Doom: The Dark Ages Was Inspired By The Original Doom

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A new Doom game has been rumored for a while, but at Summer Game Fest, Id Software and Bethesda formally unveiled Doom: The Dark Ages, the follow-up to 2019’s Doom Eternal. The new title is set in the distant past with the Doom Slayer as a kingdom’s last hope against the hordes of Hell. While the game’s melee weapons and dragon-riding experiences are new to the series, The Dark Ages’ directors Hugo Martin and Marty Stratton told GameSpot that the latest sequel was inspired by both Doom 1 and Doom 2.

“At the beginning of project, everybody kind of goes back and plays the original Doom,” said Stratton. “There were so many things in that original game that just have have fueled us… It’s always that evolution, but there’s just so much of the DNA even with the way that we develop and our our team size.”

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Now Playing: DOOM: The Dark Ages Taps Into Classic DOOM To Create Something New

“When we were talking about like what is Doom [in development], it was very much like borrowing from those ideas of the original Doom and Doom 2. As the brand has evolved and the ideas through the lore and all the different gameplay mechanics have evolved… it’s amazing when you play the game you’re just like ‘this is unbelievable.'”

Additionally, the directors explained that the slower-moving projectiles in this game also came from the first two Doom titles.

“I think in the original Doom, in the opening hours, we all remember imps or soldiers firing slow moving projectiles… and they hit hard,” explained Martin. “And if you get hit by one of those, you’re in a lot of trouble… That’s where the movement comes in. Instead of constructing a multi-tiered arena… if we ground it, slow down the projectiles, make them hit way harder, and create patterns in the space, then that’s the jungle gym you’re going to move through.”

Martin and Stratton cited King Leonidas from 300 and Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings trilogy as their primary inspiration for the Doom Slayer in this game, specifically to give the players the sensations of power and skill that those characters conveyed on screen. Martin also noted that Leonidas in particular inspired the shield, which was later combined with a chainsaw for the Doom Slayer.

Doom: The Dark Ages will be released on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC in 2025.

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