DOOM: The Dark Ages Reviews
Doom: The Dark Ages is a heavyweight shooter that, at its core, is lighter on its feet than its predecessor. However, id has at times gone too wide with its half-baked new features and open level design. Rip and tear, until it is done. But please, Slayer, get out of the damn robot.
Doom: The Dark Ages is definitely a game that you play for the shooting mechanics and not the story, but the newly implemented Shield Saw brings a breath of fresh, aggressive air to the demon-slaying fun.
Ever wondered about where the DOOM Slayer (aka DOOM Guy) came from and what his deal is? Me neither, but developer id Software is here to tell you all...
DOOM: The Dark Ages dials back the complexity of Eternal, hoping to capitalize on what made DOOM a household gore fest. Hordes of enemies are meat under the player's boot in yet another evolved take on the classic arena shooter.
Doom: The Dark ages trades Eternal's speed and complexity for a slower almost methodical approach to the classic combat that put the series on the map so many years ago. While not every addition works in It's favour, it still delivers a satisfying experience. And while The Dark Ages is not the Doom game that I was expecting, it's still one that I welcome to the already illustrious Doom canon.
DOOM: The Dark Ages is an excellent addition to the series, expanding on the lore of DOOM while introducing some new and engaging combat.
DOOM: The Dark Ages swaps out space-age speed for steel-shod fury, and it works wonders. This isn't just a prequel, but a ballad sung in blood and fire where every flail swing and shield parry feels like gospel. Sure, the dragon rides and giant Atlan mech missions are very weak, and you might need the horsepower of a car to run it at maximum settings on PC, but when most of the time you're shredding armies of Hellspawn with a gun that grinds skulls for ammo, who cares? This is the Slayer in his knightly prime. Long live the king of ripping and tearing.
With stellar combat, incredible weapons, hellish monsters to fight, and excellently implemented gameplay and design changes, DOOM: The Dark Ages delivers an excellent new style of DOOM, while still retaining the series' core strengths.
The Dark Ages is the best post-reboot game in the series. It may not distance itself from the predecessors (both are great), but none of them pulled me in so hard and for so long. What’s more, I just sat through the end credits and I immediately want to begin the slaughter again.
Review in Polish | Read full review
DOOM: The Dark Ages is like watching a good 90s action film: Turn your brain off and just enjoy the bang bangs and explosions. This game is the perfect lazy weekend game that is fast and furious... and you will ignore your family to play it. Or you can stream it if you want to, and just watch your chat go nuts as you rip and tear until it is done...
I don’t enjoy this style of Doom compared to that of the previous two games -- it's just not the Doom I've grown to love. That said, The Dark Ages is in no way a bad game. Fans of classic Doom will really enjoy similarities in its larger areas, the high volume of slower projectiles to dodge, and the constant need to push forward.
Doom: The Dark Ages is a good meaty shooter, but the change in the paradigm of the gameplay and its speed will not appeal to everyone. The fights are cinematic, impactful and beautiful, but instead of hurricane gameplay they now offer slow tactical bullet hell, and of course plenty of parrying with your shield.
Doom: The Dark Ages is a notable new entry in the long-running FPS series with a flavor and gameplay ideas of its own, but it can feel oddly unfocused at times, plus not every change is for the better.
Doom: The Dark Ages offers a powerful and unique shooting experience, blending close-range combat mechanics more commonly seen in action games into the FPS formula. If you're looking for the same blood-pumping intensity as Doom Eternal, this game delivers it in a more grounded and deliberate, yet still thrilling way.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
DOOM: The Dark Ages is a game that, while solid and captivating, doesn't quite recapture the groundbreaking impact of its predecessor. It attempts to offer a fresh take on the series, but does so a bit too conservatively, lacking the sense of novelty that defined the bold direction of DOOM Eternal. While the deliberate pacing of combat and the intricacy of the environments have their own appeal, the absence of that dynamic drive leaves a slightly bitter aftertaste. For longtime fans, it's still a journey worth taking - but it certainly doesn't represent the saga's highest point.
Review in Italian | Read full review
DOOM: The Dark Ages is a masterclass of FPS gameplay and design. It would have been very easy for id to just make 'Eternal but more' for any sequel, instead choosing to completely mix up the formula and create a totally new experience that still manages to feel like DOOM. Its combat is incredibly rewarding to master and has a layer of depth not often seen in first-person shooters, and quite possibly may have become my favourite of the three games.
An amazing new array of systems reinvents DOOM once again, delivering a bombastic and brutal new way to smash demons. With awesome new cosmic threats dying to meet the serrated edge of your shield, The Dark Ages may well be the best age for any aspiring Doom Slayer.
Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to the series, if you crave high-octane action, heavy metal carnage, and just the right touch of fantasy madness, The Dark Ages demands your attention. DOOM has once again reinvented itself—and somehow, it still rips and tears.
DOOM: The Dark Ages delivers a visceral, medieval twist to the legendary franchise, with intense combat, a captivating narrative, and expansive maps that echo the classic DOOM experience. The innovative shield saw mechanic adds strategic depth, and the soundtrack fuels the brutal atmosphere. However, a slower, less dynamic combat system compared to Doom Eternal, repetitive weapons, and forgettable level designs hold it back. It's a thrilling and challenging enough experience that might leave dedicated fans wanting more. A solid, if not revolutionary, chapter in the Doom saga.
Review in Spanish | Read full review