Technologies

Doom: The Dark Ages Preview: Hands-On With a Heavy Metal Album-Turned-Shooter

The next action-packed FPS in the vaunted Doom franchise slows down the pace for a different flavor of gothic carnage.

The reboot of the Doom franchise starting with the titular 2016 title into a fast-paced shooter was a resounding success, and its 2020 sequel Doom Eternal ramped up the speed even more. So it may have come to surprise fans that developer id Software decided to slow things down for the third installment, Doom: The Dark Ages — but after playing several hours of the game, I’ve mostly enjoyed the new direction they’ve taken the gruesome shooter, which admirably reshuffles the ingredients to tickle similar Doom urges with new flavors.

At a preview event in Los Angeles, California, id Software and publisher Bethesda brought journalists and influencers to play an over 3-hour chunk of Doom: The Dark Ages. The substantial playtime included an early slice of the linear campaign, samplings of the mecha and dragon-back combat and a later extended segment in a huge map carved into arenas — enough time to get a feel for the flow of fights and upgrades.

The Dark Ages is a prequel to the 2016 Doom game, which itself had such a thin story that players shouldn’t worry terribly if they’ve forgotten what happened (or never played). The newest game is flung so far in the past that it doesn’t really matter — the Doom Slayer as a character is functionally immortal, so this adventure seems to be opening the games up to flinging him around in time to shake up the setting.

And boy, what a setting. As trailers have shown, The Dark Ages takes place in the kind of medieval fantasy splayed on metal album covers and airbrushed on the sides of vans — demons, dragons and Doom Slayers make for a rollicking mix of blood and thunder. Sure, there are some sci-fi starships and tech to handwave players teleporting between stages and equipping a plethora of firearms, but everyone agrees that it also makes sense to bring a shield with a buzzsaw to a gunfight.

That gun-and-melee alchemy is at the center of The Dark Ages, and it’s clear a ton of tinkering has gone into how players employ their new shield. This time around, players are rooted to the ground — no more dashing around — to transition from the frenetic fights of the recent Doom games into the brutal slugfests of The Dark Ages. Shoot, block, shoot, counter, deathblow — it’s a ballet of brutality.

I found myself missing the air-dashes of the earlier Doom games, and it took time to get used to bringing up my shield instead of keeping constantly on the move. But there are a handful of tools to keep you from hunkering behind the shield (which can only take so many shots before being temporarily disabled) — you can dash and bash with your shield to close distance as well as make special melee attacks (which have a certain amount of uses before needing to recharge).

I had to watch my limited ammo, health and armor on top of tracking enemies, which was a lot to keep track of, and it took practically the whole preview session to feel halfway competent in the combat flow. It’s color-coded: avoid the orange blasts but use your shield to block the green ones to damage or disable enemies; when near death, they’ll glow purple for you to finish them off. Further into the demo, I found more interactions — like enemies wearing armor, which needed to be shot enough to glow red-hot, after which I could throw my shield to shatter it, leaving them vulnerable.

The fantasy setting liberates the franchise from its high-tech veneer, setting aside pulse rifles for a menagerie of inventive, medieval destruction methods: a buzzsaw added to the shield to throw into enemies, a magazine-fed stake thrower, a gun that churns up skulls to spew room-clearing bone fragments and even a gun that fires a heavy ball on a chain like a projectile flail. Upgrades creatively expand the moveset: the plasma-firing gun, for instance, can be shot at an enemy you’ve lodged your shield into to electrify surrounding enemies.

Slaughter from on high: Mech and dragon segments are fun diversions

Amid the carnage of its new shield-and-gun focus, early trailers of Doom: The Dark Ages showed peeks at new gameplay sequences that got fans excited: piloting a colossal mech and riding a cybernetically enhanced dragon. My preview jumped to time with both, and I have a clear favorite. (It’s the mech.)

When I climbed into the Atlan, as the Doom Slayer-looking mech is called, the game zoomed out to accommodate my skyscraper frame. The scale is the fun here. Each prodigious step made the ground quake, and I effortlessly plowed through bridges filled with enemies that would’ve taken a lot of effort to eliminate on foot. I stomped on squads of tanks to get in range of massive demons — which, naturally, I punched the daylights out of.

Atlan combat is a slugfest, with amazing sound selling the colossal crunch of my massive fists colliding with a demon’s face. And yes, there’s a bit of a mechanical flow: pummeling enemies builds up a meter to stomp a directional column or fire energy blasts. While out of range, I engaged a rocket punch to close the distance. It sold me on how these Pacific Rim-esque sequences clashing with Kaiju-size demons will break up the extended gunplay on the ground (and feel metal as heck).

The dragon sequences were, sad to say, not as fun.

I hear you, readers: how can the Doom Slayer clambering on the back of a dragon with neon red holo-wings, jet thrusters and a machine gun be droll? But all that promised speed and excitement of riding an iconic fantasy beast straight off the cover of Heavy Metal gets slowed way, way down for the sections I played.

I dashed through levels at top speed until it was time to take on enemies, which just led to my dragon hovering around while I took out stationary foes shooting at me — which is fine to mix in some bullet hell gameplay, but disappointing compared with the swift and lithe dragon combat I was expecting. I might as well have been shooting out of a stationary helicopter.

There’s some cool toying with scope in the dragon section I played, wherein I systematically took down a demon battleship’s (Hell Carrier, technically) turrets and main gun before diving in to destroy the massive vessel’s central core from the inside. Rinse and repeat for a few more ships, which gave me time to understand and grudgingly adapt to a dodge mechanic in the stationary sections, which felt more punishing than rewarding.

But even after struggling through this section, there was the undeniable bright spot of the game’s commitment to fist-pumping moments — like whittling down an annoying colossal demon until I could activate a finisher, when my dragon flew forward and wrenched its jaws apart to spew jets of flame down its throat. Heavy metal as hell.

The best for last: Siege, an open range of death-dealing

The fourth and final section of the demo was simply called Siege. Whereas the first on-foot section I played followed early Doom games in a fairly linear path with a few offshoots, the siege opened up to a huge map — essentially multiple contained arenas connected by paths and walkways, each of which you could assault in the order you choose, with plenty of secret areas tucked into the sides.

If the first levels were a classroom teaching the rhythms of combat, this was the test: broad swaths of enemies, from foot soldiers to towering Cyberdemons, all hitting you at once. But hey, you’ve trained for this (right?), and in this section, Bethesda gave me plenty of tools to dish out death.

Like in previous Doom games, Dark Ages has a spread of difficulty settings for the gluttons for punishment — and in a big win for accessibility, there are lots of toggles to tweak enemy health, damage taken, lengthening the parry window and more to get the player experience just right. Of the six difficulties, I brazenly chose the third (Ultra-Violence), a hard mode just above normal (Hurt Me Plenty), and muscled through the demo session.

The first area of the siege stopped me short, and try as I might, the Cyberdemon leading that first array of enemies wiped the floor with me. After reluctantly dipping down to the normal difficulty, I eked out a win and pushed forward into the massive map, looking over the surrounding hills and deciding which pack of enemies to take on next.

Tucked into the corners of the maps were caches and secret sections that often awarded gold, which could be spent at Sentinel Shrine statues to upgrade my skills. These are split into multiple trees for melee, shield and guns, the latter of which I felt were most rewarding and brought out the individuality of each gun. Unlike previous Doom games where I mainlined one or two weapons, Dark Ages’ variety of enemies and situations had me fluidly rotating between my arsenal of guns (when I remembered to in the heat of battle, anyway).

The siege section took me about an hour to work through in its entirety, prying into secret areas and systematically clearing out arenas full of different mixes of demons. I wandered across grassy hills between gothic village buildings while, in the background, a friendly Atlan engaged in a prolonged slugging match with a colossal archfiend. It was atmospheric but not distractingly so; the game is tuned to keep the focus on the enemies in front of you.

In the first section of the demo, the grim future-fantasy story unfurls with the captive Doom Slayer, restrained by a mysterious energy bolt on his chest, shot down to a medieval planet as a last resort to save the people of a king. «Before he became a hero, he was the super weapon of gods and kings,» a title card read. It’s soon clear that the Doom Slayer is a pawn in a political game between squabbling humans and demonic nobility. It laid the groundwork for what is, canonically, the first story told about the mythical man who only knows combat against the forces of Hell.

But the last section of the demo, the siege, was the real bones of what players will experience in Doom: The Dark Ages. Bethesda has tinkered and tweaked the Doom formula to force players to shoot to a different beat; from the demo, they’ve succeeded, which is admirable considering how much players enjoyed the fast-paced combat of the earlier games. The gunplay is tight, but so are the animations and deliciously crunchy sound effects, timed perfectly to make the player feel they’re battering apart the meanest baddies Hell can summon.

These days, the games industry seems risk-averse, producing sequels that feel too much like rehashes of whatever came before. Judging by the demo, which was only about four hours of play, the Dark Ages could be the difference, delivering the brutal feel of fighting through a Doom game with entirely new systems, weapons and mechanics as medieval as its theme.

We’ll know if this demo is representative of the whole game when Doom: The Dark Ages comes out on May 13 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

Technologies

Kohler Wants to Put a Tiny Camera in Your Toilet and Analyze the Contents

The company’s new Dekoda toilet accessory is like a little bathroom detective.

Some smart litter boxes can monitor our pets’ habits and health, so having a camera in our human toilet bowls seems inevitable. That’s just what kitchen and bathroom fixture company Kohler has done for its new health and wellness brand, Kohler Health.

The $599 Dekoda clamps over the rim like a toilet bowl cleaner, pointing an optical sensor at your excretions and secretions. It then analyzes the images to detect any blood and reviews your gut health and hydration status. Depending on the plan you choose, the subscription fee is between $70 and $156 per year.

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At toilet time, you sign in via a fingerprint sensor so that the device knows who’s using the facilities. (Please wash your hands before signing out or tracking your progress.) Then, check in with the app for the day’s analysis and trends over time.

Wait until you’re off the pot, though, before you start doomscrolling your health. The device has a removable, rechargeable battery and uses a USB connection.

Kohler says it secures your data via the aforementioned fingerprint scanner and end-to-end encryption, and notes that the camera uses «discreet optics,» looking only at the results, not your body parts.

«Dekoda’s sensors see down into your toilet and nowhere else,» the company says.

Kohler warns that the technology doesn’t work very well with dark toilet colors, which makes sense. I’m sure there could be an upsell model with a light on it. Maybe the company could add an olfactory sensor, since smell reveals a lot about your gut health too. It could track «session» length or buildup under the rim to alert whoever has responsibility to clean it.

Kohler must have been straining to find appropriate lifestyle photos to include with the publicity materials. Many of the images are hilarious, featuring fit-looking men and women drinking water and staring off into space contemplatively — probably thinking about gas.

Technologies

Who’s Up to Fight Mega-Corporations in the Outer Worlds 2 on Xbox Game Pass?

Save the universe by fighting one CEO at a time in The Outer Worlds 2, plus play other great games coming to Xbox Game Pass in October.

Space is the final frontier, and it’s packed with some devious mega-corporations who are out to make a buck in The Outer Worlds 2. Xbox Game Pass subscribers can fight them in the highly anticipated sequel starting on Oct. 29.

Xbox Game Pass offers hundreds of games you can play on your Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, smart TV and PC or mobile device, with prices starting at $10 a month. While all Game Pass tiers offer you a library of games, Game Pass Ultimate ($30 a month) gives you access to the most games, as well as Day 1 games, like Hollow Knight: Silksong, added monthly.

Here are all the games subscribers can play on Game Pass soon. You can also check out other games the company added to the service in October, including Ninja Gaiden 4.

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PowerWash Simulator 2

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Oct. 23.

If you’ve ever spent hours watching people on YouTube clean dirty rugs, cars and other grimy objects, you should check out PowerWash Simulator 2. As the name suggests, this sequel is all about blasting away dirt and filth from pools, homes and other objects around town. You have a furry kitty companion, and yes, you can pet them when you’ve finished cleaning.

Bounty Star

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Oct. 23.

The American Southwest has devolved into a lawless, post-apocalyptic desert called the Red Expanse in this game. You’re out to clean the place up in this game by taking down major bounties issued by the government, and the best way to do that is by piloting and customizing a giant mech, of course. When you want to nurse your wounds, head back to your run-down garage to rest, grow and cook food and raise animals. It’s like a cozy Armored Core game.

Super Fantasy Kingdom (game preview)

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Oct. 24.

After returning from a hunting trip, you find your 8-bit kingdom wrecked in this game. You must rebuild your domain in this roguelite, city builder. But as night falls, hordes of monsters emerge to tear everything back down. Build, mine, cook and grow your home, and prepare to defend it from all dangers.

Halls of Torment

Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Oct. 28.

Get ready to descend into the deadly Halls of Torment in this retro, horde survival game. You can choose between 11 playable characters, each with their own playstyle, and equip various items and abilities to survive waves of enemies. This game is like Vampire Survivors, so if you like that game give this one a shot.

The Outer Worlds 2

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Oct. 29.

Clear your calendar for this sequel to the award-winning sci-fi adventure, The Outer Worlds. This time, you’re an Earth Directorate agent investigating the cause of devastating rifts that could destroy humanity. You have a new ship, new crew, new enemies and mega-corporation goons standing between you and the answers.

1000xResist

Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Nov. 4.

One thousand years in the future, humanity is hanging on by a thread after a disease spread by alien occupation forces people to live underground in this sci-fi adventure game. You play as Watcher, and you fulfill your duties well, until one day you make a shocking discovery. This game won a Peabody Award in 2024, and it was nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Game Writing that same year, so get ready for a story like no other.

Football Manager 26

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Oct. 29.

Get ready for a more immersive matchday experience in the latest installment of the Football Manager franchise. You can build a star-studded squad with new transfer tools, and this entry features official Premier League licenses and women’s football for the first time in the series’ history.

Game Pass subscribers can play the standard or Console edition of this game.

Games leaving Game Pass on Oct. 31

While Microsoft is adding those games to Game Pass, it’s also removing three others from the service on Oct. 31. So you still have some time to finish your campaign and any side quests before you have to buy these games separately.

Jusant
Metal Slug Tactics
Return to Monkey Island

For more on Xbox, discover other games available on Game Pass now and check out our hands-on review of the gaming service. You can also learn about recent changes to the Game Pass service.

Technologies

Does Charging Your Phone Overnight Damage the Battery? We Asked the Experts

Modern smartphones are protected against overcharging, but heat and use habits can still degrade your battery over time.

Plugging your phone in before you head to bed might seem like second nature. That way by the time your alarms go off in the morning, your phone has a full charge and is ready to help you conquer your day. However, over time, your battery will start to degrade. So is keeping your phone plugged in overnight doing damage to the battery?

The short answer is no. Keeping your phone plugged in all the time won’t ruin your battery. Modern smartphones are built with smart charging systems that cut off or taper power once they’re full, preventing the kind of «overcharging damage» that was common in older devices. So if you’re leaving your iPhone or Android on the charger overnight, you can relax.

That said, «won’t ruin your battery» doesn’t mean it has no effect. Batteries naturally degrade with age and use, and how you charge plays a role in how fast that happens. Keeping a phone perpetually at 100% can add extra stress on the battery, especially when paired with heat, which is the real enemy of longevity.

Understanding when this matters (and when it doesn’t) can help you make small changes to extend your phone’s lifespan.

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The science behind battery wear

Battery health isn’t just about how many times you charge your phone. It’s about how it manages voltage, temperature and maintenance. Lithium-ion batteries age fastest when they’re exposed to extreme levels: 0% and 100%.

Keeping them near full charge for long stretches puts additional voltage stress on the cathode and electrolyte. That’s why many devices use «trickle charging» or temporarily pause at 100%, topping up only when needed.

Still, the biggest threat isn’t overcharging — it’s heat. When your phone is plugged in and running demanding apps, it produces heat that accelerates chemical wear inside the battery. If you’re gaming, streaming or charging on a hot day, that extra warmth does far more harm than leaving the cable plugged in overnight.

Apple’s take

Apple’s battery guide describes lithium-ion batteries as «consumable components» that naturally lose capacity over time. To slow that decline, iPhones use Optimized Battery Charging, which learns your daily routine and pauses charging at about 80% until just before you typically unplug, reducing time spent at high voltage.

Apple also advises keeping devices between 0 to 35 degrees Celsius (32 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit) and removing certain cases while charging to improve heat dissipation. You can read more on Apple’s official battery support page.

What Samsung (and other Android makers) do

Samsung offers a similar feature called Battery Protect, found in One UI’s battery and device care settings. When enabled, it caps charging at 85%, which helps reduce stress during long charging sessions.

Other Android makers like Google, OnePlus and Xiaomi include comparable options — often called Adaptive Charging, Optimized Charging or Battery Care — that dynamically slow power delivery or limit charge based on your habits. These systems make it safe to leave your phone plugged in for extended periods without fear of overcharging.

When constant charging can hurt

Even with these safeguards, some conditions can accelerate battery wear. As mentioned before, the most common culprit is high temperature. Even for a short period of time, leaving your phone charging in direct sunlight, in a car or under a pillow can push temperatures into unsafe zones.

Heavy use while charging, like gaming or 4K video editing, can also cause temperature spikes that degrade the battery faster. And cheap, uncertified cables or adapters may deliver unstable current that stresses cells. If your battery is already several years old, it’s naturally more sensitive to this kind of strain.

How to charge smarter

You don’t need to overhaul your habits but a few tweaks can help your battery age gracefully.

Start by turning on your phone’s built-in optimization tools: Optimized Battery Charging on iPhones, Battery Protect on Samsung devices and Adaptive Charging on Google Pixels. These systems learn your routine and adjust charging speed so your phone isn’t sitting at 100% all night.

Keep your phone cool while charging. According to Apple, phone batteries perform best between 62 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit (16 to 22 degrees Celsius). If your phone feels hot, remove its case or move it to a better-ventilated or shaded spot. Avoid tossing it under a pillow or too close to other electronics, like your laptop, and skip wireless chargers that trap heat overnight.

Use quality chargers and cables from your phone’s manufacturer or trusted brands. Those cheap «fast-charge» kits you find online often deliver inconsistent current, which can cause long-term issues.

Finally, don’t obsess over topping off. It’s perfectly fine to plug in your phone during the day for short bursts. Lithium-ion batteries actually prefer frequent, shallow charges rather than deep, full cycles. You don’t need to keep it between 20% and 80% all the time, but just avoid extremes when possible.

The bottom line

Keeping your phone plugged in overnight or on your desk all day won’t destroy its battery. That’s a leftover myth from a different era of tech. Modern phones are smart enough to protect themselves, and features like Optimized Battery Charging or Battery Protect do most of the heavy lifting for you.

Still, no battery lasts forever. The best way to slow the inevitable is to manage heat, use quality chargers and let your phone’s software do its job. Think of it less as «babying» your battery and more as charging with intention. A few mindful habits today can keep your phone running strong for years.