Jabril GoodnerDoom: The Dark Ages is expected to bring glory to Xbox in 2025. It’s hands down one of the most anticipated games of the year and will come to Xbox Game Pass for all members to enjoy on Day 1.
I was first thinking of all the things I hope Doom: The Dark Ages has and what it’s likely to include. In June 2024, we saw only a teaser of gameplay.
The trailer confirms a medieval setting, dragon riding, giant mech suits, and new and creative weapons to eliminate evil demons. It all sounds like a ton of fun, but why has the next chapter in Doom got everyone so excited? Is it just because Doom is a classic brand that pioneered the shooter genre? Is it simply because Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal (2020) were critical and commercial successes? Those things do indeed greatly contribute to the greatness of the Doom franchise, but what Doom does so well is make its aggressive, action-packed, violent, demon-slaying roller coaster of a shooter a very difficult thing to mess up. Everything that makes Doom great seems to be lining up perfectly for this next release, and it should be a knockout.
Even still, I hope we get a little more drama and theater in the epicness of the game’s lore and motivation. Some classic moments of redemption and grand intergalactic moments of mercy or imperfection in the Doomguy persona could add a slight touch, bringing the lore to a whole new level.
Ultra Doomguy
I mean, I understand that Doomguy is an unrelenting tank of pure destruction and evil-slaying righteousness, but it could be cool to see some level of human vulnerability that allows him to reach all-new heights of power. “Ultra Doomguy?” I’m just saying, it would be really hype and make the character more relatable to see him push through to all-new levels of strength.
Doom is great because the premise is simple: slay evil. Pair that with the heavy metal music and hyper-responsive controls, and the upcoming Doom: The Dark Ages is sure to be a hit. It’s kind of one of those games, like the Grand Theft Auto series, where the fans, because of the simple premise of the game, demand that we just get more of what we already love.
I do hope that they include a better multiplayer mode than the one they had in Doom Eternal. I’m also hoping that the game doubles down on its aggressive gameplay and keeps the action non-stop. I’m noticing some very open battlefields in The Dark Ages, and controlling a dragon or mech suit could be like those boring levels in action games, mostly from the early 2000s, that give you a random vehicle stage to switch it up. Often, those stages that force you to traverse or engage with the game without the core abilities you grow to love can sometimes be a miss. I’m assuming that id Software has already considered making every part of the game fun. Considering their track record, I can only assume we’ll be getting more fun with the next Doom game, and as a Day 1 Game Pass title, many more people can enjoy this medieval demon-slaying fun with us.