DOOM: The Dark Ages just made its Shield Saw even cooler
New details for DOOM: The Dark Ages have emerged at QuakeCon, giving us better insight into how the viral Shield Saw will work and its unique mechanics.
12th Aug 2024 15:03
Image via id Software
DOOM: The Dark Ages just made its Shield Saw even cooler
New details for DOOM: The Dark Ages have emerged at QuakeCon, giving us better insight into how the viral Shield Saw will work and its unique mechanics.
12th Aug 2024 15:03
Image via id Software
When it comes to video game legacies, few have one as important as DOOM. The 1993 shooter defined the FPS genre, and all these years later, it's a testament that the franchise is still going strong. Although we're not getting a proper sequel to 2020's DOOM: Eternal, we're getting something even more exciting in the form of DOOM: The Dark Ages.
Taking us further back than ever before, DOOM: The Dark Ages takes place in the titular Dark Ages and charts the rise of Doomguy in an "epic cinematic origin story of the Doom Slayer's rage." There's all the typical blood and guts we've come to expect, as well as some new features like the OP Shield Saw.
DOOM: The Dark Ages Shield Saw just got even better
DOOM: The Dark Ages was a major feature of QuakeCon, as id Software spilt its guts about some of the features coming our way. Our first look at The Dark Ages came courtesy of June's Xbox Showcase, where the Shield Saw quickly became a highlight. It's clear the devs want you to use its latest addition in a variety of ways.
As well as being able to throw the Shield Saw at our enemies like Captain America, QuakeCon confirms you'll be able to retract it as it tears flesh out of monsters, and you'll be able to traverse the map with it. While it's unclear how this works, we imagine shield surfing like in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
In terms of melee weapons, there's a choice of three with a flail, a mace, and a fist that creates chains of electricity between foes. We're told DOOM: The Dark Ages is far more open-world than previous outings, which is good news for those who want to step off the beaten track.
Other weapons include the nail gun pinning enemies to walls and a double-barrelled plasma gun. Alongside the Shield Saw, the big win is a revamped Glory Kill system that promotes player choice over scripted animations. Being able to decide how to finish off your Pinkies and Cyberdemons is a nice touch.
Finally, the mech that we saw at the end of the announcement trailer got its time to shine, with Doomguy being able to step inside and engage in some gnarly hand-to-hand combat. DOOM games have never skimped on the red stuff, but by the sounds of it, DOOM: The Dark Ages will take this to a whole new level of gore.
About The Author
Tom Chapman
Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.