00:00Hello, and welcome to Dallas, Texas, home of id Software, where more than 30 years ago,
00:24a small team of game developers helped define and set a course for first-person shooters.
00:30A lot has changed since then, but our team is as passionate as ever, and the most important
00:35values at the core of our games—innovation, craftsmanship, and performance—remain a
00:41priority for us to this day.
00:43And as you're about to see, those values are infused in every aspect of this latest
00:49installment in the legendary Doom franchise.
00:52It is an honor to work on this game, to carry on id's tradition of creating all-out, groundbreaking
00:58levels of fun.
01:00So now, we're excited to share with you a look at our most ambitious game yet.
01:06This is Doom The Dark Ages.
01:08That was so stupid, I mouthed the words.
01:22In Doom The Dark Ages, you will feel like the superweapon in the center of a medieval
01:35war against hell, set in a cinematic sci-fi fantasy world full of locations to explore,
01:42powerful weapons to unlock, and enemies to conquer.
01:46This is a prequel to Doom 2016, and that's given us the opportunity to reimagine every
01:51aspect of this experience.
01:53So if you're new to the franchise, then Doom The Dark Ages will be the perfect entry
01:57point into the series.
01:58And if you're a long-time fan, then you'll be proud to see, in a lot of ways, the feel
02:03of the game is really a return to form.
02:06So let's break it down, starting with the combat.
02:11In Doom Eternal, you felt like a fighter jet.
02:13In Doom The Dark Ages, you'll be an iron tank—heavy, strong, but still fast.
02:20A grounded combat system with an emphasis on power over the acrobatics of Doom Eternal.
02:28And a balance between enemy projectiles and player movement speed that makes strafing
02:33to aim viable again, just like in the classic Doom games.
02:37But it's not all about nostalgia.
02:39Innovation is the goal, always.
02:41And so for Doom The Dark Ages, it's an all-new world with new tools and new mechanics to
02:47master.
02:48Let me introduce you to the shield saw.
02:52Block.
02:53Throw.
02:54Parry.
02:55Deflect.
02:56All from one input.
02:57It's contextual.
02:58Tons of depth on a single button press.
02:59You know, we want every Doom game to stand on its own as a unique experience.
03:10So in 2016, we asked you to run and gun.
03:13In Doom Eternal, it was jump and shoot.
03:16And in Doom The Dark Ages, you're going to stand and fight.
03:28And the shield saw will give you the strength to go head-to-head with some of the biggest,
03:32baddest demons we've ever created it in.
03:37But that's not all.
03:38Because if you're going to stand and fight, then you've got to have something to follow
03:41up that opening parry with.
03:43How about an iron flail?
03:46Or maybe an electrified gauntlet?
03:49Or even a Doom-spiked mace?
03:52That's right, we have three melee options that are part of a melee system.
03:56All on one input, complete with combos and upgrades.
03:59And it's totally awesome.
04:01And you can finish off the demons now with an all-new, unsynced, completely in-the-players-control
04:07glory kill system.
04:09From any angle, in and out, as you see fit.
04:12And it feels amazing.
04:14You'll feel unstoppable, smashing your way through the board with total freedom.
04:19And that seems like a ton, but that's just two inputs.
04:23We've got one more really important button that we haven't talked about yet, the trigger.
04:35That's right, we've saved the best for last.
04:37Doom has and always will be all about the guns.
04:40And Dark Ages has some of the most ridiculously powerful weapons that we've ever created.
04:47Mean, ancient, brutal torture machines built to butcher, impale, and shred the minions
05:00of Helwith.
05:05Only in Doom, that's the mission statement for the design of these never-before-seen,
05:09insanely fun-to-use tools of mayhem that only the Slayer has the power to wield.
05:15So let's take a look at some extended gameplay footage and see how these medieval mechanics
05:20synergize with the enemies and the environments to form the new combat loop for Doom the Dark
05:55And under the hood, for the first time in an id game, we've made our combat more approachable
06:24and flexible than ever before, with a new difficulty system and sliders that will allow
06:29players to tune the speed and challenge of the game to whatever fits them best.
06:35You can slow things down or speed them up.
06:39It's a Doom for all Slayers.
06:41And the gameplay doesn't end with just the Slayer.
06:45We finally have for you, you've been waiting for two games now, to get in and pilot your
06:50very own 30-story Atlint, which is a mech.
06:55It's the size of a building, it's powerful, and you can beat giant titan-sized demons
07:00to death with your gauntleted fists.
07:02And if that wasn't enough, we also have for you your very own fire-breathing, gatling-gun-toting
07:07cybernetic dragon.
07:08Neither of these are one-and-done features either, they have a full suite of abilities
07:13and even mini-bosses.
07:14The spectacle is epic, the power of fantasy is unlike anything we've made it in, and the
07:19combat systems behind these features are deep and tons of fun.
07:23And as cool as all that is, we know that fans of single-player action games expect more
07:30than just great combat to pull them through the experience.
07:33So we're excited to share with you not just the gunplay, but the world of Doom the Dark
07:38Ages.
07:41Your hero's journey will take you to the far reaches of the Doom universe.
07:45Mysterious worlds from the Slayer's past, dark forests, dungeons, ancient hellscapes,
07:52battlefields, and worlds beyond.
07:55And through exploration, you'll be unlocking new abilities and god-like powers every step
08:00of the way.
08:01Now armed with your trusty shield saw, you're gonna cut, leap, and smash your way through
08:09environments full of secrets and treasures.
08:12There's always something new waiting to be discovered or destroyed.
08:17Now let's take a closer look at just one of the many missions you'll experience in Doom
08:22the Dark Ages.
08:23In this level, you will meet the enemy at the gates and save a city from certain destruction.
08:31Explore the medieval battlefield outside the castle walls, seeking out targets and enemy
08:37formations along the way to engage with as you see fit with any gun you choose.
08:47Explore what is the largest play space ever in a Doom game, discovering secret caves and
08:54dungeon-like mines in search of vital resources.
08:59You control the pace of the game, where you go, who you fight, and the objectives you
09:07pursue.
09:08It's a Doom sandbox full of war and riches.
09:15Once you've broken the enemy assault, head back to the main gates because the battle
09:19isn't over yet.
09:29And the soundtrack to your epic adventures will be composed by the award-winning team
09:41at Finishing Move, providing you with a metal soundscape that's loaded with guitars, medieval
09:47vibes, and pure adrenaline.
09:49You'll feel like you're expanding the legend of the Slayer with every mission you complete.
09:56And speaking of that legend, the story of Doom the Dark Ages, like everything else in
10:01the game, is big.
10:03It's a summer blockbuster event with everything on the line, and you are the star of the show.
10:09Your power is coveted by your enemies and withheld from your allies.
10:14With the Slayer imprisoned at the start of our story, the balance of power between good
10:18and evil is shifting, and time is running out.
10:22It's a new story and the perfect entry point for new players.
10:26It's easier to access now as we've taken the narrative out of the codex and into the cutscenes,
10:31featuring new characters, old allies, and powerful new villains.
10:36And for returning players, it leads directly into the Doom 2016 Slayer's Testaments.
10:41It's an action story worthy of the Slayer's legend.
10:52We've got 10 years of making modern Doom games together, and we've done better with every
10:58game we've made.
11:00The hope with all this, the goal, is to give players an experience that's as fun to play
11:05as it was to make, and make something that's good enough to become the best game id has
11:11ever made.
11:12But that is for you to decide when Doom the Dark Ages releases this May.
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