In this latest installment, The Dark Ages, DOOM moves into uncharted territory, shattering all preconceived notions of what the game could be. During my final and longest demo, I found myself in id Software’s take on a sandbox open zone, and it was up to me to decide how to take on the challenges. My sole mission was to close five demon-spewing portals, but the path I chose and the distractions I explored were entirely mine to decide. Throughout the hour-long session, it became abundantly clear that this was not like any DOOM game I had played before.
As you’d expect, this sandbox environment is packed with optional objectives. There are heavily fortified artillery pieces to dismantle, gold stashes waiting to be discovered and spent on upgrades, and more. At one point, as I was simply sprinting to my next destination, a massive tentacle, the size of a cathedral, burst out from the ground, attacking with a vengeance—an unscripted, spontaneous encounter that wasn’t even on my mission list.
The surprises didn’t stop at the optional tasks; the core goals were full of unexpected twists as well. In a previous story mission, shutting down portals meant clearing an arena of adversaries, but this time around, it was refreshingly different. Some portals transported me to dungeons where puzzle-solving skills were necessary to locate and disable the energy sources. Others pit me against Leader enemies—powerful foes immune to damage until I eliminated a certain number of their followers. Conquering them granted me substantial upgrades for the rest of the journey. Alongside these battles, I stumbled upon new weapons, extending my arsenal and introducing fresh strategies. The game is ceaselessly innovative, like id Software has been itching to infuse the DOOM franchise with bold new ideas.
The central takeaway from my experience with DOOM: The Dark Ages is that it feels like the developers are bursting with passion—not just for DOOM, but for what it could evolve into. I expected a fresh narrative, new weaponry, and fearsome demons, but what I didn’t anticipate was an exploration of new genres. The prospect of seeing what else this talented team has planned is thrilling.
Mark your calendars for May 15, 2025, when DOOM: The Dark Ages releases across Xbox Series X|S, PC (via the Xbox app for Windows PC, Steam, and Battle.net), PlayStation 5, and the cloud. Game Pass subscribers can dive into the action on launch day.
