Doom: The Dark Ages’ Saw Shield Has Already Been Modded Into the Original Doom

ign.com:

Within hours of Xbox revealing Doom: The Dark Ages, a modder had added the upcoming game's seriously metal saw-toothed shield to the original Doom.

aight I kinda ended up trying to make actual decorate for it... it works, will upload in a bit. pic.twitter.com/OORmCydVL0

Posting to X/Twitter, modder Craneo showcased a retro version of The Dark Ages' saw shield being used in the opening level of Doom 2 on PC. The mod replaces the original game's chainsaw with the new shieldsaw, but this isn't just a re-skin. In an effort to truly replicate what we saw in The Dark Ages' trailer, Craneo's modded saw not only cuts through enemies, but can also be thrown into distant foes and used to defend against damage.

This work arrived in quicker than quick time: Craneo posted the video of the mod to X/Twitter barely 12 hours after the trailer for Doom: The Dark Ages had debuted as part of the Xbox Games Showcase. Minutes later the .wad file for the mod was also posted.

While developed quickly, the mod seems built on smart logic. The defend ability likely triggers a temporary use of Doom's godmode cheat to negate incoming damage - a skill the game's original chainsaw certainly doesn't have. As for the throw, it requires a little tinkering in the sourceport options, but it's an effective weapon in the OG Doom's confined corridors, especially because it can ricochet. This version of the shield sadly can't boomerang back to you, though, so you'll need to stay alive long enough to pick it back up.

As for id Software's actual saw shield, we'll need to wait until 2025. However, despite being a Bethesda game, Microsoft has decided to bring Doom: The Dark Ages to PlayStation 5 as well as the expected Xbox and PC platforms. That's a good thing, too, as it looks like Doom: The Dark Ages could be the series' boldest bet yet.

Matt Purslow is IGN's Senior Features Editor.