Doom: The Dark Ages' chainsaw-shield sounds like the most metal weapon since Gears of War's Lancer, and thankfully, it's equipped "at all times"

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Shield in your left hand, skull-crushing guns in your right

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(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

Doom: The Dark Ages looks to be significantly less high-tech than Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal, what with its medieval dark fantasy setting and all, but its chainsaw-shield is still shaping up to be the most badass shooter weapon since Gears of War's Lancer, and we'll thankfully be using it "at all times."

The Doom prequel was announced last week at the Xbox Game Showcase where we got blisteringly quick looks at Doom Guy's updated arsenal, which includes the aptly named Skull Crusher (because it shoots crushed skull debris) and a rideable metal dragon. But nothing made me giddy with excitement like the Shield Saw - "a chainsaw and shield."

"You will have that shield in your hand at all times," creative director Hugo Martin explains in an interview with Gamesradar+, "you're basically dual-wielding. I want players to feel like Aragorn, or Leonidas at the hot gates of 300. You're the hero of a massive battle in an FPS, in a Doom game no less. It just felt like it would be a really fun challenge for the team to take on, and I think we delivered it."

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As you can see in the trailer above, "there's a lot of stuff you can do with the shield. You can block attacks, you can parry projectiles, there are melee weapons you can combo attacks with – you use it to solve problems. You basically exploit weaknesses with the shield in your left hand, and then you hurt things with the guns in your right," Martin explains. "It's pretty simple."

Doom Guy also seems to be able to chuck and recall the Shield Saw like a boomerang or Kratos' axe in the God of War reboot, a feat that likely opens up all sorts of puzzle-solving, head-removing opportunities. Add on spinning blades à la Gears of War's fellow flesh ripper-and-tearer, and we have ourselves a toy that I can't wait to mess with. 

Elsewhere, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said that Doom: The Dark Ages was coming to PS5 because Doom is a “franchise that everyone deserves to play.”

Kaan Serin
Freelance contributor

Kaan freelances for various websites including Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, and this one, Gamesradar. He particularly enjoys writing about spooky indies, throwback RPGs, and anything that's vaguely silly. Also has an English Literature and Film Studies degree that he'll soon forget.