: The Middle Ages is scheduled to arrive on Windows, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on May 15.