After 30 years of guns and gore this franchise is turning to story
Anyone who hasn't thought about the video game series Doom since the mid-1990s might be surprised to see the latest trailers for Doom: The Dark Ages, which is launching next week.
id Software's seminal shooter series has maintained its guns, its gore and its blend of sci-fi and satanic vibes that helped propel it to massive success decades ago. But it also has knights, shields, a massive pilotable mech and what appears to be an epic and cinematic tech-horror-fantasy storyline.
It's not the only legacy franchise to have ballooned from an all-action gameplay experience to something that – at least in part – is presented like a Hollywood blockbuster. Look at recent Tomb Raiders, Final Fantasies, Sonics, Zeldas and even Street Fighters. And especially look at the recently delayed Grand Theft Auto 6, which is shaping up to be one of the biggest and most expensive games of all time, despite the series' humble beginnings.
It's not that there's no longer a market for more focused and exclusively playable experiences; those are furnished in essentially all genres by smaller-scale games generally by smaller teams, and sold at a lower price. Or players simply return to the originals; all the old Doom games are available, packaged with new maps and running in high resolution, on current platforms.
But new games in these massive tent-pole franchises operate on a different level, as marquee releases for major corporations, costing many years and millions of dollars to make, and being sold for more than $100 a copy. Each one needs to be different from the last. And, importantly, bigger.
The world of Doom was reset in 2016, with a new game that emphasised brutality and heavy metal music but also brought back a lot of 'video gaminess' that had been shed in the dour 2000s. Yet through that game and its sequel, 2020's Doom Eternal, director Hugo Martin has built an entire narrative framework linking the superhuman demon-fighting protagonist (referred to as The Slayer) to earlier games, and charting his path through hell and back via several dimensions and centuries of warfare.
Just as in Marvel movies, progressing the plot has become almost as integral as the action and spectacle, and in The Dark Ages, Martin is embracing on-screen storytelling in a way Doom never has before.
'As much as we like [ Doom Eternal ], there's never an intention to just create the same experience but with new weapons. As a trilogy, we think that it's going to be much more satisfying for players to be able to play each game and know that each one kind of stands on its own, as its own unique experience,' Martin said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
13-06-2025
- Perth Now
REVEALED: Why Dakota Johnson and Chris Martin split up
Dakota Johnson reportedly broke up with Chris Martin because she was sick of waiting around for her ex-partner to set a wedding date. The Fifty Shades of Grey star and Coldplay singer have been dating since 2017 and sparked engagement rumours during 2020, but last week reportedly called off their eight year on and off again relationship for the second time. A source told Page Six that Johnson broke up with Martin because she 'was sick of him dragging his feet on setting a date for the wedding'. Another insider added that 'They broke up over Chris Martin not wanting to have more kids,' which comes after a different source told The Sun their age gap posed a problem in raising children. 'They really tried to work through their issues, but the age gap was often a problem, and she'd expressed that she may want children in the future, whereas Chris is kind of done with that part of his life, but they discussed it,' they said. 'They made some beautiful memories as a family, and it'll be hard for both of them to move on after such a long relationship, but they will do it.' Meanwhile, the Daily Mail spoke to someone who claimed their relationship has actually 'been over for a long time, they just haven't been able to figure out to make it official.' Chris Evans, Dakota Johnson and Pedro Pascal star in Materialists. Credit: Supplied Neither Johnson nor Martin has commented on their split, but they seemed to be friendly recently based on Martin plugging his ex's new movie, Materialists, in which she stars alongside Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal. At the end of a concert on his band's Music of the Spheres World Tour in Las Vegas, he took a minute to give Johnson what sounded like a subtle shout-out. 'Thank you so much, everybody. Be kind to yourself. Be kind to each other. Don't forget to see Materialists. We love you,' he said in a video obtained by DeuxMoi. While the person who filmed the video claimed the pair were still going strong, the nice message came amid reports they had split, with a source telling People that it 'felt final this time.' The pair were last spotted in Malibu together on May 16.
The Advertiser
11-06-2025
- The Advertiser
Small change, big memories: iconic kids' birthday cakes honoured on gold coins
Nostalgic kids' birthday cakes may soon start appearing in coin purses as the Royal Australian Mint releases a dozen designs based on a decades-old cookbook. The Australian Women's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book, first published in 1980, has inspired the new coin designs released on June 12. "Passed down through generations, this beloved book has sparked joy, kitchen chaos and unforgettable birthday memories," the mint said. The jelly-filled swimming pool, the lolly-laden candy castle, the Dolly Varden dress, the choo-choo train cake and the rubber ducky are among 12 recipes to be replicated on the mint's designs. The coins are legal tender, but have been designed with collectors in mind, as there's limited mintage on the series. Royal Australian Mint acting CEO Emily Martin, a child of the 1980s, said, "This cake book was on every bookshelf and used in just about every kitchen across Australia". "I used to spend a lot of time poring over its pages, choosing my next birthday cake," she said. "I particularly remember having the swimming pool. Of course, it was made with green jelly because in 1980, when this book came out, they didn't actually have blue jelly. It wasn't invented until later." Recipes from the Australian Women's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book were selected because they are "relatable to many Australians". "At the Mint, part of our remit is telling Australian stories and reliving Australian culture through our coins," Ms Martin said. "Something like this is just iconic, a lot of our coin programs showcase historic events or our natural beauty through our flora and fauna." The mint is releasing special products in addition to the coin series. "We have a special limited edition hardcover children's birthday cake book with a $1 choo choo train coin in it," Ms Martin said. She said the mint was also releasing an old-fashioned recipe card box, complete with coins and cake recipe cards. The mint is running an online ballot system to ensure the collectibles aren't scooped up by a handful of buyers. There will also be in-person purchase limits for customers buying through News Express stores. "There are limited mintages of everything, so I really would encourage people to get their hands on them as quickly as they can," the acting CEO said. Nostalgic kids' birthday cakes may soon start appearing in coin purses as the Royal Australian Mint releases a dozen designs based on a decades-old cookbook. The Australian Women's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book, first published in 1980, has inspired the new coin designs released on June 12. "Passed down through generations, this beloved book has sparked joy, kitchen chaos and unforgettable birthday memories," the mint said. The jelly-filled swimming pool, the lolly-laden candy castle, the Dolly Varden dress, the choo-choo train cake and the rubber ducky are among 12 recipes to be replicated on the mint's designs. The coins are legal tender, but have been designed with collectors in mind, as there's limited mintage on the series. Royal Australian Mint acting CEO Emily Martin, a child of the 1980s, said, "This cake book was on every bookshelf and used in just about every kitchen across Australia". "I used to spend a lot of time poring over its pages, choosing my next birthday cake," she said. "I particularly remember having the swimming pool. Of course, it was made with green jelly because in 1980, when this book came out, they didn't actually have blue jelly. It wasn't invented until later." Recipes from the Australian Women's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book were selected because they are "relatable to many Australians". "At the Mint, part of our remit is telling Australian stories and reliving Australian culture through our coins," Ms Martin said. "Something like this is just iconic, a lot of our coin programs showcase historic events or our natural beauty through our flora and fauna." The mint is releasing special products in addition to the coin series. "We have a special limited edition hardcover children's birthday cake book with a $1 choo choo train coin in it," Ms Martin said. She said the mint was also releasing an old-fashioned recipe card box, complete with coins and cake recipe cards. The mint is running an online ballot system to ensure the collectibles aren't scooped up by a handful of buyers. There will also be in-person purchase limits for customers buying through News Express stores. "There are limited mintages of everything, so I really would encourage people to get their hands on them as quickly as they can," the acting CEO said. Nostalgic kids' birthday cakes may soon start appearing in coin purses as the Royal Australian Mint releases a dozen designs based on a decades-old cookbook. The Australian Women's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book, first published in 1980, has inspired the new coin designs released on June 12. "Passed down through generations, this beloved book has sparked joy, kitchen chaos and unforgettable birthday memories," the mint said. The jelly-filled swimming pool, the lolly-laden candy castle, the Dolly Varden dress, the choo-choo train cake and the rubber ducky are among 12 recipes to be replicated on the mint's designs. The coins are legal tender, but have been designed with collectors in mind, as there's limited mintage on the series. Royal Australian Mint acting CEO Emily Martin, a child of the 1980s, said, "This cake book was on every bookshelf and used in just about every kitchen across Australia". "I used to spend a lot of time poring over its pages, choosing my next birthday cake," she said. "I particularly remember having the swimming pool. Of course, it was made with green jelly because in 1980, when this book came out, they didn't actually have blue jelly. It wasn't invented until later." Recipes from the Australian Women's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book were selected because they are "relatable to many Australians". "At the Mint, part of our remit is telling Australian stories and reliving Australian culture through our coins," Ms Martin said. "Something like this is just iconic, a lot of our coin programs showcase historic events or our natural beauty through our flora and fauna." The mint is releasing special products in addition to the coin series. "We have a special limited edition hardcover children's birthday cake book with a $1 choo choo train coin in it," Ms Martin said. She said the mint was also releasing an old-fashioned recipe card box, complete with coins and cake recipe cards. The mint is running an online ballot system to ensure the collectibles aren't scooped up by a handful of buyers. There will also be in-person purchase limits for customers buying through News Express stores. "There are limited mintages of everything, so I really would encourage people to get their hands on them as quickly as they can," the acting CEO said. Nostalgic kids' birthday cakes may soon start appearing in coin purses as the Royal Australian Mint releases a dozen designs based on a decades-old cookbook. The Australian Women's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book, first published in 1980, has inspired the new coin designs released on June 12. "Passed down through generations, this beloved book has sparked joy, kitchen chaos and unforgettable birthday memories," the mint said. The jelly-filled swimming pool, the lolly-laden candy castle, the Dolly Varden dress, the choo-choo train cake and the rubber ducky are among 12 recipes to be replicated on the mint's designs. The coins are legal tender, but have been designed with collectors in mind, as there's limited mintage on the series. Royal Australian Mint acting CEO Emily Martin, a child of the 1980s, said, "This cake book was on every bookshelf and used in just about every kitchen across Australia". "I used to spend a lot of time poring over its pages, choosing my next birthday cake," she said. "I particularly remember having the swimming pool. Of course, it was made with green jelly because in 1980, when this book came out, they didn't actually have blue jelly. It wasn't invented until later." Recipes from the Australian Women's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book were selected because they are "relatable to many Australians". "At the Mint, part of our remit is telling Australian stories and reliving Australian culture through our coins," Ms Martin said. "Something like this is just iconic, a lot of our coin programs showcase historic events or our natural beauty through our flora and fauna." The mint is releasing special products in addition to the coin series. "We have a special limited edition hardcover children's birthday cake book with a $1 choo choo train coin in it," Ms Martin said. She said the mint was also releasing an old-fashioned recipe card box, complete with coins and cake recipe cards. The mint is running an online ballot system to ensure the collectibles aren't scooped up by a handful of buyers. There will also be in-person purchase limits for customers buying through News Express stores. "There are limited mintages of everything, so I really would encourage people to get their hands on them as quickly as they can," the acting CEO said.
The Age
11-06-2025
- The Age
I know what you read last summer (and it was probably horror)
In the mid-2010s, moviegoers embraced the so-called 'elevated' horror boom, with films such as The Babadook, Get Out, Midsommar and The Witch at the vanguard – low-budget, high-concept genre fare that used classic horror tropes to probe contemporary societal ills like toxic relationships, racism and mental illness. (The 'elevated' label was a bit of clever rebranding, like slapping an 'organic' sticker on a hamburger; these movies function the same way great horror always has – you just feel a little less dirty about enjoying them.) Now it seems it's literature's turn. In 2023, there was a record number of new horror books both published and sold, and two years on, the trend shows little sign of slowing. Literary agents are reporting submission piles filling up with more tales of the weird and eerie, from eco-horror to folk horror to the aptly named 'femgore' – hyper-violent, female-centric body horror. In the last year alone – and this is but a tiny sliver of what's on offer – we've had Gretchen Felker-Martin's Cuckoo, which made the very real horrors of gay conversion camps manifest in a grotesque body-snatching teen epic. Rachel Harrison's So Thirsty took a big, bloody bite out of 21st-century female friendship with its ultra-gory vampire antics. The Lamb, Lucy Rose's fairytale debut, told the touching story a young girl caring for her mother … by bringing her stray hikers to satiate her cannibalistic urge for human flesh (pair it with Monika Kim's The Eyes are the Best Part for a stomach-churning family-sized feast). And 50 years after the publication of his first novel, Carrie, horror stalwart Stephen King released his latest short story anthology You Like It Darker (just months after a brand-new novel, Holly – also featuring cannibals). King isn't the only elder statesman jostling for shelf space alongside the BookTok generation. George A. Romero, the man responsible for our modern conception of zombies, with films like The Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead, released his final novel earlier this year, somewhat fittingly from beyond the grave. Co-written by Daniel Kraus, who discovered the incomplete manuscript in an archive box at the University of Pittsburgh Library in 2019, Pay the Piper is a sweaty, cosmic eco-horror set in the muggy depths of the Louisiana bayou, where a nine-year-old girl named Pontiac and a rag-tag group of townsfolk from her home of Alligator Point come up against an ancient, vengeful evil that's been lurking in the swamp and preying on children. While Romero will forever be remembered primarily as an orchestrator of gnarly kills and ground-breaking special effects, his zombie movies always had more than merely brains on the brain. His seminal Night of the Living Dead is often read as a critique of racial tensions in 1960s America; it features a Black protagonist (played by Duane Jones) who survives an undead horde only to be shot by a white sheriff. The 1978 follow-up, Dawn of the Dead, set entirely in a shopping mall, can only be seen as a satirical indictment of rampant consumerism. Pay the Piper continues this tradition of smuggling hefty themes into seemingly straightforward horror schtick. Young Pontiac's home is under threat from a nefarious character known only as The Oil Man – a phantom-like stand-in for the entire fossil fuel industry – as well as The Piper itself, an aquatic Lovecraftian creature seeking restitution for the thousands of slaves slaughtered and dumped in its waters by the infamous Pirates Lafitte in the 1800s. Romero and Kraus' book mutates from gooey Southern Gothic to a full-throated treatise on human cruelty and environmental calamity; it's spooky, stirring Cajun cli-fi with a healthy dose of tentacles. Closer to home, this March saw the release of Margot McGovern's riveting supernatural YA slasher This Stays Between Us. McGovern's second book boasts a little bit of everything: early 2000s nostalgia, late-night seances, teenage crushes, buried secrets and a predatory entity known only as Smiling Jack that hunts its four young female protagonists as they try to survive year 11 camp in a remote, abandoned mining town. McGovern's first book, Neverland, released in 2018, hewed much closer to magical realism – but a life-long love of horror helped inspire her sophomore stab. 'I've always been a huge horror fan,' says McGovern. 'I read and watched a lot growing up, but there wasn't a lot of Australian horror at that time. Most of the movies came from the US. And with horror books, in the '90s it felt like you had R.L. Stine and then there was this huge gap before you jumped to Stephen King and Clive Barker.' Teen horror films filled that gap for McGovern. 'I always knew I wanted to write a book that was set here in Australia and evoked the Australian landscape and personality, but embodied all the fun of a late-90s slasher,' she says. 'Kevin Williamson's screenplays were a huge influence on me. I love Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer and Teaching Mrs. Tingle – even movies like The Craft.' Of course, the defining feature of all these movies – and many of the books already mentioned – is teenagers. In horror, teens are often the heroes, the hapless victims and the target audience all at once. 'Horror occupies this really interesting liminal space for teenagers,' McGovern says of her passion for writing YA. 'It gives you that last little bit of make-believe. 'It offers a step up into the adult world, where things can be genuinely terrifying and violent. When you're 13 or 14, you feel like things are out of your control – you're going through this huge transition, you're figuring out who you are, your body's changing, all the rules are changing! – and horror not only explores that, but gives you a way to take back some power and agency.' Perhaps that explains our present-day horror boom, then. We're all of us teenagers in a world that feels increasingly out of control – but instead of regressing into childhood and escaping into all-out fantasy, we're ready to confront our fears; to look the monster under the bed, or the creature in the swamp, or the thing in the mirror dead in the eye. 'Horror has always responded to what's happening in the culture,' McGovern says. 'I think that's part of the reason why it's making such a comeback now. In times of uncertainty and upheaval, horror offers a set of familiar tropes that lets you approach your darkest fears in an almost comforting way.'
