DOOM: The Dark Ages

Overall recommendation: Series veterans might want to wait for a sale

Overall I'll call this a tenuous recommendation, with the caveat that I don't think it quite lives up to the previous 2 installments (which are both technically sequels to this), but the combat loop itself is worth playing, even if it means waiting for a sale first.

The core gameplay is good, with the introduction of shield and melee mechanics to replace Doom Eternal's flamethrower and glory kills. Thanks to the sound and physics design, you really feel the weight of the Slayer when you move, and each of the weapons as you fire.

The combat on its own is good, but not Doom Eternal good. It's interesting in that most of the weapons seem pretty viable on their own, but there are a couple standouts (chainshot, and the assault rifle secondary mode) that made using many weapons feel kind of unnecessary if not oftentimes useless. It's a pretty big contrast from Doom Eternal's loop that required using all the tools at your disposal frequently, and I never really felt incentivized to mix up my play in Dark Ages the same way I did with Eternal. Whereas Eternal made swapping weapons second-nature, Dark Ages makes swapping weapons almost feel like a chore--you save heaps of time just hurling your shield instead of swapping to the plasma rifle to take out shieldbearers, for example. It's pretty indicative that the core design of the combat was around the new shield mechanics more than anything else, which isn't bad on its own. Like I mentioned, all the weapons feel pretty viable to use, so if you want to just use one over another you really can without feeling much detriment.

Beyond combat, however, the game nearly broached becoming what I would deem a slog, due mostly to how the secrets and maps are set up. The maps themselves all feel enormous, partially due to the inclusion of mech and dragon set pieces demanding additional scale, and also due to a more open-world approach than previous installments had. This has a large drawback, however, in that many of those maps require copious amounts of backtracking for hunting secrets. The last main level alone has you progress about 70% of the way just to find the secrets key, at which point you go back through the entire previous portion of the map to collect the secrets you had to leave behind until finding said key. This kind of thing occurs often in Dark Ages, and has kept me from immediately jumping back in on Nightmare/Ultra Nightmare after finishing my Ultra Violence campaign on my first go-around.

The mech and dragon portions of the game I could do without entirely--they break the pace pretty hard and the combat with each is pretty lackluster and unexciting. If these portions had been cut or even reduced to cinematics the game would have been improved quite a bit, I think. As the saying goes: "To some, perfection is achieved when there is nothing more to add. To others, perfection is achieved when there is nothing left to take away". I think in the case of Dark Ages, more could have been taken away to good effect.

On that note, I will say that the soundtrack is sorely missing Mick Gordon. I can remember having those catchy, driving, synth-metal tracks from Eternal stuck in my head for hours after playing, but I couldn't recite a single riff from Dark Ages if I tried, even after my first campaign over 17 hours. It's an unfortunate blemish for Dark Ages that Id and Gordon's relationship faltered the way it did

Doom The Dark Ages was a wild ride during the entire play through and really showcases what ID Software tried to do with the changes made in this iteration. However, Doom The Dark Ages is lacking in some areas while excelling in others. Lets talk pros and cons...
Pros:
Pacing - Doom The Dark Ages features fantastic pacing during and between levels. The game has moments where it lets you breathe to explore the areas around you and try to collect every secret and item you can possibly find. When you are thrust into battle it secures you in the field with red barriers to let you know nothing else matters other than you and the enemy at that moment in time. I really enjoyed the breaks in action (or the difference in delivering said action) with the new Dragon and Mech levels that are in this game. The dragon levels were by far my favorite chapters.
Level Design / Map Design - Doom The Dark Ages has fantastic map design and level design. The map is super useful, highlighting the secrets well and letting you figure out how to find them. Even though you know they are there, its not easy to spot all of them and the feeling of exploration is there. Some maps are super linear as expected, but others are a bit more open ended letting you choose which direction you want to go first to explore / tackle objectives. Its actually a really fun combination and I thought it was done well.
Graphics - The graphics in this game, as expected are pretty good. I wouldn't say they are mind blowing, but I played at maximum settings 4K resolution and there were moments in the game (especially the open maps) where I thought "dam this looks really good". Areas are dark and broody with lots of your typical blood and bodies everywhere. Overall I enjoyed the visuals in this game.
Game play - Here is where i personally enjoyed the game play in this game. I know for some people, the shield will throw them off and they feel it slows down combat and I totally get that. I myself enjoyed the combat in Doom The Dark Ages but there are some cons and I will list that below. Overall the weapon choices in this game are a lot of fun (although can feel a bit repetitive between the different weapons of the same "archtype") and the shield spices things up nicely with the shield charge (which i used constantly to run around the battlefield). Overall it was fast paced, fun, somewhat challenging and rewarding as well with the parry mechanic in this game.
Progression / Unlocks - This game features a great progression system that has a ton of weapon abilities you can unlock with resources gained while exploring. You can also level up your shield...4 different melee weapons and many different shield runes as well to cause effects when you parry. There is so much customization to how you will rip and tear demons its awesome. Definitely a lot to experiment with and unpack here.
Now lets talk cons:
Game play - Yes this is a pro and a con. So the game play for me was fun, rewarding, fast paced and felt good. The problem is sometimes you will feel combat gets slowed down due to the parry mechanic. Animation lock becomes a small problem because after a parry its encouraged that you melee the enemy usually for a combo, but results in sometimes your inability to do so because the enemy goes flying backwards quickly but your animation is slowed due to the parry so you cant get a combo off in time sometimes. It can definitely feel a little glitch at times during combat but overall i didn't experience this TOO much.
Toned Down Compared To Previous Dooms - This game is 100% more toned down than previous dooms in terms of overall bloodyness and violence. The glory kills of previous dooms have been replaced with basically melee executions that dont result in the same level of violence as the previous. Glory kills you were able to rip / tear enemies apart, snap their necks etc. In this game that barely happens. Every once and a while youll get the opportunity to maybe cut a head off with your shield but its usually cinematic / cutscene ending for a mini boss or big boss. Its unfortunate.
Bugs and Glitches - This game has some bugs and glitches as expected. Within my first stream of the game, i experienced a crash immediately upon starting the game and getting to the menu screen (only happened once or twice) On the third level, i experienced a no music bug, where combat had zero music playing and no ambient music was playing during exploration as well. Literally nothing but footsteps. I encountered a shield parry bug where after clicking the shield once, I was unable to click it again until i switched weapons, resulting in me being unable to shield or parry...I also experienced a no footstep sound bug where my footsteps literally disappeared. Its all documented on my channel for those who never experienced such bugs, i did unfortunately.
Music - The music in this game is good... it really is. But its just nowhere near as good as micks unfortunately. I was hoping that it would be, but I understand now that was nearly a impossible task. Still, there are moments where the music DOES hit well, its just not as good as micks. So i am labeling this as a con, but to be fair its one of those "up to the player" cons.
Value - This is a big one for me right now. In a day and age where games are going to start charging you 80$ retail, this game being $70 retail doesn't hit home as strong value for me considering its campaign only right now and I finished the campaign in 15 hours. I've played this game a extra two hours after completing it hunting achievements. I am nearly 100%. 15 hour campaign for me, full current price when I recently played Expedition 33 and have 40+ hours in that game and I am currently exploring Oblivion remastered and we all know how many hours you can get in that game...all for $50 retail. Its a hard sell iIMO. Die hard doom fans will pick it up instantly, but i HIGHLY recommend at least waiting for a 25% off sale to bring it more in line with campaign length to price expectations.
All in all, as a game i thoroughly enjoyed Doom The Dark ages. It 100% has its faults no doubt and issues, but is still a solid entry into the doom franchise. I wouldn't say its my personal favorite of all the DOOM games I've ever played, but I did enjoy this one a lot (especially the dragon levels, DAM those were awesome).
Thank you for reading and if you want to see my game play of this game, check out Hypnotic LIVE on YouTube for the full live review of Doom The Dark Ages.
Thanks for reading!

For some, the hardest part of playing The Dark Ages will be letting go of Eternal. I see this game as an overcorrection from Eternal. DOOM is one of the most respected franchises ever, and while each entry has its own camp, nearly all of them are beloved by the majority of players. That said, there’s always an inevitable clash between industry trends and player expectations. Sometimes, pushing a franchise forward is necessary. I respect the fact id keeps trying but it's not always as easy to appreciate a work for what it is, though I still appreciate it's fresh.
If you thought Eternal was too "gamified," guess what? Dark Ages is also too gamified just in a different way. Sure, it’s more grounded and rounded across the board. I don’t know why people label this as a "stand and fight" game because, believe me, it’s not. It still has the DOOM run-and-gun mayhem at its core; it’s just not as rhythmically demanding as Eternal, where optimal play required using every weapon in your arsenal while platforming like a madman. I loved Eternal, but Dark Ages is more of an all-rounder. It’s still rhythmic in terms of parrying (the timing window is forgiving, so you’ll get it naturally), but you have more freedom in weapon choice. If you preferred 2016, this might address some of your issues though I doubt the 2016 camp will inherently fully embrace it.
Grenades are gone, replaced by a trusty shield that’s just as eager to chop enemies apart. Melee and close-quarters are better than ever. The weapons are creative enough to keep the flow engaging, and the BFG has been swapped for a BFC (a crossbow, obviously), which fits the theme quite well. I miss the Crucible already, there’s no equivalent here but it is what it is. Unfortunately, glory kills feel downgraded. I get why, but unless you approach enemies from specific angles, you’ll see the same few animations repeatedly. After Eternal’s variety, this left a sour taste.
I finished my Nightmare playthrough in about 18 hours, collecting around 3/4 of the upgrades and secrets. And that’s where my biggest gripe lies. Collectibles aren’t just codexes and toys they’re tied to upgrades, too. This baffles me. We’re drowning in soulslikes and RPGs, open worlds packed with busywork. I do that every month. Now I am doing more of the same in DOOM? I don’t see the necessity. If it were just a few levels, fine but most are sprawling, encouraging free-roaming exploration. At first, I welcomed it, but it got old fast. I lost focus and grew bored, the worst possible outcome in a DOOM game. Regardless, I still appreciate how some missions lets you take them at your own pace and do objectives in any order.
The levels themselves are monotonous and lack dynamism. This is another consequence of stepping back from Eternal, where some accused the game of turning into Mario Galaxy with its platforming. Fine, keeping traversal grounded is certainly a choice but the levels also lack distinction. Most look and play the same, with some elevation but nothing like Eternal’s verticality. You’ll mostly run circles in arenas.
Dark Ages is more accessible than Eternal, which some found demanding. In fact, it might be the most accessible DOOM yet. Achievements are easy to 100%, and Nightmare was rather easy until the final missions, where the game unapologetically spams enemies. The challenge wasn’t playing "Simon Says" with the parry cues but constantly getting hit from off-screen. It’s still tailored for hardcore players but is not an exact ''sweaty palms'' game like 2016 either. Dark Ages itself plays like a mediator between two different DOOM entries.
The mech (Atlan) and dragon sections are disappointingly shallow. The Atlan feels clunky, with little room for mastery—mostly just perfect dodges and button-mashing. The dragon is underwhelming, requiring lock-on attacks and more of the perfect dodges. You can’t park your dragon and freely explore; landing zones are predetermined. The only real interaction is chasing fleeing ships (loot goblins, essentially) to be rewarded by the mission challanges. It’s bland.
If you wanted cinematic presentation in DOOM for whatever reason, you’re in luck. Dark Ages has the most presentation in the series. Funny, considering 2016 initially prided itself on anti-narrative (though even it had unskippable cutscenes). Eternal drowned in convoluted lore dump, while The Dark Ages goes for a straightforward, cinematic approach. It’s easy to follow, and I don’t mind it being there but do I care? Honestly, hard to give a shit.
The Slayer is still the dude. He rips, tears, and makes folk run for their life. But the rest of the cast? Generic military tropes, Sentinel war councils, and bits of outsider-vs.-locals perspective. It was interesting to see how the Slayer earned his place, but the storytelling relies on tired, overused set pieces. I don’t care about Sentinels war plans or whatsoever, just let me shoot something in the face.
The pacing also feels stretched. Unique bosses are unevenly spaced (you fight all in the last 3 chapters), and the only rune, Rage, is introduced late for gimmicky fights. I missed traditional power ups, this type of gameplay could have benefited greatly from them.
The guns still feel punchy, but mastery challenges only reward skins. I didn’t feel compelled to upgrade everything, sticking to one or two favorites. Each weapon has two mods (switchable anytime), and upgrades grant perks like the classic flame flares (armor on hit) for the shotgun its often associated with.
I recently revisited DOOM 3. Love it or hate it, it was a bold departure. Made during an era of industry experimentation, took risks. Newer DOOMs feel more like Painkiller than DOOM 3 in an ironic way. Players clearly love weapon-juggling, fast-paced combat, and arena shooters hence the indie boom of "retro-feel boomer shooters," many of which are even faster than this trilogy. Most aren’t true to DOOM's (or Duke 3D's) roots either, but that’s just how trends go.
I never opened the map until I hit a breaking point. Constantly checking the map isn’t something I associate with DOOM. If you love exploring every corner of given levels, more power to you. But this isn’t my idea of an FPS sandbox. I expect something more calculated and focused; Dark Ages sacrifices that precision of the former two for openness. Still thrilling, but its highs are lower due to design restrictions.
The new remix of the main theme (the one that greets you in the menu) is cool and all, but the rest of the BGM... If you could ask the soundtrack itself, it would agree that it misses Mick Gordon. At some point, Gordon had to move on, but it’s a shame how he departed. I don’t think the new tracks are as memorable as those in the former two. Must be a part of why I got bored. The music has the similar tunes, sure, but is not as vibrant, intense and energetic. Instead it's more flat and obviously far less experimental although some might still find it catchy. The mixing needs some serious help however.
DOOM strangely followed Tomb Raider's path so far, a beloved franchise from '90s making a strong comeback with arguably a great reboot debut, followed by a more divisive sequel and finishes up with a messier entry. That's just how I interpret it. What's next? Another reboot? That I don't know but I do know this: Dark Ages is still a good game. It's just not my type of jam. Each to their own, I don't feel apologetic as I hated both RAGEs hence feel like id sometimes do miss the mark but the ongoing theme here is clear enough. It's what you prefer. To me, Dark Ages will remain the weakest link of the new trio. Maybe it should take a longer break but whatever's next, I want to believe it'll be always good to play more of DOOM. The lack of multiplayer is saddening actually.
★★★½☆☆
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The fact that this game gets as mixed of a reception as it does is more so evidence of how strong 2016 and Eternal are. This is the "weakest" of the modern Doom games - the dragon and mech levels add nothing of value and make you wanting to be boots on the ground again, the attempt to be more cinematic backfires and comes off as dollar store Warhammer, and this combat model as the most holes in it of the 3. That being said, this game still rocks. Combat makes you feel powerful and is arguably my favorite of the 3 styles they have done, even if it isn't as intricate as Eternal. The setting and aesthetic is awesome, even if the "story" doesn't help it any. Music is a step down from the previous games, but I pity the team that had to follow up Mick Gordon's soundtracks (to make the music better, turn music volume to 100% and sound effects down to 60% - that was a sweet spot so you can actually hear the music). Overall, if you liked the previous Doom games and are a shooter fan, you will enjoy this and have a good time.

More than anything else, I applaud iD for putting out a singleplayer shooter in 2025 and for always mixing up the formula. They could have easily made "Doom 2016" another 2 times after it was such a success, but instead we have 3 games with their own unique style and identity. I will continue to support them for this in an era of sequels and playing it safe.

Dark ages is awesome but I'd still wait for a sale, given that it's around 20 hours of playtime the price is too much. That doesn't mean I don't like it or I think it's bad at all, but the price is not justifiable. You'll need a high end PC to get the most out of it because it has mandatory ray traced lighting which will kill your performance on low tier RTX cards. The recommended specs are very optimistic I'd say. I happened to upgrade my GPU mid playthrough, the first card (4070ti non-super) struggled to maintain a smooth framerate at medium settings, didn't try low settings. My 9070 XT was able to get 200fps consistently at max settings, using FSR at native & frame gen. Without frame gen it was pretty choppy. I would definitely look at benchmarks for your GPU before choosing to play this to see if it's a framerate you'd be okay with.
I loved all the mechanics with the shield, both in and out of combat. Blocking attacks from massive enemies is peak satisfaction. The newest Doom trilogy's peak is always during the chaotic fights with dozens of enemies and the defensive mechanics with the shield lend themselves well to them, the feeling of intensity is the strongest I personally get from any game during the most challenging hordes. The sections where you pilot a mech or dragon are fun but very simple, which is fine as they don't overstay their welcome.
The music is good, but unremarkable. Dark ages doesn't have any standout or memorable tracks really, you can tell they were trying to replicate what Mick Gordon did in the previous games but it's just not the same.
Overall it's a great game that fits in well with 2016 and Eternal. I'd honestly struggle to pick a favourite between this and Eternal.

It’s incredible to see ID software put out 3 completely different combat frameworks for a FPS in the last decade. Each game is different while being distinctly DOOM. Not many publishers take that kind of risk.
DOOM 2016 asked you to run and gun. DOOM Eternal asked you to jump and shoot. While DOOM The Dark Ages asks you to stand and fight. Imagine these 3 games were your kids. They are all different and You love them all equally for their unique qualities.

At first, I was a bit hesitant about the price, but I decided to give the game a shot - mostly because I’ve always had fun with the older Doom titles. And I’m glad I did.
First Impressions vs. Final Verdict
The first map felt kind of slow and underwhelming - likely designed to ease newcomers into the game. But the more I played, the more the action ramped up. By the end, I had clocked in around 25 hours, collected everything, and can confidently say: it was awesome!
Is it my favourite Doom game? Probably not. Doom 1 & 2 will always hold a special place, especially because of the massive modding scene and the ability to endlessly play new content online. Comparing the reboot games only, Doom Eternal would by my favourite. But The Dark Ages is still an incredible game in its own right.
Is it worth the price?
I think so. Though I understand the backlash - everything has become more expensive, and gaming is no exception. While it’s frustrating to see prices rise, it was bound to happen eventually. Wages are rising too (if you’re lucky), and games have been stuck at the same price point for decades. From a logical standpoint, it feels fair - but emotionally, it’s still hard to accept.
For me, this game was worth the cost. It took me several days to decide, but I’m glad I bought it. No regrets! It could’ve turned into a disaster like C&C4, but id Software is still one of the few studios I trust enough to preorder a game from.
Would I recommend it?
It depends. Sadly, demo versions are rare these days. If you can, try it through Game Pass or watch the clock and refund it if it’s not your thing. But if you play, go beyond the first 10 minutes - the game builds up slowly but ends in nonstop action. If it clicks for you, it’s absolutely worth supporting the devs. That doesn’t mean you have to pay full price - waiting for a sale is always valid. Ask yourself: if it takes 25 hours to beat, is the price worth that many hours of fun?
Gameplay: Same Doom Soul, Different Flavour
It’s definitely still Doom at heart, but every Doom entry feels different:
- Doom 3 was slow and atmospheric - nothing like the classics, but still fun.
- Doom (2016) introduced Glory Kills, which people initially hated, even though mods like Brutal Doom had already done it. It worked.
- Doom Eternal introduced constant weapon-switching, which again sparked debate - but ended up great.
- Doom The Dark Ages now introduced more open worlds and a more complex dodging mechanic.
Doom is like pizza. Do you want the same pizza every time, or are you open to new toppings? I don’t want to pay full price for the same game with new maps. I want something fresh - and The Dark Ages delivers.
What makes The Dark Ages different?
- Heavier combat feel: The Slayer feels more like a tank now, but the game is still fast. Eternal was very horizontal with dashes and vertical with double-jumps; here, combat is more forward, often involving charging into enemies.
- Mech segments: Rare, but fun - like Slayer on a berserk melee spree. Short and sweet.
- Flying sections: Feel a bit out of place, but they're brief and not annoying.
- Turret scenes: Only 2–3 of them, quick holdout moments. Minimal impact.
- Ammo and weapons: Eternal forced weapon switching. Here, you can stick to your favourites - I used the super shotgun for half the game before really experimenting. Most weapons are satisfying to use.
- Dodging & counterplay: Think of the Marauder in Eternal - now imagine lots of enemies with attacks like that, but without the invulnerability crap. Many projectiles can be dodged or deflected. Optional mechanic, but very rewarding.
Two kinds of players exist: Those who want the same game with new maps, and those who want a new experience in the same universe. id Software clearly caters to the second group - every Doom (except 1 & 2, due to tech limitations) plays differently, but all share the same essence. So do not expect a clone of one of the existing Doom games! The Dark Ages is Doom, yes, but clearly a different Doom!
Technology & Performance:
This is id Software, the studio that:
- Brought side-scrolling to PC with Commander Keen
- Changed everything with Wolfenstein 3D and Doom
- Made GPUs matter with Quake
- Pushed real-time lighting with Doom 3
- Experimented with texture streaming in Rage
- Now leans fully into ray tracing with The Dark Ages
By ditching traditional forward+ or deferred rendering and going full RT, they’ve freed artists from several engine limitations. Modern engines still struggle with old lighting methods - this move feels right, especially now that RT GPUs have been around for 7+ years.
On my setup (Ryzen 7950X3D + RX 7900 XTX, 4K HDR), it ran flawlessly. I disabled frame generation and set upscaling to native. Large areas ran at 50–60 FPS; smaller ones at 120–144. No stutters, no lags. And that’s exactly why I built this rig - for premium single-player experiences.
Sure, price and hardware demands may have hurt launch-day player count - but high launch-day player counts say more about marketing than game quality. The real judgement will come over time.
TL;DR:
- Plays differently, but still feels like Doom - and it’s super fun.
- It’s expensive, yes - but I think it’s worth it.
- Requires ray tracing–capable hardware.
- Ignore the trolls - give it a try if it seems like your thing.
And remember: opinions are not facts. This is just mine. You might feel differently, and that’s totally valid. Don’t let hype or hate ruin your experience.