“Parry, Rip and Tear…”
Following the booming success of DOOM (2016) and DOOM: Eternal (2020), ID software are back with DOOM: The Dark Ages, taking the fight directly to hell, medieval style. Acting as a prequel to the 2016 reboot, DOOM: The Darks Ages opts for bigger battlefields and a stronger emphasis on literal hordes of demons, in place of the overlong glory kills and acrobatics of its predecessors. Whilst the new entry has made some serious changes, like opting for a composer that isn’t Mick Gordon (due to an internal fallout), the game still manages to deliver the classic formula, whilst not being afraid to try new things in a bid to keep things fresh. With melee combat taking centre stage (although with less of an emphasis on glory kills) the game retains its signature bloodthirsty nature, with gore and viscera covering the battlefield once DoomGuy ™ gets to work. Having released on all major platforms on 15th May 2025, I’m going to be giving my opinions on the time I’ve spent with the game; deconstructing the bad, detailing the good, whilst ultimately concluding whether the game is worth your time and money at the £69.99 asking price (UK Xbox Store).
Of all the classical franchises in gaming, none are quite so revered as DOOM. With the rise of the first-person shooter and its subsequent evolution over the years, most of what’s on offer today falls into the same, pre-defined format of something like Call of Duty or Apex Legends, usually with a ridiculous focus on microtransactions. Whilst some shooter sub-genres hold their own with nothing else on the market like it (i.e. the Destiny franchise) nothing was quite as transformative as DOOM (2016) when it came to mixing up a somewhat stale and oversaturated market. DOOM (2016) succeeded in revitalizing the classic FPS formula that was first established in DOOM (1993) with a modern coat of paint. Fast-paced, brutally satisfying combat that encouraged constant movement and aggression, with controls and mechanics that truly shaped it into something special. The over-the-top gore and absolutely stellar soundtrack from Mick Gordon created an experience that got your adrenaline pumping, constantly rewarding you for staying at the forefront of the action, with the game’s stellar glory kills system awarding you resources, as well as a satisfying finisher where you literally rip your enemies apart in one hell of a bloody spectacle. It’s sequel: DOOM: Eternal (2020) ran with the same foundation, adding significant verticality (thanks to the good ol’ meat hook), speed, challenge and complexity to the level design with an emphasis on skill, whilst still sticking to the signature aggressive combat formula.
Following on, in walks DOOM: The Dark Ages, expanding on the same formula once again, acting as a prequel to DOOM (2016). The game takes place in a dark, medieval-esque alien world known as: Argent D’Nur, set centuries before it’s predecessors. DoomGuy ™ finds himself under the control of the Maykrs, manipulating the Slayer’s actions through a device embedded in his chest known as the Tether. Soon after the game begins, our signature block-headed gorehound finds himself on loan to the Night Sentinels, firmly embedding him in an ongoing war with forces of Hell, something that DoomGuy ™ is a bit of a subject matter expert in. Led by Prince Azhrak, the forces of Hell are sacking the planet of Argent D’Nur in search of an ancient artifact known as the Heart of Argent, which is a powerful relic, left behind by the former inhabitants of the planet. This sends DoomGuy ™ on a dimension-spanning mission to thwart the High Council of Hell’s plans for the Heart of Argent, gaining his freedom from the Maykrs in the process. In terms of the narrative, it’s one of the game’s weakest selling points in my opinion; it’s by no means the worst, but DOOM games are not known for their engaging narratives, detracting from the premium aspect of the game: bloodshed. I can appreciate what ID have been trying to do with Eternal and The Dark Ages, as fleshing out the game’s lore is there for the people who want it, but at its core, it’s a Boomer Shooter, and a great one at that, it doesn’t need to be anything more.
I came here to kick ass and chew bubble gum: The overarching plot of Doom: The Dark Ages is fine, but the game’s primary selling feature is its bloodthirsty combat.
Opinions on the narrative aside, like its predecessors, DOOM: The Dark Ages takes the solid foundations of DOOM (2016) and DOOM: Eternal (2020) and expands upon it significantly; the most notable difference are the expansions to melee combat, and how they help the Slayer control the battlefield. Accompanying DoomGuy ™ on his adventure this time is his trusty shield, which is used to directly parry shots from enemies (the garden green variety), requiring timing and alertness to give you an edge in combat. The Shield very soon becomes a Shield Saw, that can be thrown to slice through mobs, perform air glory kills (they’re still here, sort of) as well as traverse the environment, acting as one of the Slayer’s most versatile tools. Glory kills have been largely cut out of The Dark Ages, and whilst this change annoyed me at first, I completely understand why ID did this, as the game features much larger stages for battles to take place, as well as a significantly increased enemy density; having to slow down for a 2-3 second finisher animation would not only decimate the game’s pacing, but also leaving you extremely open to incoming damage. In addition to having studied at the Chuck Norris School of Martial Arts, the Slayer also has access to numerous melee weapons which act in the same way that the chainsaw did from the original game, albeit with more contextual use (the upgraded flail is nothing short of amazing).
One of the game’s standout features for myself, were the leader encounters, which act as mini arenas, usually with a large boss enemy that is surrounded by his minions. These minions act as the leader’s shield (represented by a smaller health bar under the main one) and once enough of them are killed, the leader becomes vulnerable for the kill, usually rewarding an upgrade to ammo, health or armour once the Slayer kills them and crushes their heart (of corresponding colour of course). In addition, the arsenal of weapons that are included all have their purpose; ballistic weapons can overheat metal shields, which can then be destroyed by throwing the shield at them, shattering them and causing a shrapnel explosion. Similar kind of effects with energy weapons and enemy shields, each weapon has a specific purpose, making you choose the right tool for the job. This is the running theme of DOOM: The Dark Ages, the larger battlefields provide ample opportunities for chained carnage via shared explosions, different weapons that deal with crowd control such as the new Pulverizer, which fires out superheated shards of shredded human skulls in a wide arc, acting as a pellet spreading auto-shotgun, and was by far one of my favourite weapons during the 20 or so odd hours I spent during the campaign. There are also the occasional stages which make use Atlan Mechs (think pilotable transformers) as well as DoomGuy’s pet Dragon, which was by far some of the most fun I had in the game, taking his demon slaying antics to the skies. As with its predecessors, exploration is key, awarding Gold, Rubies and Wraithstones which are all tied to upgrading your gear, making it worth your while to spend your time exploring all that the larger maps have to offer. There are 22 chapters across DOOM: The Dark Ages, which can be completed in around 15 hours if you’re sticking to the main story, extending to around 20 if you’re the completionist type.
How to train your Dragon: DoomGuy has his very own flying lizard in DOOM: The Dark Ages, allowing you to take demon-slaying to the skies of Argent D’Nur.
In terms of performance, DOOM: The Dark Ages is as smooth as butter on Xbox Series X, which is an achievement in and of itself considering how much can be taking place on screen. Playing on the ID Tech 8 engine, the in-engine lighting and environmental detail are nothing short of breathtaking. The game comes in at a 1440p resolution with dips down into 1080p when the on-screen details get a bit too busy, however this isn’t noticeable, as the framerate remains at a consistent, buttery 60fps. In terms of the game’s soundtrack, this is where things got a bit controversial for me, as I’m a massive fan of the work that Mick Gordon did with DOOM (2016) and DOOM: Eternal (2020). The soundtrack suits the game fine enough, however there is something missing overall, something that Mick Gordon perfected with the previous titles, nailing down adrenaline-pumping scores that elevated combat sections dramatically, getting you pumped for the carnage that was coming. The OST of The Dark Ages manages to match the flow of the combat, but there is largely nothing special about it overall, which is disappointing for the most part. Overall, 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, ID Software continue to deliver titles that allow you to rip and tear, with added parrying.
An Xbox Series X review code was provided by Brands2Life.
This review is featured on OpenCritic.
