Doom: The Dark Ages
Reviews
A medieval-tinged prequel that grounds the high-speed, high-skill-ceiling first-person shooter closer to Hell's minions, emphasizing melee combat and strategic power use. - IGN
Doom: The Dark Ages is a medieval-tinged prequel that expands in scale and ambition, focusing on a blend of old and new mechanics with a more focused narrative and expansive levels. - Gamerant
Doom: The Dark Ages emphasizes grounded combat, strategic power use, and exploration in a medieval-tinged setting. - Rock Paper Shotgun
Doom: The Dark Ages shifts the combat focus to a more grounded, melee-centric experience while incorporating new features like mechs and dragons. - Metro
Doom: The Dark Ages is a prequel that explores the Slayer's past in a dark fantasy/sci-fi world, emphasizing combat, exploration, and story. - Xbox Wire
Doom: The Dark Ages is heavily inspired by Frank Miller's works and past Doom games, focusing on a heavier, more powerful Slayer and streamlined gameplay. - Polygon
Overview
Doom: The Dark Ages is a medieval-tinged prequel that shifts away from Doom Eternal's platforming to ground combat, emphasizing melee weapons and strategic power use. The game features a simplified control scheme, more secrets focused on skill progression, and a single-player campaign. Inspired by the original Doom, Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Year One, and Zack Snyder's 300, the game promises a summer blockbuster-style story with unsynced Glory Kills and hordes of enemies in widened combat areas. The game is more open and expansive than its predecessors, with a focus on a more focused narrative and exploration. The combat feel has changed, with the Doom Slayer now described as an 'iron tank', and the game incorporates new features like mechs and dragons. The game blends DOOM’s signature hellscapes with a menacing medieval twist.
Pros
Cons
Gameplay
Combat
'Faltering' is a key component of combat, throwing enemies off balance and creating openings with the shield and guns. [2] [3] [4] [5]
Combat is grounded with an emphasis on strafing and power. [0] [1]
The Doom Slayer is described as an 'iron tank', less acrobatic than in Doom Eternal, emphasizing 'stand and fight' gameplay. [3]
Weapons
The game features a variety of weapons, including the Skull Crusher, which uses enemy skulls as ammunition. [0] [1] [3] [5]
There are no scopes in the game, and most guns have reduced ranges to focus on mid and close-range combat. [2] [5]
Melee
Melee combat is emphasized with weapons like an electrified gauntlet, flail, and Shield Saw. [0] [1] [3] [4] [5]
Melee is used to regain ammo. [2]
Level Design
Levels are designed to be completed in any order, with a focus on shorter, hour-long experiences. [0]
Difficulty
Custom difficulty sliders allow players to adjust game speed and enemy aggression. [0]
Story & Setting
The story will be told through cutscenes and will take players to the far reaches of the Doom universe. [0] [1] [5]
The story is described as a summer blockbuster event where the Slayer's power is coveted by enemies. [0] [1] [5]
The narrative plays a much bigger role than in previous games, unfolding in cutscenes and taking players up to the beginning of the 2016 game, making it a perfect entry point for new players. [1] [5]
The story is set early in the Slayer's time with the Sentinels, where he is viewed with uncertainty and fear due to his immense power. [2] [5]
There is a bigger focus on keeping lore and worldbuilding within the live action of the game, with fewer or no codex story elements. [2] [5]
The story is now a 'core pillar' of the game, with more cutscenes and a wider cast of characters, including a more articulate main villain, drawing comparisons to a summer movie blockbuster. [3] [5]
Visuals & Audio
The game features a juxtaposition of hi-tech weapons and cybernetically enhanced demons against an imposing fantasy backdrop. [4]
Technical Details
The game features simplified controls compared to Doom Eternal. [0] [1] [2] [3] [5]
DLCs
DLC is expected after the game is done. [5]
