Doom: The Dark Ages Reviews
As someone who wants story in my single player games, Doom: The Dark Ages delivered in a way previous Doom games never did while keeping the core fans happy with the crisp, varied gun play. Doom: The Dark Ages is a must play for fans and is a great place to start for newcomers.
Doom: The Dark Ages is a brutal, strategic, and satisfying shooter that dares to try something new without abandoning what fans love. It’s another classic in the making, and a clear sign that the series has a lot of room to grow.
Doom: The Dark Ages marks a definite and conscious turning point for the franchise, offering a more mature, visceral and atmospheric dark fantasy/fantasy single-player experience. Abandoning the ultratechnical frenzy of Doom Eternal, the game draws on dark, Lovecraftian medieval imagery, resulting in a slower, but no less brutal or satisfying shooter. The introduction of new parry mechanics (thanks to the incredible shield saw), melee weapons, new and devastating mouths of fire, and sections aboard mechs and dragons makes the gameplay surprisingly varied and consistent with the setting. Despite some risk of repetitiveness and the absence of a multiplayer segment, The Dark Ages succeeds in revamping the formula without betraying the identity of the Doom Slayer and making it-thanks to the many accessibility features-accessible to any player. It is a different Doom and, for that very reason, damn fascinating!
Review in Italian | Read full review
All the new additions id Software introduced in Doom: The Dark Ages are welcome changes to keep a franchise that's been around for more than three decades feeling fresh. I still can't shake the feeling that something's missing, though. It just doesn't have the same pull as the last two Doom games.
In lesser hands, The Dark Ages would be fun but forgettable. In Id’s hands, this is a deep action experience solely focused on a relentless, but brilliantly controlled flow state. It’s a game that takes the simplest, yet coolest ideas and commits completely to them with peerless execution, making sure above else, it’s sick as hell.
DOOM: The Dark Ages is far more than just another chapter in the legendary shooter saga. It is an uncompromisingly staged action experience that shows the courage to innovate without denying its roots. id Software has succeeded in reinterpreting DOOM and at the same time creating an intense, dark world that is radically different from its predecessor while capturing the charm of the classics. DOOM: The Dark Ages is a true masterpiece of the modern action shooter
Review in German | Read full review
In all the ways that matter, Doom: The Dark Ages is a pure power fantasy, loading you up with outlandish weaponry and lethal powers and unleashing you on the horde.
Doom: The Dark Ages is another standout release from id Software. It showcases a bold departure from Doom Eternal’s gameplay foundations while innovating on the tried-and-true FPS formula. While the action remains fast-paced and visceral, this installment embraces a more grounded approach, delivering impactful and satisfying combat with every strike. Doom: The Dark Ages is a hellishly spectacular experience and possibly worthy of Game of the Year nods. While Doom Eternal purists may find its more deliberate combat style a departure from previous entries, the game stands confidently alongside its predecessors as a must-play for longtime fans and newcomers alike.
DOOM: The Dark Ages is id Software firing on all cylinders. This game fixes everything I didn’t like about DOOM Eternal, and enhances everything I loved about DOOM (2016). It’s a first-person shooter that smartly incorporates timing and challenge in a whole new way, with lots of replayability. A customizable parry window ensures The Dark Ages can be for anyone, regardless of skill level. DOOM: The Dark Ages finds refinement upon excellence to be a bright spot in the dark ages for this third and hopefully not final entry for the venerable first-person shooter.
DOOM: The Dark Ages does the impossible and raises the bar of an already outstanding franchise. It brings top-notch gunplay, satisfying story, stunning visuals, and worthwhile exploration, all in a gorgeous, hellish package.
DOOM The Dark Ages is aggressive as hell, loud, fast, and all the fun you want. Sometimes you just need to pick up a shotgun, a flail, and a saw-bladed shield and rip through baddies. To put it simply, DOOM The Dark Ages is rewarding. The gameplay matters and ultimately makes up for any weaknesses in the story.
With satisfying combat, fun exploration, and some of the finest accessibility options out there, Doom: The Dark Ages is an epic heavy metal odyssey that proves the iconic franchise is still king of the genre.
DOOM: The Dark Ages takes us back to the Slayer at his most powerful, stylish cape and all. Twenty-two levels of mayhem, excellent pacing, and furious combat make this entry my favorite in the series yet.
Doom: The Dark Ages sticks to its roots, offering refined gameplay rather than a reinvention like Doom (2016). The focus on strafing over constant flying through the air is a welcome shift, with difficulty settings helping maintain the series' trademark speed. While the mech sections and soundtrack fall short of previous entries, the game delivers fast-paced, satisfying action complemented by a touch more story and expansive level design.
Review in German | Read full review
So yes, all the hallmarks of what makes a good Doom game are fully on display in The Dark Ages: overpowered weapons, copious amounts of blood, chaotic combat, a blistering metal soundtrack. Hell. It’s all just been moved around a little bit, remixed to feel fresh. Like spring cleaning. The place may look different, but that doesn’t mean it’s not comfortable. After all, your chair is still your chair, and Doom is still Doom.
"The best DOOM experience ever!" DOOM: The Dark Ages is a bold and exciting shift for the series, abandoning excessive speed in favor of depth and tactics. Combat is more realistic without losing its usual ferocity. A new arsenal of weapons and abilities, and most importantly, a greater expansion of the story and world of the title, retains the series' hallmarks while letting you know it's a new DOOM. With its modern touch, the game surpasses its predecessors, opening the way for a larger and broader audience.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Doom: The Dark Ages trades speed for savagery and rockets for ruin… but make no mistake, the heart of Doom still beats beneath the chainmail.
DOOM: The Dark Ages modernizes the series with flair, offering intense gameplay and sleek graphics. Despite a weak story and some repetition, it’s a compelling experience overall.
Review in Italian | Read full review
From the first kill to the last, Doom: The Dark Ages is an undeniably exhilarating ride that rarely comes down from its high. The narrative sets the stage for more, the weapons and the Shield Saw make for potent combinations, and the level and world design tie it all together in one devilishly brilliant package. It has been more than 30 years since the franchise first kicked off the killing spree, and this latest entry represents the continuation of a new golden age for the Doom Slayer.