Doom: The Dark Ages Embraces a Brawling Tank Playstyle, Launching May 2025

The Doomslayer gears up again as Doom: The Dark Ages was fully showcased in Xbox’s recent Developer Direct livestream, offering the best look yet at the prequel. The game promises to be brand new while staying as brutal and action-packed as ever, and it’s set to launch soon. So rev up that chainsaw shield, and let’s dive into what we know about Doom: The Dark Ages.

Doom: The Dark Ages Embraces a Brawling Tank Playstyle, Launching May 2025

During the recent Xbox Developer Direct event, the team at id Software provided an in-depth look at DOOM: The Dark Ages, along with its official release date: May 15, 2025. Based on the gameplay showcased, one thing is clear - this game is all about being an unstoppable machine of destruction.

As noted by game director Hugo Martin, The Dark Ages aims to make players feel like an iron tank—heavy, powerful, and unyielding, yet still fast. This isn’t just about strafing and shooting anymore; it’s about standing your ground and dominating the battlefield.

The new Shield Saw exemplifies this approach, acting as a boomerang of death. The weapon allows the Slayer to block, throw, parry, and deflect enemy attacks, breaking their defenses and reinforcing the game’s focus on putting you at the heart of the action.

On top of this, The Dark Ages introduces insanely powerful weapons that can still be used acrobatically if desired. However, the core experience leans into a grounded, explosive festival of blood and chaos. A standout weapon is the Skull Crusher, which crushes enemy skulls and fires the bone fragments as deadly projectiles. When combined with the Shield Saw’s brawling capabilities and the classic run-and-gun mechanics, the result is a fresh yet faithful take on DOOM’s “rip and tear” philosophy.

The developers also discussed the game’s emphasis on exploration and story. Players can expect to solve puzzles, discover hidden rewards, and find unique power-ups throughout the levels. Additionally, the narrative promises to be a fully fleshed-out experience, featuring cutscenes, lore-rich details, and a blockbuster-level plot designed to immerse players between bouts of blood-soaked carnage.

Unfortunately, the developers confirmed that DOOM: The Dark Ages will not include multiplayer modes. Their focus has been on delivering an upgraded single-player experience. However, they did tease that DLC is planned post-launch, providing additional content for fans to look forward to.

All things considered, it’s an exciting time to be a DOOM fan. DOOM: The Dark Ages is set to release on May 15, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X, with Day One access on Xbox Game Pass. We can’t wait to see all our fellow Doomslayers when the game launches!