Let’s get this out of the way early. Doom: The Dark Ages is still very much Doom. It’s angry, fast, gory and loud in all the ways fans of the rebooted trilogy have come to expect. But this third entry from id Software also marks the series’ boldest experiment yet. It isn’t trying to repeat Doom Eternal. In some ways, it’s more stripped down. In others, it’s swinging for the fences. It isn’t afraid to mess with the formula, even if not every risk pays off.

Still, despite a few stumbles, The Dark Ages proves the franchise has room to evolve without losing its identity.

A New Setting with the Same Doomguy

The Doom Slayer has been dropped into a warped medieval hellscape. It’s a fusion of grimdark fantasy and ancient alien tech that feels like someone mashed up Dark Souls and Quake. The new setting is more than just a coat of paint. The tone remains metal as hell. You’re still the relentless force of destruction, just now armed with a flail and a Captain America-style shield alongside your arsenal of boomsticks.

This time around, id Software tried to go bigger on story. That might not have been the best call. The Dark Ages includes more cutscenes, more named characters and even a few emotional swings. It wants to build lore. The problem is most of it doesn’t land. The story often takes a backseat to the sheer spectacle of demon-slaying, and the characters are more set dressing than emotional anchors.

Combat Evolves with New Tools and New Pacing

Combat is where Doom either lives or dies, and The Dark Ages mostly sticks the landing. The melee focus, especially with the parry mechanics on the shield, changes up how you approach fights. It encourages players to get up close and stay aggressive, just in a slightly different flavor than the pure mobility dance of Eternal.

New weapons like the Impaler, Pulverizer and chain-shot variants add enough spice to keep you tinkering with loadouts. The reworked weapon wheel now allows mid-combat morphing of your guns into advanced forms. It’s a subtle but welcome upgrade that speeds up decisions during chaos.

That said, in giving players more tools for defense, the game loses a bit of the razor-edge pacing that defined Eternal. Glory kills are no longer the center of combat flow. Instead, you’re using shield bashes and melee strings that work fine but never feel as satisfying. Some late-game encounters also lean into bullet-hell territory, which may be a jarring shift if you’re expecting the grounded brutality of Doom 2016.

Mechs and Dragons Are a Mixed Bag

The marketing leaned heavily on two new elements — a massive mech and a hell dragon — and they both look great. Unfortunately, they don’t play nearly as well as they look.

Piloting the mech is exciting the first few minutes. Crushing tanks and slapping demons around feels great until you realize the gameplay loop is basically punch, dodge and repeat. It lacks depth and wears out its welcome quickly.

The dragon section feels like something out of a different game entirely. The visuals are spectacular, but the on-rails shooting and dodging are too simple. Instead of being a major gameplay shakeup, it comes off more like a flashy breather between the main fights.

Level Design Experiments with Scale

The Dark Ages toys with open-ended design. Some maps are massive battlegrounds with optional side objectives. Others stick to the classic arena structure. That variety is welcome, but the results are uneven.

The larger maps look impressive but can feel a bit undercooked. There’s a lot of space, but not always enough enemies or action to fill it. Things slow down in ways that hurt the momentum. Fortunately, the tighter, more traditional levels are still here and remain the highlight of the experience.

Exploration is actually worth your time. Secret upgrades, shrine currency and even cosmetic unlocks are well-hidden but never frustrating. For players who love to comb every corner, this game rewards the effort.

Performance Holds Steady, Soundtrack Takes a Step Back

From a technical standpoint, The Dark Ages runs impressively well. On my gaming laptop (Ryzen 7 6800H and RTX 3070 laptop GPU), it holds a solid framerate even during the more explosive set pieces. Visuals are a clear upgrade with great lighting and destructible environments that really sell the chaos.

But the music. That’s where the cracks show. Mick Gordon’s absence is obvious. The new score fits the aesthetic but never grabs you in the same way. There’s nothing here with the same bite or swagger as Rip and Tear or BFG Division. It’s not bad. It’s just not memorable.

Verdict: Doom is Still Doom, Even When It Experiments

Doom: The Dark Ages is id Software and Bethesda swinging for something bigger. It’s not as lean and mean as Doom 2016. It’s not as intricate or polished as Eternal. But it lands somewhere in the middle — brutal, confident and still a blast to play.

The game takes risks. Some of them pay off. Some don’t. But at no point does it forget the heart of what makes Doom work. If you show up for carnage, you’re going to get plenty. If you’re hoping for a layered story or game-changing mechanics, temper your expectations.

Is it the best of the trilogy? That depends on what you’re looking for. What’s certain is that Doom still belongs in the top tier of first-person shooters, and The Dark Ages keeps that legacy alive.

Pros:

• Satisfying, weighty combat
• New weapons and mechanics are fun to experiment with
• Visually stunning environments
• Exploration is actually worth doing

Cons:

• Story is forgettable and poorly paced
• Mech and dragon sequences feel shallow
• Soundtrack lacks the signature identity

Final Verdict:

Highly recommended for Doom fans. Cautiously recommended for newcomers or players expecting something more modern or narrative-driven.

Filed under: Game Reviews - @ May 22, 2025 4:07 pm

Tags: Game Review