Doom: The Dark Ages was inspired by the original Doom

Rumors have been circulating about a new Doom game for a while, but at Summer Game Fest, Id Software and Bethesda officially revealed Doom: The Dark Ages, the sequel to 2019’s Doom Eternal. The new title takes place 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 takes inspiration from both Doom 1 and Doom 2.

“At the beginning of the project, everyone kind of goes back and plays the original Doom,” Stratton said. “There was so much in that original game that fueled us… It’s still this evolution, but there’s so much DNA, even with the way we’re growing and the size of our team.”

“When we were talking about what Doom is (in development), it was kind of like borrowing ideas from the original Doom and Doom 2. As the brand evolved and the ideas throughout the story and all the different game mechanics have evolved… it’s amazing when you play the game, you’re like “this is amazing”.

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

“I think in the original Doom, during the opening hours, we all remember imps or soldiers firing slow projectiles… and they hit hard,” Martin explained. “And if you get hit by one of them, you’re in a lot of trouble… That’s where movement comes in. Instead of building a multi-level arena… if we immobilize it , let’s slow down the projectiles, make them hit a lot harder and create patterns in space, then this is the jungle gym you’ll be moving through.

Martin and Stratton have cited King Leonidas from 300 and Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings trilogy as their main inspiration for the Doom Slayer in this game, specifically to give players the feelings of power and skill that these characters have transmitted to the 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.