It's been four long years since Doom Eternal dropped, but demon-gibbing fans finally have good news, thanks to the announcement of the next Doom game. Titled Doom: The Dark Ages, the game is a prequel to the refreshed Doom series, and seems to revolve around the Doom Guy's origins as part of an epic war against the demons.
News in brief
- New Doom game is a prequel
- Expect a new combat system with a chainsaw-rimmed shield and dragon-riding
- There are plenty of new guns, including one that shoots skull shards
Details on the story are fairly sparse, but from what we can tell from the trailer, it's suitably medieval-themed, with the Doom Guy rocking a fur cloak and spiked armor. It seems to be set in a past war between an unknown civilization and the demons, with the Doom Guy seemingly positioned as a secret weapon of sorts against the demonic horde. Odds are pretty strong that the Guy will find himself facing both sides of the war at some point, with little chance he'll feel outgunned.
But who cares about the story when there are new weapons to talk about. The trailer shows the Guy kitted out with his iconic shotgun — but the new addition everyone is talking about is added to his other arm. Fitting the medieval aesthetic, the Guy now has a shield with which he can block and parry. But that's not all — it also has a chainsaw fitted around the rim, and it can be thrown at enemies to inflict massive damage. Think Captain America, but always angry, and you're on the right track.
As you might expect, there are also plenty of other new weapons to pick from. A particular highlight is an unnamed gun that shoots shards of skulls at enemies in a shotgun-like flat spread. The skulls are ground up in a grinder as you shoot, which is extremely thematic for Doom. We also saw a snippet of Doom Guy riding some sort of massive dragon, which was interesting, to say the least. And of course, there were plenty of demons to be gibbed.
Doom: The Dark Ages releases in 2025 for Xbox Series X/S, PC, and PlayStation 5.