Doom: The Dark Ages

The ones of us, that have played all titles of the franchise, know that DOOM can be many things and some reincarnations are better than others. But this DOOM won't be mine.

Don't get me wrong. The ID tech 8 engine delivers stunning graphics and a vivid game play. As for the dragon rides and titan battles, well they are okayish, but the time could have been better put elsewhere. But my biggest beef is with the core of it all: the game play.

DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal where fast paced and had epic battles. Key was that you kept moving and deal damage while trying to receive as little as possible. Blood and gore everywhere. With doom eternal they introduced that thing where one was required to follow certain patterns to subdue an enemy or rather better subdue an enemy. But one was still rather free on how to approach this. Some guns or combos just worked better than others. But now it feels fully enforced. One must follow the dance and get the queues in order to fight properly. It just feels very restrictive and not DOOM-like at all. More like Bayonetta or other games of that genre.

The sound is admittedly not as epic as the recent predecessors, but still enjoyable. Solid delivery.

Yet the price is way to high considering playtime and the competition. In my region it's 80 euros. 60 would have been steep, but still acceptable. Feels really greedy, Bethesda!

The initial review was done after 8 hours. Now, that I completed the campaign on nightmare, I can say, that it definitely grew on me. After some more weapon and shield updates, it feels a lot better. However, the necessary parry actions disrupt the flow and make you vulnerable for enemies in your back when compared to it's predecessor DOOM Eternal.

Doom the dark ages is a new and amazing addition to the doom franchise. Its dark, its gory, its fun!

The map designs are amazing and detailed. The gun designs are even cooler than in eternal and look like there from the DARK AGEE😜😜 I know some people dont like this game because its a lot slower paced then eternal and 2016 but that does not stop it from making you feel like a unstoppable force of nature. You feel like a walking tank in this game, you can hear and feel every single step you take.

I think I spent at least 30 min just flying around on the dragon.

There is one thing that I missed though. Glory kills. Sadly they have been removed but this game is still amazing.

I've been paying Doom since the original back in the day and feel compelled to leave a review in the small hope the developers see it and receive my thanks and respect. This game is polished, fun, well designed, smooth, playable and a worthy addition to the Doom series. I'm on my second play through, trying to locate all the secrets and bonus content. I just love how refined and well thought out it is. This is how you do video games!

I'm playing on a series S on a 4k TV and everything is smooth and clear. I enjoyed the map design, the enemies, and the story too. Just enough of each and the battles feel so much fun with the balancing of the weapons and power ups being just right to increase the fun, you really feel like an unstoppable titan of demonic destruction. Thank you for such a beautiful game!

As a lifelong Doom fan, I knew I was going to try this one out. And I found myself instantly drawn in by the new techno-medieval setting and the Doomslayers new get-up with the fur cape, studded armor, and shield saw looked awesome.

I loved the brutal new medieval styled weapons, like the Skullcrusher/Pulverizer that fires bone fragments at enemies, the Chain shot launching and retracting a ball and chain, and the Impaler that fires bolts. Adding melee weapons like the Power Gauntlet and Dreadmace turns the game into an intense first-person shooter/hack and slash hybrid gore-fest! The more medieval level and enemy designs/revamps were cool looking and introduced a new and engrossing setting for Doom.

Thanks to the Doomslayers bulkier build, the new combat system is slower and more focused on tactics to defeat your enemies, performing melee attacks and combos, and defensive action mixed with parrying enemy attacks with your trusty new shield instead of more the more intense, fleet-footed combat in the prequels. It's a surprising but interesting change of pace I found more challenging and enticing than the last two games, especially with the new difficulty sliders that let you adjust certain gameplay elements to just the right setting you want. Plus, you get to ride a dragon and engage giant demon with fisticuffs while piloting a giant mech! It was all types of awesome!

The level layouts are larger than before, giving the player the opportunity to explore and discover secret collectibles, like toys and skins; those kind of sandbox game elements have always appealed to me. Plus, the story is deeper and sheds more light on the Doomslayers origins and his experiences fighting alongside the Knight Sentinels of Argent D'Nur before moving on to Mars and Earth; it really ties the modern Doom trilogy together.

And, of course, it wouldn't be a true Doom game without an awesome and banging soundtrack. Finishing Move knocks it out of the park with another hardcore metal soundtrack that keeps you constantly pumped and eager for battle.

Any true Doom fan must try this, and I definitely recommend it to FPS fans in general.

Doom: The Dark Ages is a bold, cinematic reimagining that does the impossible - it makes Doom feel fresh again. It's unapologetically violent, artistically fearless, and soaked in atmosphere. For fans of epic dark fantasy, pulse-pounding action, and metal-as-hell storytelling, this is a must-play experience. If the original Doom was a shotgun blast to the face, The Dark Ages is a warhammer through the skull - slower, heavier, and just as satisfying. The game is amazing from the beginning to the end and if you're new to this type of game give it a try you won't regret it! Favorite game of 2025 so far.