Doom: The Dark Ages succeeded in bringing another dimension to the aggressive run-and-gun gameplay that id Software developed for the reboot. As the Doom Slayer who defended Argent D’nur, players controlled a being that brutalised demons with force and rage, using a shield and an arsenal of weapons.
The developers described him as an agile tank that can handle the creatures in close quarters or strafe them. Players used those skills to defeat hell’s minions, but the game’s ending was open-ended, leaving room for more storytelling. The id Software team filled that gap with Doom: The Dark Ages – Revelations, a hefty downloadable expansion that offers one more chapter to the Doom Slayers story.
Director Hugo Martin said Revelations adds 10 to 12 more hours to The Dark Ages experience as the Doom Slayer finds himself in hell. It’s divided into the base game, which is about 60% of the expansion, and the end game, which features challenges set to master-level difficulty, unique levels, Slayer Trials and classic levels from the early games.
Along with the new content, players will have a new weapon called the Chain Spear. It’s a versatile tool that can repel projectiles, impale enemies, and provide additional movement for the Doom Slayer. With it, players can close the distance to a foe, or they can orbit around them. Martin said the weapon essentially turns the Doom Slayer into a monster truck with a jet engine strapped to the back.
He warned, though, that fans may not like the new weapon at first, but it will grow on them through Revelations. Players will unlock more abilities for the spear, and they’ll discover that they’ll act as counters for different enemies. For example, the throw will be more effective against flying adversaries. That also means the spear’s true power and abilities won’t be unlocked until players progress further into the new campaign’s massive six levels.
For those who miss the shield, players can switch back and forth between spear and shield, while carrying all the same armaments from the main game. The Doom Slayer will juggle so many weapons it’s surprising he just has two arms.
He’ll need all those weapons and skills because players will face new foes in hell. That includes the Archvile, an agile creature, and new purple variants that present new challenges for players. These enemies present a challenge to players, but they’re also an avenue for them to express their skills in a downloadable add-on that gives Doom fans a big reason to return to hell.
Doom: The Dark Ages – Revelations is scheduled for release July 7 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S. – Mercury News/TNS
