The wait for the return of the Doom Slayer is almost over. On May 15, DOOM: The Dark Ages arrives on PlayStation 5 with a brutal, dark and more ambitious proposal than ever. This new release from id Software promises to push the formula of first-person combat to the limit with a deeper story, colossal enemies and a new scenario never explored in the franchise: the Cosmic Realm, which has now shown new official images to further increase the hype for the launch of the title.
Doom: The Dark Ages continues to add content
Designed as a premium single-player campaign, The Dark Ages is built on three fundamental pillars: story, combat and exploration. But it is not about repeating the previous formula. This time, hell and the cosmic have come together to give life to a grotesque and fascinating universe, where Lovecraftian architecture and the horrors of the afterlife are mixed with technology and steel.
With 22 levels full of action, platforms, secrets and extreme violence, this installment seeks to consolidate itself as the most complete of the entire DOOM saga. And if your thing is to feel the adrenaline rush while you crush demons with your bare hands, here you will find the exact dose of destruction you need.
One of the most striking elements is the incorporation of the Cosmic Realm, a new environment that expands the DOOM mythology into the unknown. This world, at once alien and demonic, is the result of an unholy alliance between Hell and cosmic forces. The result: new enemies, revamped mechanics and a setting as creepy as it is epic.
Among the new enemies, the Cosmic Baron stands out, a mass with two swords that can block your ranged attacks with devastating psychic blasts. It won’t be enough to shoot him non-stop; you’ll have to master the parry, move intelligently and know when to risk your body to counterattack. If you manage to defeat it, another even more disturbing challenge awaits you: the Cosmic Cacodemon, a floating creature hybrid between dimensions, with paralyzing tentacles and mental attacks that will put you on the ropes.
Fortunately, you’ll also have new tools at your disposal. The most outstanding one is the Reaver Chainshot, a sort of ballistic mace that lets you quickly attack a single enemy or charge a Chaos Sphere to unleash a brutal blow at a long distance. It’s a weapon that redefines melee combat in DOOM, fusing precision, brutality and visual spectacle like never before.
The new idTech 8 engine is another gem that makes this release a technical beast. With support for dynamic ray-traced lighting, wider worlds, more simultaneous enemies and a constant 60 fps, the experience on PlayStation 5 will be as fluid as it is hellish. In addition, visual improvements in textures, destruction effects and combat feedback are designed to fully immerse you in the chaos.
While there are still many secrets to be revealed, it is clear that DOOM: The Dark Ages aims to deliver the most intense and polished experience that id Software has delivered to date. The game will arrive simultaneously on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro, taking advantage of the power of both consoles to ensure smooth gameplay and almost non-existent loading times.
For those who don’t want to wait, the Premium Edition will allow access to the game from May 13. From then on, the chaos will begin. New weapons, more abilities, never-before-seen bosses and a completely new level design are ready to greet you.
A couple of weeks ago, id Software spoke out about the lack of multiplayer in this new Doom. It was a rather loud note, since the nature of the game lends itself to this type of experience. However, seeing all the content they are adding and the focus they are providing to give a single-player experience to match, indicates that the studio made the right decision. This may be another example of how gamers are still interested in single player games and are willing to vote with their wallet. If the game debuts with good sales and ratings, ultimately we all win.
