DOOM: The Dark Ages is a remarkable addition to the DOOM franchise, showcasing an impressive evolution in gameplay and storytelling.

Put simply, there's nothing else quite like DOOM: The Dark Ages out there. It's both epic and essential.

Doom: The Dark Ages is AAA gaming at its best, with huge set pieces and memorable moments around every corner of the beautiful environments that only add to the highly-polished and heavily-addicting gameplay.

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

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.

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.

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 is a masterclass of FPS gameplay and design. It would have been very easy for id to just make 'Eternal but more' for any sequel, instead choosing to completely mix up the formula and create a totally new experience that still manages to feel like DOOM. Its combat is incredibly rewarding to master and has a layer of depth not often seen in first-person shooters, and quite possibly may have become my favourite of the three games.

DOOM is and will always be synonymous with the FPS. Each new installment shows us that the genre can go beyond what many are accustomed to, and with DOOM: The Dark Ages, id Software once again shows its mastery. The level design is more open, placing a strong emphasis on exploration and allowing each player to create the experience they enjoy most. Shields and melee weapons encourage aggression and constant movement, utilizing classic concepts from the series and rearranging them in a way that feels innovative.

I’ve mentioned some minor problems and disappointments, but I mean what I said at the top. This is the most impressive Doom game iD has developed. The ingenuity and evolution of its gameplay, while remaining true to itself, is outstanding, along with an epic campaign to complement it. The Doom Dance in The Dark Ages is addictive, and I’m stoked to continue playing.

The Dark Ages perfects modern DOOM - keeping its signature brutality while innovating enough to feel fresh. A triumphant evolution that sets a new standard.

"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.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is perhaps the toughest DOOM title to date. The new weapons, especially the Shield Saw, are great. The story and the Slayer mythology are told in a cool way. The combination of brutal combat, immersive atmosphere and impressive level design make this one of the best single-player shooters of the year. Where other games stick to safe formulas, this game dares to do something really new, without losing that raw, tough DOOM feeling.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is the most badass DOOM has ever been, featuring a killer soundtrack, first-person melee combat better than it has any right to be, and the most intriguing version of The Doom Slayer we’ve ever seen.

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.

id Software once again found a way to reinvent the DOOM formula, adding new gameplay elements such as the thoroughly enjoyable shield saw. DOOM: The Dark Ages is nonstop, adrenaline-fuelled thrill ride from start to finish. This blockbuster demands your full attention as the best FPS this year so far.

Doom: The Dark Ages does many things differently from its predecessors, but it does them well. A rich story, a great sense of power, and still memorable, brutal gameplay make it not only a great addition to the legendary action franchise, but also one of the best games of the year.

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.

An amazing new array of systems reinvents DOOM once again, delivering a bombastic and brutal new way to smash demons. With awesome new cosmic threats dying to meet the serrated edge of your shield, The Dark Ages may well be the best age for any aspiring Doom Slayer.

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.

Overall, it’s fair to say that id Software has once again succeeded in creating a game worthy of carrying the legendary DOOM name. The Dark Ages takes some risks and introduces new features, but in the end, most of these decisions and changes pay off in the final experience. The Dark Ages is an unforgettable, adrenaline-fueled festival of demon-slaying, and if you're a fan of the DOOM series—or first-person action games in general—you absolutely shouldn’t miss out on the thrill of playing it.

It's not just a DOOM in iron armor: it's another beast.

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!

The Doom Slayer returns in amazing fashion with riveting gameplay, exceptional variety and gorgeous design. It might just be the best iteration of Doom so far, even though some elements pull you out of the game's adrenaline-filled tempo.

Doom: The Dark Ages offers a powerful and unique shooting experience, blending close-range combat mechanics more commonly seen in action games into the FPS formula. If you're looking for the same blood-pumping intensity as Doom Eternal, this game delivers it in a more grounded and deliberate, yet still thrilling way.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is more than a sequel. It is a re-foundation. A declaration of intent. A celebration of everything that made the saga great, but also a challenge to its own limitations. It reduces, simplifies, cleans - but in doing so, adds weight, intensity, meaning. It is the most concentrated chapter of the new trilogy, but also the one densest with ideas. It recaptures the spirit of the classics, but reworks it in a modern, coherent structure. It is no longer a Slayer against the world, but a vengeful spirit carved in iron, spanning an era that is both ancient and future. Are there imperfections? Yes. Some sections with the Atlan could have offered more variety. The difficulty should have been better calibrated by default. But these are details, creases in an armour that remains solid and menacing. As a whole, The Dark Ages is a fully aware, confident DOOM, capable of reinventing itself once again and doing so fearlessly. The Doom Slayer is back and in the Dark Ages, brighter than ever.

Id Software takes its best-known saga to unexpected places keeping intact the virtues that made Doom start a new chapter in the history of video games.

DOOM: The Dark Ages swaps out space-age speed for steel-shod fury, and it works wonders. This isn't just a prequel, but a ballad sung in blood and fire where every flail swing and shield parry feels like gospel. Sure, the dragon rides and giant Atlan mech missions are very weak, and you might need the horsepower of a car to run it at maximum settings on PC, but when most of the time you're shredding armies of Hellspawn with a gun that grinds skulls for ammo, who cares? This is the Slayer in his knightly prime. Long live the king of ripping and tearing.

Doom: The Dark Ages is much more focused than its predecessors and fun because id Software's ability to continually refine the Doom formula.

The passages that most clearly distance themselves from this beating heart are also the most dissonant, but the average quality of the experience still stands at very high levels. Yes, perhaps The Dark Ages is a less organic product than the previous Eternal, but we find it impossible to free it from the threshold of excellence.

The Slayer feels like an agile tank: precise and brutal. Every step, every blow feels weighty and satisfying, while the game's varied combat and puzzles continually add new twists and turns. The mix of explosive action and hidden secrets makes for an overall motivating experience.

The Dark Ages is the best post-reboot game in the series. It may not distance itself from the predecessors (both are great), but none of them pulled me in so hard and for so long. What’s more, I just sat through the end credits and I immediately want to begin the slaughter again.

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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.

The best way to summarize DOOM: The Dark Ages is that it lets you live out the ultimate fantasy of a testosterone-fueled, steroid-pumped gym bro who goes to space and slaughters demons—and nothing can stop him. There’s truly nothing else like it on the market right now, especially in today’s overly sanitized, pussy ass snowflake-infested gaming landscape. So thank you, Bethesda, for delivering the ultimate male power fantasy we all deserve.

With stellar combat, incredible weapons, hellish monsters to fight, and excellently implemented gameplay and design changes, DOOM: The Dark Ages delivers an excellent new style of DOOM, while still retaining the series' core strengths.

Doom: The Dark Ages may strip away the mobility focus of Doom Eternal, but replaces it with a very weighty and powerful style of play that is different from anything the series has done before, and still immensely satisfying in its own way.

Sure, there are some nitpicks, such as the dragon feature being underutilised, but nothing [in Doom: The Dark Ages] ever really pulls you out of the experience. What’s left? A strange, almost reverent love for a game that’s raw, ridiculous, and unnecessarily metal. And I loved every second of it. If this is hell, I’m not just walking in—I’m speed-boosting with a maxed-out Combat Shotgun and Finishing Move blaring at full volume.

id Software has delivered an exceptional game, staying true to the beloved and brutal gameplay style that DOOM fans have come to expect, while also introducing new weapons, abilities, and mechanics.

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.

While offering a much freer and more exaggerated power fantasy compared to DOOM Eternal, it also does a great job of setting itself apart from it.

Captain America in a world of demons? DOOM: The Dark Ages does not revolutionize the series, but it offers extremely enjoyable gameplay. Satisfaction flows in liters, as does the blood of defeated enemies. There is spectacle.

DOOM: The Dark Ages manages to innovate in a positive way the solid gameplay of its predecessors. The shield mechanics are very good, giving the combat a new feel. The parts with Serrat (dragon) and Atlan (mecha) are quite fun, despite being few. The campaign has a reasonable story and its length is just right, but the collectibles and secrets are easier to discover in general. In the end, DOOM: The Dark Ages is worth playing, despite not offering any other content besides the campaign itself.

Getting used to Doom: The Dark Age's combat loop takes some time, but once it clicks, it becomes a real joy.

After Doom Eternal proved somewhat divisive among fans, Doom: The Dark Ages should be a Doom game everyone can appreciate. It’s fast and hard hitting, featuring robust combat systems that make learning their ins and outs fun and empowering. I daresay it’s even better than Doom 2016, and is a must-play title for everyone interested in Doom, first-person shooters, and action games as a whole.

DOOM: The Dark Ages easily secures my top spot for this year's best first-person shooter game. While the narrative is somewhat decent but a bit forgettable, the refined progression system and improved core mechanics just make The Dark Ages such an entertaining game to play. Rip and tear, everyone... rip and tear!

DOOM: The Dark Ages is a fantastic next step for the franchise and a nice return to its roots. The horizontal-movement focus is easier to wrap my head around, and with a great assortment of weapons and the new shield, there were so many chaotic and destructive moments that I always found myself having a great time in the beautiful world. There were some moments when the shield would disrupt the flow of my movement, and there wasn't much to do outside of completing the campaign and collecting the secrets, but it's hard not to recommend the game just based on its addictive and refined gunplay.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is exactly what fans were craving: a beefy, brutal evolution of the franchise that mixes medieval mayhem with modern polish.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is like watching a good 90s action film: Turn your brain off and just enjoy the bang bangs and explosions. This game is the perfect lazy weekend game that is fast and furious... and you will ignore your family to play it. Or you can stream it if you want to, and just watch your chat go nuts as you rip and tear until it is done...

Doom: The Dark Ages may be my favorite Doom experience throughout the years. Whilst it may be 'slower' than previous Doom's. feeling the weight of Doomguy as I cut my way through waves of demons, using the shield as a weapon as much, if not more than a defense, and some glorious level design that never got boring, I just can't wait to get back into the fight and really give it my all on all the difficulty levels. It's a blast, and any FPS fan should be looking at this. The only drawback is the thin and at times boring story getting in the way of more slaughter, but you can't blame iD for trying something new.

Doom: The Dark Ages is another stellar entry in the classic franchise, thanks to its engaging, grounded combat, expansive and varied locales, phenomenal graphics and hours of gameplay. Though it's not revolutionary, it delivers a fast-paced and visceral experience few games can match.

DOOM The Dark Ages is an extraordinary game, a title that, as already mentioned, forcefully positions itself as one of the best of the year. It's DOOM to the nth degree, succeeding in evolving the formula without betraying its spirit; in fact, in some ways, it even returns to the saga's roots. It could definitively win the hearts of long-time fans, captivated by its level design and its more "grounded" feeling. It might appeal slightly less, but still immensely, to those who idolized the aerial frenzy of Eternal, yet they will still find themselves facing a deep, satisfying, and technically flawless gaming experience. It is, in my opinion, the most complete and narratively well-crafted DOOM of the modern trilogy, and that's why I was prompted to give it our Editor's Choice. We are looking at a title of exceptional caliber, a must-buy for every shooter enthusiast and another gem in the already rich Xbox Game Pass catalog.
Prepare to unleash hell. Again.

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.

id Software has done it again this time. DOOM: The Dark Ages is a fun and satisfying title that succeeds in embracing a wide audience thanks to multiple accessibility options and an increased focus on the content on offer. We look forward to new content to satiate our thirst for hellish blood even more.

Ever wondered about where the DOOM Slayer (aka DOOM Guy) came from and what his deal is? Me neither, but developer id Software is here to tell you all...

DOOM: The Dark Ages is, for the moment, the best first-person shooter of this year, and I'm afraid that few titles will be able to threaten it in winning the well-deserved awards. It's a phenomenal game that I recommend to any fan of dynamic FPS games. While I love Eternal and it will remain in first place in my heart for a very long time to come, I can't escape the fact that its new, youngest brother is treading on its toes.

This is a brave game that dares to innovate and reinvent an already established and beloved formula. This reinvention breathes new life into the franchise, presenting fresh ideas — some of which are spot on, others not so much.

Doom: The Dark Ages proves that there's no need to fear change, as long as it's done with purpose, respect, and solid design. It’s a tribute to what Doom once was, an evolution of what it is today, and perhaps a glimpse of where it’s headed in the future.

If you're a fan of intense, demanding shooters with a strong personality, this game won't disappoint you. And if you're looking for something fresh within the genre, this might be exactly what you needed.

Despite what its title may suggest, DOOM: The Dark Ages plays more like a brutal renaissance for DOOM, trading the aerial flair of DOOM (2016) and Eternal for a grittier, boots-on-the-ground combat loop. With a mech, a dragon, a darker story, and a crusade-sized campaign, it's everything you'd want to sink your chainsaw shield into.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is fun, chaotic and enjoyable. the Addition of Shield saw has added a new layer of depth to combat and exploration is rather fun. That being said some issues like low demon variety is noticable. Nevertheless, it's a game that everyone should play at least once.

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 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.

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.

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.

Thanks to numerous customizable parameters such as game speed, damage values, and the size of the parry window, everyone can create their own unique challenge. Add to that the numerous UI, graphics, audio, and accessibility settings (see box above), making The Dark Ages the most accessible Doom game to date—and a true showcase shooter in this area.

DOOM: The Dark Ages reimagines the series' approach by offering unique and highly personalized gameplay supported by simple yet engaging additional systems. The Slayer's carnage is as immersive as ever, but the shadow of past installments partially overshadows the final result, which falls short of memorable status.

I liked Doom: The Dark Ages, which is a bit more innovative, may not be liked by old fans but has a game system that can attract new players, and also comes with official Turkish language support, and I even had more fun playing it than Doom Eternal.

DOOM: The Dark Ages masterfully balances nostalgic boomer shooter vibes with fresh gameplay ideas, delivering a visceral, addictive combat loop. While some forced innovations dilute the pace and highlight level design flaws, it’s still a thrilling ride for FPS fans and a worthy evolution of the series.

What’s here is a medieval mosh pit of mayhem that’ll leave you grinning under your helmet, even if it doesn’t quite outshine its elders. Some of the flesh of Doom 2016 and Eternal has been peeled back sensibly in service of a new way; some chunks of epidermis shouldn’t have been extracted at all.

Doom: The Dark ages trades Eternal's speed and complexity for a slower almost methodical approach to the classic combat that put the series on the map so many years ago. While not every addition works in It's favour, it still delivers a satisfying experience. And while The Dark Ages is not the Doom game that I was expecting, it's still one that I welcome to the already illustrious Doom canon.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is a game that, while solid and captivating, doesn't quite recapture the groundbreaking impact of its predecessor. It attempts to offer a fresh take on the series, but does so a bit too conservatively, lacking the sense of novelty that defined the bold direction of DOOM Eternal. While the deliberate pacing of combat and the intricacy of the environments have their own appeal, the absence of that dynamic drive leaves a slightly bitter aftertaste. For longtime fans, it's still a journey worth taking - but it certainly doesn't represent the saga's highest point.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is an excellent addition to the series, expanding on the lore of DOOM while introducing some new and engaging combat.

We're unsure if the game's additions are enough to compensate for what's been lost from Doom Eternal, but the foundation of slaying hordes of demons in visceral and bloody battles remains as fun as ever.

“Doom: The Dark Ages” doesn't reinvent the wheel. I get exactly what I expect from the series. Frenetic action against snarling demons. If there's one thing I'd like to see in the next installment, it's a return to horror. Because this Doom Slayer definitely doesn't know fear.

The level designs are overly drab, and the vehicle sections wear out their welcome, but the actual battles against hordes of demons are as fun as ever, and you’re given tons of awesome tools and toys to unleash on them.

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.

Here's a more grounded Doom, but one that's as brisk and playful as ever.

Doom: The Dark Ages is an eye-popping first-person shooter with nonstop action and some very welcome additions to the Slayer's arsenal.

Doom: The Dark Ages reinvents and reigns in with equal measure, taking the series in a bold new direction without straying from its captivating roots.

Doom: The Dark Ages is a notable new entry in the long-running FPS series with a flavor and gameplay ideas of its own, but it can feel oddly unfocused at times, plus not every change is for the better.

DOOM The Dark Ages puts us in a rather delicate position. On the one hand, we absolutely loved playing as the Slayer in a disproportionate medieval universe, thanks to a gameplay both "old-school" and modern, more brutal and enjoyable than ever, and even more accessible. On the other hand, the studio's attempts to bring more depth to the franchise's lore and game mechanics fell seriously flat overall. That didn't however stop us from having a monstrous blast eviscerating armies of demons, with a graphical and technical slap that was still as masterful as ever.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is a bold and visually stunning shooter that captures the franchise’s essence while pushing gameplay forward, though its underwhelming story and some uneven design choices hold it back from matching its predecessors.

Doom: The Dark Ages is a great game, a fantastic demon slaughter festival, but not exactly the best Doom. There's too much plot, dialogue, side characters, cut-scenes, too much trying to make this campaign feel like Halo and Call of Duty. On the other hand, such an approach may appeal more to people who are unfamiliar with the beginnings of the series, not emotionally attached to the franchise since the 90s.

Doom: The Dark Ages marks a new chapter for the series, excelling in its combat system and more open map design, though it falls short in other areas.

DOOM: The Dark Ages doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it sure does kick a punch. A familiar installment in many ways, which manages to bring freshness with new mechanics and gloomy scenarios in which you will love to get lost exploring.

One of the world's most infamous mass-slayers returns to the battlefield once again to save the universe. Despite a few minor missteps, DOOM: The Dark Ages is an excellent shooter that stands firmly on its own, offering a unique package compared to its predecessors. I was genuinely surprised by how strongly it drew me in: its learning curve is well-designed, and the gameplay innovations worked extremely well for me. Adding to that, a well-made progression system with collectible treasures like the familiar satanic plushies, the experience is easy to recommend – both to longtime DOOM fans and those who may have skipped the previous entries. Demons, tremble!

Doom: The Dark Ages nails that feeling of "classic Doom in a new era," thanks to its relentless combat, interesting if not perfectly suitable levels, and hordes upon hordes of demons.

Doom: The Dark Ages is indulgent and deliciously violent, but surprisingly safe.

Doom: The Dark Ages is a heavyweight shooter that, at its core, is lighter on its feet than its predecessor. However, id has at times gone too wide with its half-baked new features and open level design. Rip and tear, until it is done. But please, Slayer, get out of the damn robot.

DOOM: The Dark Ages goes for something slightly different as it turns back time for a medieval assault on hell's legions. Not every change pays off, as the introduction of a mech and dragon adds very little to the overall experience. However, when The Dark Ages gets to the FPS action, there aren't many who do it better than id Software. Take some time to adjust to DOOM: The Dark Ages, and you'll discover another fantastically ferocious first-person shooter.

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.

Keeps all the series' strong points of slick and smooth graphics and frenetic, violent gameplay with a different twist that is more grounded. A trilogy where every entry presents a variation on the main theme is a good one.

DOOM: The Dark Ages feels packed with situations that test a player and challenge them to use every element in their arsenal.

Doom: The Dark Ages is definitely a game that you play for the shooting mechanics and not the story, but the newly implemented Shield Saw brings a breath of fresh, aggressive air to the demon-slaying fun.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is a fun and flashy shooter stuffed with engaging content - it's a thrill-ride from beginning to end. In the shadow of DOOM Eternal, though, the more varied set-pieces and methodical combat cause its flame to burn just a bit less bright than I was hoping for.

Doom The Dark Ages will get your blood pressure up. It will test your reflexes, your problem-solving skills, your aim, and your ability to solve problems on the fly. It’ll probably test your patience a little, too, when the chugging, uninspired, padded-out sections in the middle start to wear a bit thin.

Doom: The Dark Ages is a welcome attempt to reinvent the most iconic shooter franchise of all time rather than sticking with what had previously worked. Some of the changes work, and some don't, but for the most part, the gameplay is extremely fun, even if it didn't hit the highs of Eternal. An extremely weak plot, some feeble side mechanics, and a somewhat underwhelming soundtrack drag down things a tad, but if you enjoyed Eternal and 2016, then The Dark Ages still has a lot of fun in store for you. Just be prepared to parry like you're playing Metal Gear Rising.

Doom: The Dark Ages isn’t without its demons. Its slower story struggles to keep pace with the chaos, and the metal soundtrack rarely reaches its iconic heights. But when it works, it really works — crushing combat, intricate exploration, and a Slayer who still defines fury in motion.

In an attempt to one up the already hellacious shooter series, one that reached new adrenaline highs in 2020’s Doom: Eternal, developer Id Software turns every dial up to 11 from right Chapter 1. The battles are faster and more ferocious. Hidden lore becomes glitzy cutscenes. Our hero rides a mechadragon, for God’s sake. Every single piece of it is an exercise in maximalist escalation, trying to find a ceiling to a timeless shooter hyper violent glory. It reaches that height, but comes up against a hard truth: There’s nothing left to climb once you’ve reached the top.

"Glory Kills have been tossed out, which doesn't help with Doomguy's apparent loss of moxie – now he can't even be bothered to beat a demon to death with its own leg anymore!"

Doom: The Dark Ages is the weakest entry in a fantastic trilogy of games, and despite how I feel about its additions to combat and exploration, I’d rather an experience that took risks and sought to reinvent what it means to play a Doom game rather than build upon the familiar.

I don’t enjoy this style of Doom compared to that of the previous two games -- it's just not the Doom I've grown to love. That said, The Dark Ages is in no way a bad game. Fans of classic Doom will really enjoy similarities in its larger areas, the high volume of slower projectiles to dodge, and the constant need to push forward.

The Dark Ages has some of the best combat in Doom history, but dull new features make it the weakest of the modern Doom games.

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 just under 10 years, id Software has created three very different Doom games, with 2016’s being the most pure, Eternal being the most expanded, and The Dark Ages easily being the most bone-crunchingly heavy metal.

Id Software's prequel is a big, heavy metal adventure with a few too many cutscenes

DOOM: THE DARK AGES feels like a reboot of its own, a sideways step back away from a lot of the changes made in DOOM Eternal. DOOM: THE DARK AGES doesn't have the same pressure on you to be absolutely perfect, the fun zone has been widened pretty dramatically and the game is much better for it. Of course if you want to ratchet it all the way up to ultra-violence difficult setting you absolutely can. The choice this time round, is completely yours.