Fans are understandably excited about the recent announcement of Doom: The Dark AgesThe upcoming standalone game will be the first new experience in the iconic and long-running franchise since Eternal fate in 2020. The short reveal trailer for the project was packed with intriguing details and gameplay elements, with the game clearly revolving around major medieval influences.

In addition to exciting new weapons and mechanics such as mech suit combat and mounted dragon exploration, Doom: The Dark Ages tells the story of the time of the Doom Slayer in the land of Argent D’Nur. This makes the title a prequel to the 2016 Downfallalthough many references and gameplay sequences around Argent D’Nur also appear in Eternal fate. Some players are understandably confused about how exactly The Dark Ages fits into the franchise’s extensive timeline, which stretches back to its debut in 1993, and The Dark Ages actually occupies a blind spot in the timeline that has existed for a long time.

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What are you most looking forward to in Doom: The Dark Ages?

Aside from the supposedly revamped glory kill system and giant mechs, I’m really looking forward to what I imagine combat in Doom: The Dark Ages will be like. It’s supposed to be slower and more methodical than previous games. I’m also dying to use that wood chipper gun that grinds skulls and shoots bone fragments.

Doom: The Dark Ages builds a narrative bridge between the new and old identity of the franchise

The 2016 release Downfall is considered a soft reboot of the franchise, offering an accessible story for new fans of the franchise while maintaining narrative ties to the original Downfall titles that dominated the gaming industry in the 1990s. The Doom Slayer or “Doomguy” that fans control in these rebooted games is actually the same protagonist from the original Downfall Trilogy and Downfall 64but the narrative connections between these two eras of the franchise have always been somewhat unclear.

Downfall 64 was the last fans saw of the original Doomguy for nearly 20 years. This 1997 title ended with Doomguy voluntarily staying in Hell to fight the forces of evil for all eternity. That story eventually continued with 2016. Downfallwhich begins with the series’ protagonist entombed and trapped in an elaborate sarcophagus. This implies that the demons of Hell have somehow managed to contain Doomguy to stop his merciless attack, and Doom: The Dark Ages will tell the story of how exactly this happened.

Out of Eternal fateit is known that Doomguy easily fought in Hell for centuries due to the unusual temporal composition of the realm, eventually driving the Space Marine to the brink of madness. Somehow, Doomguy was transported to the world of Argent D’Nur, an ancient land of humanoids who owe their existence and powerful technology to ancient god-like beings known as Wraiths.

Doom: The Dark Ages offers a deeper look at Argent D’Nur and the Night Sentinels

Doomguy was quickly adopted by the people of Argenta, particularly into their warrior caste known as the Sentinels, with Argent D’Nur becoming involved in a ruthless invasion of Hell’s demons. Thanks to his combat experience and knowledge of Hell, Doomguy quickly rose through the ranks of the Sentinels, gaining ancient powers of strength and endurance and earning the nickname “Doom Slayer”.

Doom: The Dark Ages Fans can see how influential the Doom Slayer was in Argent D’Nur’s war against Hell, and it will finally provide a clear narrative connection between the franchise’s beloved first entries and their modern counterparts. Officially, it occupies the previously blurred timeline between Downfall 64 and 2016 Downfallthe upcoming Dark Ages aims to offer fans fascinating insights into new forms of exploration, weapons, scale, and societies that seek to differentiate themselves from the larger franchise.