“DOOM: The Darkish Ages is a prequel” was principally the very first thing we heard about DOOM: The Darkish Ages (apart from its identify, possibly, which additionally implied the exact same), so id Software program has clearly given us a fundamental thought of the place within the collection’ timeline the upcoming first particular person shooter goes to be positioned. As long-suffering followers will attest to, nevertheless, the DOOM timeline isn’t any simple timeline- as it’s, nobody can appear to agree on a single constant chronology that encompasses each single mainline launch (to say nothing of the spinoffs), and the truth that id Software program itself has by no means been too keen to offer an official, concrete reply has solely made issues that a lot murkier. So how precisely is DOOM: The Darkish Ages going to be tied to different titles within the collection?
Let’s do that the sane manner and take issues step-by-step, as a result of the DOOM timeline, like many different gaming franchises on the market, can drive you up the wall should you let it sneak up on you. Let’s begin with what we all know with one hundred percent certainty. We all know that DOOM: The Darkish Ages goes to be a prequel to DOOM (2016), which suggests it’ll be the sooner sport within the collection’ chronology that id Software program has developed since comfortable rebooting it with the aforementioned title almost a decade in the past.
“Comfortable reboot” is, in fact, the operative phrase right here, as a result of DOOM (2016) and DOOM Everlasting are nonetheless very a lot set in the identical continuity as and tied to the older DOOM video games. In actual fact, as confirmed explicitly in DOOM Everlasting, the Doom Slayer, the protagonist of the brand new video games, and Doomguy, the outdated DOOM titles’ protagonist, are one and the identical. That was clearly that many had already extensively assumed nevertheless it was by no means outright formally made clear till Everlasting confirmed that, sure, the Doom Slayer is identical man who fought via the forces of Hell within the unique DOOM, DOOM 2, and DOOM 64.
After all, that raised some completely new questions- not less than for individuals who have been on the lookout for all of the items to suit collectively completely the place the timeline was involved. DOOM 64 ended with Doomguy deciding to remain behind in Hell and struggle in opposition to what he had come to see as his mortal enemies in Hell’s armies. An unspecified time skip later (which can or could not quantity to roughly 20 years), DOOM (2016) begins with the Slayer locked in a sarcophagus and being woke up on Mars to struggle again in opposition to invading forces from Hell. So how did he go from the place he was on the finish of Doom 64 to the place he finds himself in 2016?
Whether or not we’ll get that direct tie between these two factors with DOOM: The Darkish Ages, which a good portion of the collection’ followers are clearly desperately hoping for, stays to be seen, although one factor that we do know is that The Darkish Ages just isn’t going to straight lead into 2016. You might have assumed that the sport would clarify how precisely the Slayer winds up sealed in that sarcophagus, nevertheless it seems that query isn’t one thing that id Software program intends to reply simply but. In an interview with PC Gamer, sport director Hugo Martin revealed that DOOM: The Darkish Ages gained’t finish with the Slayer being sealed, with id Software program leaving the door open for extra video games within the collection’ medieval arc. Whether or not we will get direct sequels to The Darkish Ages that proceed to fill out that window within the DOOM timeline isn’t one thing that the studio appears to have concretely determined but (or if they’ve, they’re clearly not keen to publicly talk about it), however both manner, The Darkish Ages isn’t going to guide straight into DOOM 2016.
The query, then, is how closely it’s going to tie into the pre-soft reboot DOOM titles. Will the sport be clear about how the Slayer’s story picks up from the place it left off on the finish of DOOM 64, as an illustration? We’d think about The Darkish Ages gained’t deal with that particular too closely, as a result of on the finish of the day, id Software program won’t wish to make the older titles required studying for the brand new title’s story to be understood- not least as a result of the studio is billing this as an excellent place to begin for newcomers to the collection, and due to the larger emphasis being positioned on story and storytelling this time round (not less than compared to what has often been the established order with DOOM). Both manner, followers will certainly be hoping for not less than some of the narrative to speak about connections to the previous titles. In spite of everything, DOOM Everlasting did simply that, so why shouldn’t The Darkish Ages?
One older DOOM sport that we will kind of safely assume The Darkish Ages is not going to tie into is DOOM 3. That sport’s placement within the DOOM timeline is probably the largest query mark associated to the collection proper now, however most appear to agree on DOOM 3 being its personal separate department of alternate actuality, which suggests it’s, for all intents and functions, not a part of the dialogue. Perhaps id Software program someday figures out tips on how to change that in a manner that doesn’t really feel compelled or convoluted- or possibly that simply isn’t one thing that the developer is worried with, not less than in the interim.
Connections to the brand new titles will clearly be rather more prevalent and distinguished. Throughout DOOM (2016) and DOOM Everlasting, we’ve realized loads in regards to the world of Argent D’Nur, about its denizens often known as the Argent, in regards to the elite troopers often known as the Evening Sentinels, in regards to the Doom Slayer’s time there, about how he grew to become a legendary warrior when he joined the world’s struggle in opposition to the invading armies of Hell. DOOM: The Darkish Ages is about to deal with that a part of the collection’ lore, of the Slayer’s struggle, and we’re fairly enthusiastic about it.
Not solely are we going to witness the struggle between Hell and Argent D’Nur – which we all know ended with the latter’s defeat, and far of the planet being sucked proper into Hell – we’re additionally going to get to see the Evening Sentinels in motion, and we’re going to get to study extra about how the Doom Slayer was the extensively feared and revered legend and hero of an historical struggle that he’s often known as within the collection’ current day.
Presumably, the ultimate sport of this medieval story arc – nevertheless many video games that finally ends up being – will finish with essential occasions which might be already recognized within the lore- the Evening Sentinels being betrayed and destroyed, Argent D’Nur being defeated and subjugated by Hell, and the Doom Slayer being captured and sealed. How The Darkish Ages itself will finish is an even bigger thriller, although what it is promising with its deal with Argent D’Nur, an historical part-medieval-part-futuristic struggle, and the Doom Slayer rising into his legend is thrilling sufficient in and of itself. With id Software program touting an even bigger deal with storytelling than in previous DOOM titles, we’re greater than a bit of curious to see how The Darkish Ages fares when it comes to delivering on these guarantees.
