DOOM: The Dark Ages Review

    I remember seeing the initial reveal of DOOM (2016) and feeling very meh.

    The original DOOM games are iconic, for many more reasons than simply being able to play them on a McDonald’s cash register. However, the FPS genre has evolved to a degree that I didn’t feel DOOM could maintain its DNA while still competing in the modern FPS market.

    This is one of my many stupid thoughts that I should typically keep to myself, but share in the odd review to provide our readers insight to the level of stupid I can often achieve.

    Showing the different types of melee weapons
    A Power Gauntlet, Dreadmace and Flail. Honestly, all of these are f**cking awesome.

    The DOOM reboot blew me away. Not only was it true to the DNA of the franchise, it modernized and evolved into one of the most insane shooters in the industry at that time.

    DOOM Eternal continued on that legacy, albeit a slightly faster-paced and more frantic approach to the series. Still, another amazing first-person shooter, and one that incorporated a much-needed focus on storytelling.

    DOOM: The Dark Ages takes a step back, glaring deep into the history of the DOOM universe and bringing forth something even closer to the magic of the original games.

    Massive, awe-inspiring level design throughout the game

    Gameplay has slowed, ever so slightly, bringing back a heavier focus on dodging slow-moving projectiles and enemy attacks. This, in turn, adds a cerebral element to the combat – alongside the ridiculously over-the-top action and gore.

    DOOM: The Dark Ages sacrifices nothing for a deeper, more engaging approach to combat. As a result, DOOM: The Dark Ages is the best game in the modernized series to date.

    Although it’s difficult to critique the combat, the narrative is my favorite part of the game.

    Perhaps it’s the decades of questions, the never-ending thirst for more backstory on a franchise with its roots way back in the 90s.

    Maybe it’s just because DOOM: The Dark Ages’ story is as badass as the game itself – and that’s no easy feat.

    Enemies, new and old

    A prequel to the modern DOOM games, players finally learn more of The Slayer’s origins and history, in a tale that blends science-fiction and fantasy with a chainsaw shield and an irrefutable badass who causes hell itself to cower in fear.

    Accompanying DOOM: The Dark Ages’ fantastic story is a combat system that is about as satisfying and rewarding as one can get. An arsenal of hellishly over-the-top weapons, from rocket launchers to battalion-ending explosives, every expended clip is as glorious as the last.

    Showing codex entries for enemies in Doom The Dark Ages
    Enemy types are distinct and introduced at a perfect pace, ensuring the player has the knowledge to take them down quickly and easily

    The shield, arguably the most mundane-sounding of all the weapons, plays a huge role in giving players the ability to adapt on the fly. Various enemy types require specific tactics to take down, utilizing the shield’s various functions to counter enemy attacks and patterns – all while dodging beams and balls of death from every angle.

    I cannot emphasize enough how impressive the shield is. A solution to a dozen problems, all with the same button press, and each feels as unique as the last.

    DOOM: The Dark Ages is the biggest DOOM game to date, spanning across 22 chapters with some massive areas to fight through. Carefully dotted throughout are shorter, more compact levels, typically revolving around the new mech suit and dragon mechanics.

    The best DOOM story so far

    I can only imagine that discussion during development. Is it even possible to make The Slayer more of a badass?

    Give him a dragon and a mech suit. Job done.

    The varied realms players get to explore keep things fresh throughout, although collectible fatigue can be an issue if you’re a completionist. Early on, I was gathering every secret I could find, but as time passed, the puzzle-like nature of discovering many of these wore thin.

    Careful featuring of mounted sections make them an exciting venture each and every time

    I do very much appreciate the carefully placed objective markers, warning players once they reach a point of no return during a level or the passageway to the next. Drastically reducing the need to redo entire sequences when a secret is missed.

    DOOM: The Dark Ages is the most badass DOOM has ever been, featuring a killer soundtrack, first-person melee combat better than it has any right to be, and the most intriguing version of The Doom Slayer we’ve ever seen.

    DOOM: The Dark Ages Review

    Reviewed On: PlayStation 5 (A digital code was provided)
    Release Date: May 15, 2025 (May 13 Premium Release)
    Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
    Developer: iD Software
    Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
    Aggregate Scores: Metacritic, CriticDB, OpenCritic

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