During a recent hands-on demo of *Doom: The Dark Ages*, I found myself unexpectedly reminded of *Halo 3*. While mounted on a cyborg dragon, I unleashed a barrage of machinegun fire against a demonic battle barge. After neutralizing its defensive turrets, I landed atop the vessel and stormed through its lower decks, turning the crew into a bloody mess. Moments later, I burst through the ship's hull on my dragon, continuing my assault on Hell's machines.

Fans of *Halo 3* will recognize the similarity to Master Chief's iconic assault on Covenant scarab tanks. The transition from an aerial attack to a boarding action is strikingly reminiscent of *Halo*, even though the vehicles have been replaced with a holographic-winged dragon and an occult flying boat. Yet, while *The Dark Ages* retains Doom's core combat, its campaign design seems to echo the elaborate cutscenes and gameplay novelties of late-2000s shooters.

A dragon assault on Hell's battle barge. | Image credit: id Software / Bethesda

Over the course of two and a half hours, I experienced four levels of *Doom: The Dark Ages*. The first level, the campaign's opener, mirrored the tightly paced, meticulously mapped design of *Doom (2016)* and its sequel. Subsequent levels, however, introduced me to piloting a colossal mech, flying a dragon, and navigating a wide-open battlefield filled with secrets and powerful minibosses. This represents a significant departure from Doom's usual focus on mechanical purity, more closely resembling *Halo*, *Call of Duty*, and even older James Bond games like *Nightfire*, which are known for their scripted setpieces and novelty mechanics.

This shift in direction is intriguing, especially considering the series once rejected a similar path with the cancelled *Doom 4*, which had a modern military aesthetic and emphasized cinematic storytelling. Yet, here in 2025, *The Dark Ages* embraces these elements. The campaign's rapid pace is enhanced by new gameplay ideas, reminiscent of *Call of Duty's* most innovative sequences.

The demo began with a lengthy cutscene introducing the realm of Argent D'Nur, the opulent Maykrs, and the Night Sentinels, the Doom Slayer's knightly comrades. The Slayer is portrayed as a terrifying legend, a nuclear-level threat. This cinematic approach, while familiar to Doom enthusiasts, feels new and reminiscent of *Halo*. The presence of NPC Night Sentinels scattered throughout the environment further evokes the feeling of being part of a larger force, much like Master Chief's role in the UNSC.

The narrative approach in the introductory cutscene raises questions about whether this is what Doom needs. Personally, I preferred the subtler storytelling of the previous games, conveyed through environment design and codex entries. However, the cutscenes in *The Dark Ages* are brief and set the stage for missions without disrupting the game's intense flow.

Despite this, the demo introduced other interruptions. Following the initial mission, which involved intense shotgun combat and parrying Hell Knights with a new shield, I found myself piloting the Atlan mech, battling demonic kaiju, and later soaring on the cybernetic dragon to take down battle barges. These scripted levels introduce significant gameplay shifts, echoing *Call of Duty's* novel sequences like the AC-130 gunship or dogfighting missions. The Atlan feels slow and heavy, while the dragon is fast and agile, offering a different experience from classic Doom.

![](/uploads/88/67eabc3c99176.webp The mech battles are Pacific Rim-scale punch ups. | Image credit: id Software / Bethesda

While variety in gameplay is a hallmark of successful FPS campaigns, as seen in *Half-Life 2* and *Titanfall 2*, I'm uncertain about its fit in *Doom*. The mech and dragon sequences feel less engaging and more controlled compared to the intricate on-foot combat. The shift in gameplay styles is stark, akin to a novice musician playing alongside a virtuoso.

The final hour of play introduced "Siege," a level that refocuses on id Software's exceptional gunplay but expands into a vast open battlefield. The objective of destroying five Gore Portals evokes *Call of Duty's* multi-objective missions, while the grand scale and varied combat arenas reminded me of *Halo's* contrast between interior and exterior environments. Here, players must adapt weapon ranges and tactics to the expansive spaces, using the charge attack to cover large distances and the shield to deflect artillery.

However, the expanded playspace can lead to a loss of focus, with backtracking and empty pathways disrupting the pace. Integrating the dragon into this level, akin to *Halo's* Banshee, could enhance the gameplay flow and make the dragon feel more integral.

The return of ideas once deemed unsuitable for *Doom* in the cancelled *Doom 4*—such as scripted setpieces and vehicle sections—raises questions about their viability now. While the core combat remains *Doom: The Dark Ages'* beating heart, the new elements introduced feel mechanically lighter. As I eagerly await the game's release on May 15th, I'm curious to see how these elements will fit into the full campaign. Will *Doom: The Dark Ages* be a cohesive late-2000s FPS experience, or will it struggle with its diverse influences?