Doom: The Dark Ages is a brutal thrill-ride — and it's my early pick for game of the year

Doom: The Dark Ages is just as good or better than its predecessors. That’s no small feat considering how some game franchises start faltering with each subsequent entry. But here, id Software has managed to maintain the high quality we’ve come to expect while crafting a fresh and exhilarating experience.

Set in this franchise’s distant past, Doom: The Dark Ages largely abandons the tight corridor combat of Doom (2016) and the demanding platforming of Doom Eternal in favor of more grounded combat and large open areas.

Thanks to his new shield and an assortment of medieval-inspired weapons, the series’ Doom Slayer protagonist is more tank-like and savage than ever. The story and lore that tie it all together are also more engaging. And you even get to pilot mechs and a dragon!

Doom: The Dark Ages contains everything I love about this franchise, and more. Right now, it’s an easy contender for Game of the Year. Whether you’re a Doom fan or a newcomer, this game will satisfy anyone looking for an action-packed and brutal first-person shooter. Find out why in my full review.

Doom: The Dark Ages: The basics

• What is it? Doom: The Dark Ages is the third installment in id Software’s rebooted Doom franchise. Set hundreds of years before the events of Doom (2016), this entry features more grounded combat, larger environments, and a stronger in-game narrative.
• Who is it for? It’s for series veterans, first-person shooting players, or anyone who enjoys action-based games.
• How much does it cost? Doom: The Dark Ages costs $69 and will be available on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X on May 15.
• What other games has the developer made? Id Software practically created the modern first-person shooting genre thanks to its iconic Wolfenstein, Doom and Quake franchises. The studio rebooted Doom in the mid-2010s to great success.
• What games is it similar to? Doom: The Dark Ages is like its predecessors and the more recent Wolfenstein games.

Dark medieval times

Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal hinted at ancient events concerning malevolent gods, powerful kingdoms and the Doom Slayer’s enigmatic origin. Doom: The Dark Ages lets you experience some of these events, giving you a greater understanding of this franchise’s lore. While this game is a prequel, it still packs plenty of surprises.

As the Doom Slayer, you’re tasked with helping the Sentinels (human warriors) of Argent D’Nur in their fight against the invading demonic forces of Hell. As the story unfolds, we discover what Hell hopes to gain from the war and how that could affect the greater cosmos. The story won’t win any awards, but it’s plenty engaging.

While the game has its fair share of cutscenes, most of the story happens during actual gameplay. For a game focused on hectic, fast-paced action, it’s good that things don’t come to a grinding halt during cutscenes. In fact, almost all cutscenes happen during the beginning and end of chapters, which keeps the in-game action going without interruptions.

Don’t worry if you’ve never played the previous two Doom games, since The Dark Ages tells a self-contained story that anyone can enjoy. Knowing the intricacies of the lore can enhance your immersion, but it’s not required. If this is your first Doom game, you won’t feel lost.

Architecture of aggression

Doom: The Dark Ages retains the same ferocious combat as its predecessors. As the series’ catchphrase says, you’ll “rip and tear” through legions of demons and otherworldly monsters in gory and glorious fashion. This is not for the faint of heart.

The game features greater mechanical variety than before, but still feels intuitive to play. It has an ergonomic control scheme that ensures all your attacks are easily accessible, with melee attacks on the left shoulder buttons and projectiles on the right. The left and right analog sticks also serve more functions beyond player and camera movement, with the latter initiating melee attacks, for instance. While the controls are more streamlined, this doesn’t diminish The Dark Ages’ challenge.

Combat-wise, this is more akin to the first Doom from 1993. Though you’ll have to stay mobile to survive, you can stand your ground without instantly dying thanks to the new shield mechanic. You can use it to block and parry attacks, or to throw at enemies, Captain America-style. The latter is particularly satisfying since the bladed shield will either slice foes in half or continuously saw into them. Using the shield comes naturally since it’s so easy to block, parry, or throw. It’s an essential tool in your arsenal.

Regarding parrying, you get a generous window to deflect projectiles and attacks. When you see an enemy glow green, you can parry whatever it throws at you. If you want, you can raise or lower the parrying window to make it easier or harder to perform a parry, respectively.

Speaking of your arsenal, you’ll get the iconic Doom shotgun and plasma rifle, but there’s a whole assortment of medieval-inspired weapons to pulverize demons with. There’s a Chainshot for destroying enemy armor, a vicious nailgun with ammo that can ricochet off foes, and the Skullcrusher that crushes a skull and uses its pieces as ammo to lacerate demons. Every weapon has various attacks and upgrades, which add greater utility in different situations.

You also get numerous melee weapons to handle enemies that get too close. This includes an iron flail, a metal gauntlet and a spiked mace. Melee attacks have limited ammo, so you’ll have to be judicious about when to use these savage attacks, though you’ll find plenty of ammo strewn across any given battlefield. Performing these attacks on dazed opponents briefly slows time down and is extremely satisfying to watch.

The glory kill system is now unsynced, which gives you more control over how and when you can perform them. Though I liked the over-the-top canned animations of previous glory kills, ditching them maintains the game's fast pace by not stopping the action. You can now stagger and glory kill multiple enemies in succession, which is immensely gratifying.

This game’s general combat loop has you shooting from afar, using the shield up close, and getting 1-hit kills on weakened enemies. Though the constant combat can get repetitive at times, the game generally keeps things interesting even if you’re facing the same group of enemies. Feeling like a big, heavy tank that can take on all monsters ensures you’re always engaged.

Killer of giants

I’d be happy enough if Doom: The Dark Ages only had the standard type of combat from previous games. However, id Software introduces two new scenarios I didn’t know I needed but now can’t be without. You can now pilot mechs and ride dragons.

Some of Doom Eternal’s backgrounds had destroyed Atlan mechs, and I always wondered what it would be like to pilot one of these towering 30-story-tall robots. This game grants my wish and allows me to do just that.

Punching and stomping equally colossal demons while inside a mech is almost too fun, with every lumbering attack feeling appropriately powerful and meaty. I especially like the enhanced attacks you can dish out after successfully dodging attacks. If you're like me and think "Pacific Rim" is peak cinema, you’ll have a blast during these segments.

As if this game weren’t heavy metal enough, you can also ride a mecha dragon during certain levels. And before you ask, no, these aren’t on-rails sections as you have full control over your dragon at all times. Riding the dragon is smooth and responsive, with dodging and shooting feeling quite nice. Pressing L3 and having the dragon rev its engines and blast through the sky never gets old.

Welcome to Hell

Doom: The Dark Ages isn’t an open-world game, but it features the largest environments ever for the series. As the game’s name suggests, there are plenty of medieval-inspired locales filled with villages and castles, though with a decidedly sci-fi edge. You’ll explore Hell, as is standard for a Doom game, but there are other terrifying vistas of reality that I won't spoil, lest I drive you mad from the revelation.

Searching for items in the previous Doom games was half the fun, and I’m happy to report this is still true for The Dark Ages. Though the levels are huge, they’re designed in such a way that you can instinctively tell where things are hidden. That being the case, pulling up the in-game map and seeing where items are located makes searching more efficient.

Thanks to the updated idTech Engine, the environments and demons that inhabit them look better than ever. Every location can double as the cover of a heavy metal album, with skulls, pentagrams, and torture devices almost everywhere in sight. Because of that, exploring every unsavory corner of this world for secrets is a hell of a good time.

The heavy metal and industrial-influenced soundtrack complements the hellish environments quite nicely and makes you feel like you’re living in the game’s world. And while there are plenty of headbanging tunes, there’s also a nice mix of medieval instrumentation woven within the adrenaline-fueled soundtrack.

Secret of steel

You’re powerful from the jump, but you can make yourself and your weapons even stronger via various handy upgrades.

You’ll discover gold, rubies and wraithstones in most levels, and you can use these to buy weapon, shield, and melee upgrades at strategically placed Sentinel Shrines. Said upgrades not only make your equipment hit harder, but they also unlock secondary firing options for your weapons. For instance, you can add a fire effect to the shotgun or increase the blast radius of the Chainshot. The stronger the upgrade, the more resources you’ll need to spend.

Upgrading your health and armor points is particularly fun since it requires you to tear out and crush the hearts of powerful mini-bosses. These encounters are some of my favorites in the game, so the fact that they’re required to make yourself more durable only sweetens the deal. Defeating these demons also raises the amount of ammo weapon classes can have.

Other secrets might not serve a specific use in combat, but they’re fun regardless. This includes various weapon skins to help you kill demons in style, and cute toy replicas of the enemies. There are also codex pages to give you better insight into this game’s specific lore and characters.

Doom: The Dark Ages: Verdict

There’s more I can say about Doom: The Dark Ages, but it’s a game you need to experience for yourself to fully appreciate. The team at id Software has once again outdone itself and delivered another exciting Doom game that honors the series’ past while forging a new path forward. This is the kind of title that reminds me why I fell in love with video games in the first place.

Thanks to its visceral gameplay, phenomenal graphics, and hours of content, Doom: The Dark Ages is a must-play game. If you’re looking for something to get your blood pumping, you don’t want to miss out on this one. I’m not being hyperbolic when I say it’s an easy Game of the Year contender. It’s just that damn good!