I love Doom: The Dark Ages, quite unapologetically. I think it’s mix of frenetic, OTT action and rewarding exploration made it one of last year’s most enjoyably straightforward games. While the story wasn’t necessarily engrossing, it did precisely what it needed to, which was to provide a suitably schlocky framework for the balls-out blasting and shield-murder. But now I’ve seen the new DLC, Doom: The Dark Ages | Revelations, in action, I’m absolutely itching to return to its world and continue that story.
The new 12-hour campaign takes place in a frozen biome featuring new enemies and mechanics. Most notably is the new Chainspear, which can be swapped out for the original game’s Shield-Saw. Not only can the Chainspear do the same things as the shield in terms of parries, it’s a also a precision ranged weapon, and can be used as a grapple to pull enemies in and tether the Slayer to targets, so he can swing around them like a truly terrifying Maypole.
Almost all progression through the meaty DLC campaign is based on using the Spear to get around and menace your enemies. In fact, the Shield won’t even be usable for a chunk of it. There’s a bunch of new skills and abilities to unlock and upgrade, ensuring it’s just as lethal and brutally efficient as it needs to be. Alongside the Spear, you’ll also need to earn upgrades for your Slayer suit now, increasing its power and durability.
Now, perhaps the most exciting thing coming in Doom: The Dark Ages | Revelations was the new Endgame portion. Once you’re done with the campaign and you’re fully upgraded and kitted out, there’s a whole new endlessly replayable endgame element to dive into. You select endgame activities by switching between overlays on the Automap, which activates extra challenges and trials to test yourself with. Set to Master difficulty, the Endgame features alternate paths through each area, and offers different pick-ups and puzzles.
Hidden among these new areas are special Slayer Trials, ultra-hard challenge arenas, and – brace yourself – reimagined versions of classic DOOM levels recreated with modern enemies and special effects juxtaposed with old school wall textures and layouts. Even after making it to the “end” of the Endgame, you’ll be able to face the “Uber-Boss”, whose defeat unlocks four Master Arenas that hold the greatest challenges you’ll have faced so far. Beat those, and the newly-improved Ripatorium offers more maps, rewards, and ways to play. Id Software have put a ton of effort into this DLC, and are even bold enough to proclaim some of the level design as their “best ever work”.
If I was to end here and say that’s all that’s coming, it would be enough, but I can’t, as it’s not. Because at the heart of it all is the Slayer Hub, a much larger, grander, busier version of the hub in Doom Eternal. Here there are even more secrets and challenges, Metroidvania encounters, and collectibles. There’s so much that id have included an Objective Wheel that lets you easily select which challenge you want to track to first.
There’s so much going on here that fans of Doom: The Dark Ages will have an absolute ball jumping back in. Just the new campaign and Chainspear alone are enough to get me frothing at the bit, but the inclusion of all the extra endgame content is the blood-smeared icing on the cast-iron cake and I can’t wait to dive back in and rip and tear all over again.
Doom: The Dark Ages | Revelations is coming to XBOX, Steam, and PlayStation 5 on July 7th.
