Doom: The Dark Ages has a sprint button, something the series has not implemented since 2004. But while Doom 3's sprint option proved somewhat controversial among series fans by slowing down the overall pace of the game, The Dark Ages isn't compromising on speed.
"We also have sprint in the game now," creative director Hugo Martin told media in a presentation ahead of the game's appearance at Xbox Developer Direct. "Your general walking speed is pretty fast. That's what's interesting - in many ways, the game is actually faster, but because it's more grounded and the control scheme is streamlined, it doesn't become more complex or overwhelming."
Doom has always been known for its lightning-fast basic movement, going all the way back the 1993 original. The one exception the that rule was Doom 3, which traded blistering action for slower-paced horror vibes. Part of that new focus included the introduction of a sprint button, complete with limited stamina that'd see you run out of breath if you spent too long running from monsters. The Dark Ages seems to be taking a much different approach to sprint, treating it like an expansion on the speed the series is known for rather than a limitation.
"This is Doom through and through," studio director Marty Stratton continued. "Truly, it feels like a Doom game. It feels like a different take on Doom, but going back to the originals, there's a lot of that. And the shield bashing, the speed at which you move through the environment is incredible."
"If in 2016 you felt like Bruce Lee on a skateboard with a shotgun," Martin concluded, "this time you're going to feel like a silverback on a hoverboard with a giant sledgehammer."
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