Every weapon in Doom: The Dark Ages

We played a few hours of Doom: The Dark Ages ahead of its full release and here’s a comprehensive rundown on every weapon we came across during our hands-on time.

Five years removed from the lightning-quick pace of Doom Eternal, The Dark Ages draws near as id Software throws us back in time. Set well before the events of Doom 2016, the upcoming prequel will show us the origins of the Doom Slayer and how he became so feared throughout the realms.

Not only that, but it also gives us a raft of new weaponry like the skull-crushing Pulverizer, along with early versions of some iconic staples like the trusty Super Shotgun.

Knowing full well which guns you’re bringing into a fight is crucial, so to give you an early heads up, here’s an overview of every weapon we came across during our early preview of Doom: The Dark Ages.

All guns in Doom: The Dark Ages

Accelerator

id Software

The Accelerator only gets better as a fight goes on.

First up comes the Accelerator. While we didn’t spend a great deal of time with this weapon in our preview, it reminded us of the Plasma gun from the previous games. While its fire rate is a little slower here, this variation builds up increased damage over time.

In essence, landing shots on demons with the Accelerator builds its charge. The higher the charge, the greater the damage dealt.

Combat Shotgun

id Software

The standard Shotgun is still a reliable tool for any fight in The Dark Ages.

Next is the stock standard Shotgun Doom fans will be all too familiar with. There’s no huge shakeup to the formula here as, after all, why would you change the most iconic gun in the franchise (sorry, BFG), but it does have a unique upgrade tree this time around.

For instance, the weapon can pack incendiary ammo, burning targets and ensuring they drop armor pickups.

Impaler

The Impaler is a weapon we didn’t get a chance to go hands-on with during the preview, but was nonetheless there in the menus. From a glance, it appears the function of this gun is as described, to launch out powerful projectiles and ideally, impale targets to nearby surfaces.

Pulverizer

id Software

Everyone’s new favorite gun has a name, and it’s the Pulverizer.

The one we’ve all been waiting for since the very first snippet of gameplay, the Pulverizer is an absolute treat. This is the skull-crusher that instantly went viral upon its reveal, and we’re happy to report it lives up to the hype.

It’s best used when facing off against crowds of enemies, as its spread is far wider than just about any other weapon in the game. Who doesn’t want to mow down a dozen weaker foes all at once?

Reaver Chainshot

id Software

The Chainshot quickly became our favorite weapon in the preview.

We unearthed the Reaver Chainshot a little later in our hands-on preview, so expect to find this one a fair few hours into the final game. It’s well worth seeking out though as it packs one hell of a punch.

You’re able to charge up before firing out a “dense spherical core” that deals damage upon contact. Charging for a brief period increases damage, range, and speed of the projectile.

Super Shotgun

id Software

The Super Shotgun certainly still packs a punch.

Next we have the fan-favorite Super Shotgun. Essentially the classic Double Barrel, it’s been a staple across just about every Doom game, and The Dark Ages is set to be no different.

Shredder

The Shredder acts as an SMG of sorts, dealing damage at close range with its rapid-fire rate. It’s a solid all-rounder that can open up plenty of melee finishers or simply stagger weaker foes, but don’t expect this one to be wiping out tougher bosses anytime soon.

Twin Barrel

Rounding out the list is the Twin Barrel, a weapon that “launches powerful plasma spikes at a moderate rate of fire.” While we didn’t get much time to test this one, it’s highly effective at staggering enemies thanks to its shock damage.

Melee weapons in Doom: The Dark Ages

Beyond the traditional guns listed above, Doom: The Dark Ages also introduces new melee weapons. As we outlined in our preview, standing your ground and trading fisticuffs completely changes how you approach combat in the new entry.

As such, spicing things up are three unique melee weapons that we know of thus far. They are as follows.

Flail

id Software

Yes, the Flail is just as fun to use as it looks.

From some of the first teaser images through to the game’s splash art, we’ve seen the Flail plenty. It’s an iconic visual, shield in one hand, flail in the other, and rest assured, it packs a wallop.

You can chain together multiple quick strikes if you have the energy, and it lends to some devastatingly brutal animations if you finish the job up close and personal.

Gauntlet

If you prefer a more traditional approach to melee combat, the Gauntlet is for you. Emboldening your fists, this melee choice focuses on single target strikes, ramping up the damage with each subsequent blow in a combo.

Mace

Last but not least we have the Mace. We haven’t seen this melee weapon directly, but we did spot mention of it in the menus, and devs have previously confirmed its existence. We’ll just have to wait and see how this one differs from the rest, but it’s safe to expect some demonic decapitations with just the right swing.

That’s every gun and melee weapon we know of so far, but in typical Doom fashion, there’s sure to be plenty more hidden away in the later stages. We’ll update you here once we’ve got the full game in our hands and track down the rest of the arsenal.