DOOM: The Dark Ages – Exploring Story, Open Worlds, Mechs, and Dragons Hands-On

The Dark Ages really takes things in a different direction. As I dove into the final and lengthiest part of the demo, I found myself in id Software’s rendition of a sandbox open zone, given the freedom to tackle it however I pleased. My main mission? Shut down five demon-spewing portals, but how I approached this task and the detours I chose to explore were entirely left to my discretion. Throughout the hour-long experience, it kept hitting me—I’d never played a DOOM game quite like this before.

True to its promise, this sandbox phase is brimming with optional adventures. There are heavily fortified artillery batteries to destroy, gold stashes ready to be spent on upgrades, and much more. I was just minding my own business at one point, running along, when out of nowhere, a tentacle the size of a cathedral erupts from the ground and lashes out. This isn’t some scripted event or an objective that was pointed out to me. It’s just another unexpected gem I stumbled upon.

But don’t get me wrong; even the main objectives pack a punch with unexpected twists. In that early story mission, shutting portals was as straightforward as clearing an arena, but here, it’s a different ball game. Some portals transport me right into dungeons where solving puzzles is the only way to reach the energy source keeping them alive. Others feature Leader enemies, these overwhelming beasts who are immune to my strikes until I take down a number of their minions, and defeating them comes with lasting upgrades. During this wild ride, I stumble across new firearms, adding fresh firepower to my arsenal. The game is bursting with innovation, practically showing off how id has been itching to weave new concepts into the DOOM saga.

This session with DOOM: The Dark Ages left one thing clear above all—it’s a team not just pumped about DOOM, but fired up about what DOOM can evolve into. I anticipated new plotlines, new weapons, and new demonic foes, but I hadn’t banked on entirely new genres thrown into the mix. I’m eagerly looking forward to seeing what other surprises this talented team has up their sleeves.

Mark your calendars: DOOM: The Dark Ages arrives on May 15, 2025. You’ll be able to dive in on Xbox Series X|S, PC through Xbox for Windows, Steam, and Battle.net, PlayStation 5, and even via the cloud. Plus, it’ll be available on Game Pass from day one.