Doom The Dark Ages: 5 biggest things revealed at Xbox Developer Direct

Doom The Dark Ages is coming in May 2025, and ahead of the Xbox Developer Direct, I was fortunate enough to take part in a preview session. In addition to hearing from the developers, we also saw a ton of footage for the game during this hands-off session. All it did was make me even more excited about a brand-new Doom adventure. Keep in mind that this is a prequel.

Teased and leaked in 2024, the game is confirmed to be coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC later this year. But what are the biggest takeaways from the Xbox Developer Direct for Doom The Dark Ages? Here’s what you have to look forward to on May 15, 2025.

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Biggest takeaways from Xbox Developer Direct for Doom The Dark Ages

1) Doom The Dark Ages adds difficulty sliders alongside standard difficulty

The world is vast and filled with foes to obliterate — do it in a way that fits you best (Image via Bethesda Softworks)

Doom The Dark Ages will shake and shatter the perception of difficulty in this upcoming release. There are still the traditional difficulty levels in the menu, but we also saw a host of difficulty sliders to make the game as easy or challenging as you’d like it to be. This makes the title far more approachable — or terrifying — if you think the enemies don’t pack the level of aggression you feel they should.

In addition to difficulty, there are also Modifier sliders — so no more using console commands to make the game easier/harder. Below are all the confirmed sliders that we saw during our preview:

• Damage to Player
• Damage to Demons
• Enemy Projectile Speed
• Enemy Aggression
• Parry Window
• Daze Duration
• Game Speed
• Resource Values

Want the gameplay to be as challenging and brutal as possible? That’s certainly feasible in Doom The Dark Ages.

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2) Doom The Dark Ages features an array of melee weapons to add flexibility to combat

There will be many ways to stop demons using ultra violence (Image via Bethesda Softworks)

Melee combat has been expanded in Doom The Dark Ages. And while I’m glad that there’s a trio of melee weapons, where’s the cool chainsaw sword? Well, it still exists, sort of. Now it’s a Shield Saw, and you throw it just like Captain America does. However, when it comes to melee, you’ve got three options that will unlock as you progress: The Gauntlet, a Doom Mace, and a Flail.

The flanged mace looks more like a sinister weapon from The Lord of the Rings, while the flail seems incredibly fun. Depending on what weapon you’ve picked for your mission, it also changes the Glory Kills you get. I’m just glad that it looks like melee gameplay is far more enjoyable/accessible this time around.

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3) Doom The Dark Ages' gameplay has shifted to more grounded gameplay as opposed to 'Eternal's' "jump and shoot" style

Get ready to punch the stuffing out of giant demons (Image via Bethesda Softworks)

Many enjoyed the “jump and shoot” playstyle of Eternal, but it just wasn’t for me. When I think of Doom Slayer, “rip and tear” comes to mind. I think of being an unstoppable, unkillable engine of destruction, literally tearing the forces of Hell into pieces. The developers of Doom The Dark Ages called this combat system “stand and fight.”

You’re tankier and tougher than ever, partially thanks to the Shield Saw. You can wade into battle, parrying and crushing enemies while still picking your favorite guns and shredding flesh with bullets or skull fragments.

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4) Doom The Dark Ages' new parry system adds depth to an already stacked, combat-heavy game

It will be easy to see what can be parried, thankfully (Image via Bethesda Softworks)

Generally, I’m not super crazy about Parry Systems in games like Doom The Dark Ages. However, I like what I’m seeing in it — it’s pretty clear which projectiles you can parry, and it looks incredibly satisfying to succeed at it. Again, you can adjust the timing window for this, if you find that it’s too difficult.

There is something objectively satisfying watching the Doom Slayer parry an incoming hit and then whip his flail around to crush whatever made the foolish mistake of standing against him. You could also pair it with the shotgun and blast the now-stunned foe. I, of course, need to get hands-on first, but it looks satisfying.

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5) The Atlan mech and Cyber Dragon aren't "one-and-done" features — they have their own mini-bosses and more

Panzer Dragoon wishes it was this cool (Image via Bethesda Softworks)

What’s better than stomping your way through the forces of Hell in Doom The Dark Ages? Doing it as a 30-story tall Atlan mech, that’s what! Or soaring through the skies on top of a cybernetic dragon, unloading hundreds of bullets from its Gatling guns.

Both sound incredible and thankfully, these aren’t just things the developers at id Software are teasing. They serve as more ways to play the game and will have their own challenges and bosses to fight.

Both modes sound incredible. I know I’m excited about getting into an Atlan mech and punching the stuffing out of giant demons until their bones break. The flying missions look like a more intense, violent Panzer Dragoon, which is a good thing.

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Doom The Dark Ages launches on May 15, 2025, for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.