The slogan “Stand and Fight” has been plastered all over Doom: The Dark Ages marketing: a catchphrase that feels at odds with the modern Doom series. Doom 2016 was applauded for its fast gameplay and Doom: Eternal took that one step further with the Meat Hook that let you whip around the battlefield at breakneck speeds. The movement--for many--is what makes Doom, Doom. So to see Doom: The Dark Ages’ encourage players to hold their ground and fight seemed antithetical to that finely tuned formula. At least, that’s what I thought. After three hours of hands-on time with id Software’s next shooter, it seems like Doom: The Dark Ages has found a hypnotic balance between its iconic fast-paced gameplay and the blow-for-blow combat that Dark Ages is bringing to the mix.

Doom: The Dark Ages is a prequel to Doom 2016. The forces of hell are invading a realm heavily inspired by the medieval era, and the Doom Slayer is summoned to do what he does best: Rip and tear through demons. Although this may sound like standard fare for a Doom game, The Dark Ages appears to be taking its story a bit more seriously. It’s still a campy, somewhat self-aware, bloodsoaked romp through demon guts, but the team wanted to use the fantasy setting to its full potential. According to game director Hugo Martin, “When you think of fantasy, and Lord of the Rings, you think huge… There’s a grandness, an epicness to fantasy that people expect.” Despite the shift to fantasy, some of Doom: The Dark Ages’ biggest narrative inspirations for its story were action films like Roadhouse, Die Hard, and First Blood, when it comes to keeping the story engaging throughout its runtime.

While I loved Doom 2016’s minimal approach to storytelling, I’m curious to see what id Software does with Dark Age’s setting. The arenas, enemies, characters, and weapons have all received a medieval makeover that fits the setting and series perfectly. Gothic castles loom over battlefields, enemies use a mix of medieval weaponry and sci-fi firearms, characters are donned in plated armor, and macabre weapons like the Pulverizer grind up skulls and fire out deadly bone shards. It’s a match made in heaven, or rather, hell. That said, Doom: Eternal’s greater emphasis on story felt superfluous. There were some clever callbacks to previous games and fun moments, but when it comes to Doom, all I want to do is shoot, shred, and eviscerate demons. Thankfully, The Dark Ages has plenty of that.

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Depending on the gameplay options chosen, Assassin's Creed Shadows can be a challenging game, but Ubisoft is considering turning the difficulty up to 11 in the future. Amidst community feedback and patches, Ubisoft says it is "actively looking at" making a higher difficulty setting for fans who want to put their skills to the ultimate test.

Speaking to GamesRadar, Assassin's Creed Shadows creative director Jonathon Dumont said that the developers are thinking about making "a tougher setting for difficulty for some of our players," while also monitoring what people have to say about the game.

"Obviously, we can't do everything, but there are things that we're going to be actioning on, and just for the next updates, there are quite a bit of bug fixes and little feature enhancement stuff that is coming in," Dumont said. "I can't just make a list. There's quite a bit of it. So the team is always working to improve the game, and hopefully, people will be able to see the difference when they're playing Shadows in the upcoming months."

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Actor Jason Momoa stars in the upcoming A Minecraft Movie, which is based on the hugely popular video game. But Momoa himself doesn't allow his son to play video games, or even have a phone.

"We don't have a TV. My son doesn't have phone. He's 16 and doesn't have a phone," when asked if his children play video games. "We're different, dude. Because when he's 18 he's gonna have a phone and it'll be out of the house and he can explore the world after that."

Why no phones or video games? "Because I just want them to use their creativity in a different way. So, we do other things. These [phones] are new to the world. Everyone was doing just fine [before phones]. We watch movies together, and that's beautiful."

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One of the biggest unanswered questions in all of gaming for 2025 is when GTA VI will be released. Take-Two and developer Rockstar Games have yet to announce a date, and that could be part of the plan.

Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick told Bloomberg TV's Wall St. Week that while some of its competitors may announce release dates or windows years into the future, that's not what Take-Two will usually do. When asked directly why Take-Two is being so secretive about GTA 6's release date, Zelnick said the publisher likes to hold back marketing materials until "relatively" close to launch.

"The anticipation for [GTA 6] may be the greatest anticipation I've ever seen for an entertainment property, and I've been around the block a few times. And I've been in every entertainment business there is," he said. "We want to maintain the anticipation and the excitement. We have competitors who will describe their release schedule for years in advance. We've found the better thing to do is to provide marketing materials relatively close to the release window in order to create that excitement, and balance the excitement with unmet expectation. We don't always get it right. But that's what we're trying to do."

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Book publisher Lost in Cult has earned a reputation for producing some of the best books on video game history. Soon, the company is launching its next volume, Joysticks to Haptics, a visual history of retro gaming controllers and rare peripherals. The premium hardcover book launches July 3, and preorders are available for $40 at Amazon.

Joysticks to Haptics (Hardcover) $40 | Releases July 3

Joysticks to Haptics is a 240-page hardcover book that explores 50 years of video game controllers, starting from the earliest era of gaming and its chunky peripherals, keyboards, and joysticks, through to the modern gamepads we use today, plus all the various technological advancements that happened in between. There will also be detailed breakdowns of iconic retro devices like the Atari's joystick and the GameCube controller, as well as the latest devices like the PS5 DualSense and Xbox Wireless controllers.

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If you missed out on previous releases from Lost in Cult, you can catch up now, as these books are still available to purchase. The Console Chronicles, released last year, covers five decades of home console gaming, and A Handheld History follows the same path with its examination of handheld gaming devices. Both of these books feature insightful commentary and full-color images, making them engaging tomes of gaming knowledge.

More Lost In Cult Books

• The Console Chronicles -- $30 ($40)
• A Handheld History -- $29 ($40)

If your thirst for knowledge still isn't satisfied after reading those books, then you can also fill out your library with various specialist compendiums from Bitmap Books. Like Lost in Cult's work, each book is designed to feel like a premium purchase thanks to its hardcover design, and each one is a fascinating look at various game genres, platforms, and other aspects of video game development. They tend to sell out fast, but some of them are in stock at Amazon.

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Dive into the twisted reality of Post Trauma, where survival comes at the cost of unexpected encounters and mysteries. Play as Roman, a middle-aged train conductor, as he tries to understand and escape the surreal world he's trapped in. Classic horror games mechanics get a modern twist, blending fixed camera angles with a truly modern presentation and control types, including optional tank controls. Solve puzzles and riddles with the information you will gather exploring your surroundings to progress in the game and try to explain what is happening to you and the world around you. Unravel haunting mysteries and face or escape nightmarish creatures at every turn.

It is said that only in the darkest of times, true heroes are forged. But others may be lured by this darkness onto a much easier path. Some follow this path out of selfish greed and lust for power, while others do so out of a corrupted sense of duty, stopping at nothing to achieve their higher goals. A few of the most powerful ones have the dubious honor of being proclaimed Lords of Ravage. You'll take on the role of one of these Lords on the brink of their defeat. Search for a great artifact that can change the fate of this world. Deal with any heroes brave or foolish enough to interfere with your plans. Hunt for forgotten artifacts, forge dark alliances, and undertake daring raids to take by force everything your heart desires.

Demonschool is a new-style tactics RPG where motion equals action. Defeat big weirdos in between the human and demon worlds as Faye and her misfit companions, while navigating university life on a mysterious island. Plan your team's schedule to enhance their skills and gain new abilities. Gain new teammates and enhance their relationships depending on who you choose to pursue.

Solitas is in danger! Erika learns this from a mysterious stranger named Airic O 'Fory. He warns her and her future companions of another shadow crusade, an approaching threat that took countless lives in Solitas 24 years ago. Only the descendants of the clans of elements have the power to avert it - Descendants like Erika. And so she embarks on a journey into the unknown, which will lead her through all of Solitas and perhaps even beyond. Join Erika on her mission! Find all those who have been chosen to walk this path with her and awaken their elemental powers. Not only do they open up unique possibilities in combat, they also help you to overcome various obstacles along the way. Defeat fearsome monsters, treacherous adversaries - and sometimes Erika's own fears.

Truck Mechanic: Dangerous Paths challenges you to transport huge variety of goods using your excellent driving skills, on South American wilderness. Contracts are getting more profitable as you get more reputation, each allowing you to improve your cash balance, upgrade or customize your truck. Take care, though, and watch the road, as accidents and involuntary pit stops cause more problems than simply making your clients mad. If you have no choice, just leave the cabin and make some temporary repairs, refuel frequently whenever possible. And most importantly, remember that there are many paths leading to your destination. The most dangerous South America paths are waiting for you!

Welcome to EstradaBus HD, a bus simulator developed by Estrada Digital Games. The simulator produced by Estrada Digital Games has a very simple proposal: the transport of passengers in city and countryside maps, crossing between beautiful scenaries through several bus models available in game. The game counts with, initially, with six bus models, two maps and dozens of jobs as bus driver to improve your company!