You can already play DOOM: The Dark Ages inside the OG Doom

When it comes to the legacy of the first-person shooter, the name Doom should have you all quaking in your boots. While it's true that 1973's Maze War gets the honour of being the 'first' FPS, and Wolfenstein 3D is credited with founding the genre in 1992, 1993's Doom is undoubtedly one of the most influential games of all time.

Of course, the Doom name has been through plenty of changes over the years. The original trilogy bowed out with the disappointing Doom 3, and after plans for Doom 4 fell through, the franchise was eventually rebooted in 2016. After the success of the reboot and 2020's DOOM Eternal, DOOM: The Dark Ages is here to slay another day.

You can already play DOOM: The Dark Ages inside Doom

Revealed during June's Xbox showcase, DOOM: The Dark Ages serves as a prequel to the whole sorry saga, taking place (as the name suggests) in the Middle Ages and serving as a Doom Slayer origin story. Think Army of Darkness but even bloodier. 

DOOM: The Dark Ages is coming out of the gate hot in 2025, and although id Software overlord Bethesda now sits under the Microsoft umbrella, the slaughter shooter is also coming to PS5 and PC. The first trailer teased the most ambitious Doom yet, and with it certainly getting the blood pumping, 2025 can't come soon enough.

If you're itching to blast some medieval monsters, DOOM: The Dark Ages is already playable - albeit with a catch. X user @CreeperofSteam has already made a Doom mod that puts the new and improved (or should that be old and improved) Doom Slayer in the OG title. 

The mod swaps Doom's iconic chainsaw for the new addition of Doom Slayer's Shield Saw. Although we're still not quite sure how the weapon works, it featured prominently in the first trailer for The Dark Ages. Better yet, the OP confirms you can throw the Shield Saw just like in the new game.

Doom fans love The Dark Ages mod

CreeperOfSteam hasn't revealed how far they plan on going with the mod, although they've hinted that the equally iconic Skull Crusher gun could soon be on the way. Considering the trailer for DOOM: The Dark Ages has only been out for a matter of days, this gamer is working faster than the devs. 

Others were equally impressed with their work and can't wait to jump into the demonic deathmatch all over again. One fan said, "This is my type of game, yes Sir~," while another added, "This took you 12 hours after the trailer dropped... You are a hero 🫡." There was also the brilliant brainwave of someone suggesting, "Needs a Captain America mod 😋."

At this rate, we'll be able to play all of DOOM: The Dark Ages before the game comes out next year. Even 21 years after Doom first released, we're glad to see it being kept alive by being played on pregnancy tests and being modded with the latest outing.