In the most unexpected way, The Dark Ages completely breaks from tradition. During the final and lengthiest part of my demo experience, I found myself dropped into id’s version of an open-world sandbox environment, free to explore and conquer as I wished. The main challenge? Close five demon-spewing portals. How I accomplished this and the path I took was entirely in my hands. Throughout this hour-long experience, it dawned on me repeatedly just how unique this DOOM installment is compared to its predecessors.
True to form, this sandbox realm is packed with a variety of optional objectives. There are heavily fortified artillery installations to dismantle, gold caches waiting to be discovered and used for upgrades, and much more. At one point, as I was simply sprinting across the landscape, a massive tentacle—big enough to dwarf a cathedral—suddenly erupted from the earth, swinging into attack mode. This wasn’t a planned event or even part of a mission; it was merely one of the many surprises scattered throughout the world.
Even the central tasks come with unexpected twists. In that opening story mission, portal closure was all about battling through an arena. This time, however, each portal presents a unique challenge. Some whisk me away to dungeons filled with puzzles that must be solved to reach the power source. Others throw me up against formidable Leader enemies—towering figures immune to harm until enough of their minions are vanquished. Defeating these foes grants lasting upgrades, adding another layer of depth. Along my journey, I stumbled upon new weapons, enhancing my arsenal in exciting ways. This constant stream of innovation feels like id Software has been eagerly waiting to instill fresh concepts into the traditional DOOM framework.
The most striking impression from my session with DOOM: The Dark Ages is clear—this is a development team brimming with excitement, not just for the iconic franchise itself, but for possibilities it can unlock. I anticipated a fresh narrative, weapons, and new demons, but I did not foresee entire new gameplay genres. The anticipation to discover what else this creative team has conjured up is palpable.
On May 15, 2025, DOOM: The Dark Ages will be unleashed on Xbox Series X|S, PC (accessible via the Xbox app for Windows PC, Steam, and Battle.net), PlayStation 5, and through the cloud. Players can dive in right from day one with Game Pass.
