DOOM: The Dark Ages Review

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A Brutal Descent Into The Slayer’s Past

DOOM has never been a game to pull its punches. To an extent its the gaming equivalent of a heavy metal rock concert – its loud, fast, and unapologetically aggressive. But with DOOM: The Dark Ages things feel different. For this instalment id Software have taken the sci-fi setting back to its roots. No I don’t mean Mars, I mean what came before the Slayer found himself awoken by the UAC back in 2016. Instead we delve in the Slayer’s past with a glorious fusion of medieval sci-fi horror that pushes the blood-soaked shooter forwards, while simultaneously digging deeper into its past.

A Shift In Style, Not In Speed

Right from its opening moments, DOOM: The Dark Ages establishes that its not the DOOM we have come to know over the past decade. Gone are the hyper-stylized neon cityscapes of DOOM Eternal, and those pesky traversal moments that made the Slayer more circus performer than…well slayer. In its place are crumbling fortresses, ancient ruins, and blood drenched battlefields that form a painting of iron and ash. The Slayer himself has also adjusted to this world; he’s already established as a mythic harbinger of death, but he’s in a world where time, technology, and theology have collapsed into each other.

Despite its change in ascetic, the speed and flow of the game remain the same. You’ll still be a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, while juggling shotgun shells, rockets, and other exotic weaponry – yet every action feels more weighty. The inclusion of a shield now adds a more tactical element to the frantic ballet of combat, enemies also hit harder, and there’s plenty more of them out to get you. This change might feel a reinvention of the tried and tested DOOM formula, yet for me I felt it as a natural evolution.

Still Ripping, Now With More Tearing

Combat is still at the forefront of DOOM: The Dark Ages, and it still features its signature loop of dealing damage, staying mobile, and chaining kills together. To keep things fresh the Slayer’s toolkit has been expanded and refined in a new and surprisingly strategic way.

Chief of these is the inclusion of a shield-chainsaw hybrid that forms the backbone to most of the new techniques. Not only does it add a layer of defense, it also comes with a few options to make it extremely lethal in battle. Don’t get me wrong, you’ll still be relying on your weapons and abilities but the shield encourages you to mix this up with with both melee and ranged attacks. There’s an almost strategic way to approach battles now as you whittle down the hordes to eventually get up close for those rewarding gory kills. Its different but still decadently that familiar DOOM experience.

id Software have also taken a smarter approach to the arena designs to. Encounters now feel more layered with multi-tiered environments, more destructible elements, and plenty more enemies to tackle. You’re not now just mindlessly thrown into each fight. Instead you’re now strategically dismembering the hordes while navigating hazards and managing your own inventory. It’s certainly chaotic, but always coherent.

Building Better Worlds

One of the low-key highlights of this “Dark Age” is how well it deepens the DOOM lore world without drowning you in exposition. This is still a game that respects your time and your trigger finger, but for those who’ve been following the Slayer’s strange, cryptic journey since 2016, there’s more lore to chew on than ever before. The medieval setting is more than a reskin as it ties directly into the Slayer’s origin story, the rise of Hell’s legions, and the eternal war that’s been hinted at for the past two games. Throughout you’ll find carved murals, cathedrals, and remnants of the long-dead that whisper stories of sacrifices and cosmic betrayals. It’s storytelling through atmosphere, and it’s incredibly effective. Away from this and there’s also some pretty decent cutscenes which add a more human element to the carnage that’s playing out on the screen.

For those of us who want to jump straight into the action, you’re never forced to sit through a cutscene that drags on. Instead, you can simply drop into the combat arenas with spaces that feel lived in, haunted, and hostile. It’s a game where the story seeps into your bones as much as it flashes across the HUD.

Hell Of A Performance

id Tech once again proves itself as a pretty optimised engine when it comes to performance. Not only does the Slayer’s wrath run smoothly on my laptop, it’s console counterpart (Xbox Series X) runs just as smoothly. Regardless on how you choose to play, The Dark Age runs like a dream with minimal load times, sharp visuals, and a fluid framerate. Even when the screen is choked with blood, fire, and debris everything runs a smooth as the chaos flowing within the Slayers blood. Each weapon also comes with its own satisfying kick, and every Glory Kill lands with bone-snapping impact. Even at its most chaotic, the action never becomes unreadable and you truly get to feel like the monster you are.

Bow Down To The King

Overall, DOOM: The Dark Ages is the kind of sequel that doesn’t rest on its past – it expands its future. Here, id Software have taken everything that worked in DOOM Eternal and wrapped it in a new, darker skin that feels both brutal and beautiful. It’s a beautiful testament to id Software’s craft that nearly 30 years after the original DOOM redefined FPS gaming, the series is still finding new ways to innovate, while staying relevant.

Whether you’re a longtime Slayer or a newcomer drawn in by the medieval horror aesthetic, DOOM: The Dark Ages is an absolute must-play. It’s not just a new chapter, but a whole new book in the legend of the Doom Slayer!

Rapid Reviews Rating

4 out of 5

4

DOOM: The Dark Ages is available now and can be purchased via Steam by clicking here.