Doom: The Dark Ages Reviews
DOOM: The Dark Ages is a bold reinvention that retains the soul of the franchise while pushing it in a new direction. It’s more narrative-driven, more methodical, and more melee-focused. It trades some of the speed and chaos of Eternal for raw brutality and deliberate pacing, and while not every experimental idea lands, the ones that do hit like a sledgehammer.
Doom Eternal's fast, agile combat style is gone, but it's replaced by a heavy, overwhelming combat experience completely different from previous installments. While the direction has changed, the thrill remains intense.
Review in Korean | Read full review
DOOM: The Dark Ages offers a perfect blend of classic spirit and bold modern design, creating a complete experience that cements its place as one of the greatest first-person shooters in gaming history. With a compelling cinematic story, addictive, relentless gameplay, and stunning graphics powered by the new id Tech 8 engine... id Software proves once again that they are one of the most innovative and pillars of the gaming industry!
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Doom: The Dark Ages is a perfect blend of familiar and fresh - a gory, gorgeous shooter with plenty of content to enjoy.
DOOM: The Dark Ages arrives with the obligation to keep a very important franchise afloat with a release that is very different from its two predecessors but delivers on its promises. It brings its own proposal and executes it masterfully, but at the same time it feels strange. It's not that it needs more time in the oven, but it lacks seasoning; a spicy touch. It feels restrained, afraid to give everything it has to offer. It's DOOM, but at half-mast.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
After 32 years, many find it very difficult to innovate. However, id Software has managed to introduce new mechanics and design improvements to its old formula, opting for a first-person action-adventure approach. The studio has opted to return to its roots, abandoning multiplayer mode.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
DOOM: The Dark Ages is the most well-executed entry in this long-respected franchise yet. Exceptional stage layouts, terrific implementations of player choice, and rewarding enemy design alongside the new shield and parry mechanics make this riveting FPS familiarly refreshing. Despite a few bumps in the road where spectacle overtakes ingenuity, DOOM: The Dark Ages is an undeniably must-play outing that can effortlessly appeal to prospective new and veteran returning DOOM fans.
It’s as metal as they come, endlessly playable, and with memorable moments scattered throughout – whether it’s the ones you create moment to moment or those id has laid out.
Doom: The Dark Ages shifts the series into a brutal medieval setting without losing what made it work. Combat remains intense and unforgiving but now it's heavier, with new mechanics like the shield saw and mounted fights adding variety.
DOOM: The Dark Ages delivers brutal action and a stunning medieval aesthetic, but stumbles due to an uneven story, repetitive gameplay, and unrefined new mechanics.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Doom: The Dark Ages is not Eternal 2. It’s something braver — a reimagining that honors its roots while forging a new path. It’s bloodier, slower, moodier — and undeniably Doom.
DOOM: The Dark Ages feels like a victory lap for id Software, regardless of how the fans have taken it. Not every swing for the fences hits its mark, but the things that do make this game fun. Every system that’s built around the Slayer’s new Saw Shield works better than it has any right to, and with the more open mission style, player freedom is put at the forefront of this medieval ripping and tearing. While there are certainly disappointing elements, namely the whole narrative and lackluster soundtrack, Dark Ages is a welcome evolution of the formula and a great way of capping off the DOOM reboot trilogy.
DOOM: The Dark Ages is a solid entry in one of gaming’s longest running franchises. Featuring a stellar combat system with a focus on larger scale battles, the game is only let down by a forgettable story and an even more forgettable soundtrack, in place of the magic that Mick Gordon produced on its predecessors. If you’re after a bloody spectacle, with large, open battlefields with hordes of enemies to tear through, then you’re in for a good time with DOOM: The Dark Ages.
Doom: The Dark Ages boldly redefines the series while staying true to its roots. With a slower pace, revamped combat, and stronger narrative focus, it delivers a visceral experience—flawed, but memorable. A brutal, modern throwback that stands out in today’s industry.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Doom: The Dark Ages brings freshness and innovation, without forgetting its bloody roots.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Visually impressive, with gory and intense action, makes for a compelling game and one of the better releases of the year.
Despite adding many new and not so refined features and featuring a frankly weaker sound design than its predecessors, Doom: The Dark Ages is a brilliant game that promises hours of pure mayhem and a bright future for the saga. It's heavy, it's brutal, and it's a new era of Doom, although many things could have been better.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Not every change lands but it’s heartening to see a franchise willing to evolve, even if it means ditching many systems that previously brought them success.
Depending on your preferences, The Dark Ages will be either better or worse than its predecessor, but one thing is crystal clear—killing demons still delivers bloody and cathartic fun.
Review in Unknown | Read full review
The simple addition of a "shield" has drastically changed the game. Combat has become formulaic, forcing players to constantly think on their feet and react specifically to green-marked enemy attacks. The game is certainly fun, but the instinct-driven, fully immersive combat that once defined the essence of DOOM has noticeably faded.
Review in Korean | Read full review