Ever since the ‘90s, Doom has been the ultimate playground for demon-slaying chaos. But no matter how much the series evolves, there’s always been a simple recipe to make it feel like Doom: throw in hordes of monsters, hide secrets in every level, give us a shotgun that feels like pure power, and—of course—send us straight to Hell. That’s it. Nail those four things, and the rest is just icing on the gore-soaked cake.
So when Doom: The Dark Ages was announced, with its wild techno-medieval fantasy world and Game of Thrones-style factions clashing against demons and ancient gods, fans wondered: Will this still feel like Doom? The answer? Hell yes.
Sure, the Doom Slayer’s now smashing skulls with a shield, punching robots into scrap, and battling demon princes in a world where swords and shotguns collide. But at its core? It’s still Doom. Secrets lurk in shadowy corners, the shotgun roars like a beast, and you better believe we’re taking a one-way trip to Hell. Some things never change—and that’s exactly how we like it.
Doom: The Dark Ages – A Prequel That’s All About the Chaos (and a Little Too Much Talk)
Doom: The Dark Ages takes us back in time—way back—to the years before Doom 2016 and Doom Eternal. If you’ve played those games, you know the Doom Slayer’s story got… complicated. We’re talking ancient wars between demons, robot angels, and humans, all crammed into a series that once kept things gloriously simple. Remember when the plot was just “shoot demons on Mars”? Yeah, those days are gone.
This prequel dives deeper into the Doomguy’s past, fleshing out the messy, cosmic battles that shaped his rage-fueled crusade. But here’s the thing: Doom was never about lore spreadsheets. Dark Ages piles on political scheming, magical macguffins, and royal family drama like it’s trying to win a fantasy Emmy. By the end, you’ll forget who’s betraying who—or why you should care.
That said, there are moments that slap. The Doomguy still speaks in grunts and violence (he says one word in the whole game, and it’s perfect). My favorite scene? When a creepy underworld gatekeeper demands a toll, and our hero responds with a shotgun blast to the face. That’s the Doom spirit we love.
But let’s be real: you’re not here for court intrigue or artifact hunts. You’re here to rip demons apart. And Dark Ages absolutely delivers on that front. The story stumbles, but the gameplay? It’s a roaring chainsaw of fun. The Doom Slayer punches, stomps, and blasts his way through hordes of hellspawn with the kind of over-the-top chaos that makes you forget the plot ever existed.
So, if you can shrug off the cutscenes and focus on the carnage, The Dark Ages is still Doom at its core—bloody, brutal, and blissfully brainless where it counts.
Doom: The Dark Ages – Bigger Battles, Cooler Toys, and a Shield That Slaps
Let’s cut to the chase: Doom: The Dark Ages throws you into the kind of chaotic, demon-stomping battles that’ll make your inner 12-year-old scream with joy. Forget tight corridors—this time, you’re fighting in massive, open warzones packed with hundreds of hellspawn. Picture a medieval metal concert where you’re the headliner, and every weapon is a gnarly medieval-meets-machine abomination.
Take the new arsenal, for example. There’s a cannon that fires rusty nails (because why not?), a chain-loaded cannonball launcher, and my personal favorite: a skull-shredding machine gun that spits out a cone of bone fragments, vaporizing entire crowds of weaker demons in seconds. And don’t worry—classics like the plasma rifle and BFG are back, but with a twist. The BFG is now a giant crossbow that turns battlefields into green-glowing ghost towns.
But let’s talk about the real star: the shotguns. Yes, plural. The standard combat shotgun is your trusty sidekick, reliable for blasting imps into confetti. Then there’s the Super Shotgun—a double-barreled beast so powerful it can delete mini-bosses in two shots. Doom checklist item: shotguns. Check.
Now, the big new toy: Doomguy’s shield. This isn’t some boring defensive tool. Oh no. It’s a saw-blade-covered nightmare that blocks fireballs, gets thrown like a deadly frisbee, and parries attacks. Ever wanted to Captain America a demon’s face off? Now you can. And when you counter a Hell Knight’s swing with it, you get to follow up with a spiked mace to the skull. I grinned like an idiot every. Single. Time.
What makes Dark Ages shine is how all these tools work together. Punching demons drops ammo. Shield tosses stun big baddies while you mow down the mobs. Charge across the battlefield with your shield, then blast a demon into chunks to refill your health. After an hour, you’ll find yourself in a rhythm—blocking, dodging, slashing, shooting—like some kind of blood-soaked ballet.
Best part? You’re not forced to play “rock-paper-scissors” with enemy weaknesses like in Eternal. Most guns work on most demons, so you can stick with what you love. Sure, a few tanky mini-bosses will make you sweat, but even they can be taken down with creativity (and maybe a few extra shotgun shells).
Is it Doom? Absolutely. It’s louder, messier, and gives you more ways to turn Hell’s army into paste. And honestly, who needs a deep story when you’ve got a shield that doubles as a pizza cutter from hell?
Doom: The Dark Ages – Where Dragons, Mechs, and Secrets Hide in Plain Sight
Let’s get this out of the way: Doom: The Dark Ages isn’t an open-world game. But its levels? They’re huge. Imagine sprinting through a demon-infested cathedral the size of a football stadium, smashing walls to find hidden gold, or shield-tossing a gear to unlock a secret room packed with upgrades. This isn’t Skyrim—you won’t be fetching herbs for a random blacksmith. Instead, the game sprinkles in bite-sized secrets that reward you for being curious (and violent). Break a wall, find a chest, upgrade your shotgun to shoot even bigger explosions. Simple. Satisfying. Very Doom.
Speaking of upgrades, Dark Ages lets you tweak your gear without drowning in menus. Want your Super Shotgun to feel like a handheld nuke? Done. Prefer a shield that zaps demons every time you parry? Go nuts. It’s all streamlined compared to Eternal’s upgrade sprawl, which I’m grateful for—though I still think Doomguy shouldn’t need a skill tree. (Since when does hell-slaying require homework?)
Now, the real shocker: dragons and mechs. Yes, you read that right. In Dark Ages, you’ll occasionally hop on a cyber-dragon’s back, soaring through fiery skies to roast demons like kebabs. Or climb into a skyscraper-sized mech to punch a kaiju demon so hard it rethinks its life choices. These moments aren’t the core of the game, but holy hell, do they deliver. Flying the dragon feels as smooth as sprinting on foot, and piloting the mech? Pure power fantasy. Imagine WWE, but with robots and hellspawn.
The best part? These segments don’t overstay their welcome. If you’re not into dragon joyrides, don’t sweat it—you’ll be back to chainsawing imps in under 10 minutes. Id Software nailed the balance: just enough spectacle to keep things fresh, but never enough to distract from what Doom does best.
So, is Dark Ages still Doom at heart? Absolutely. Bigger levels? Check. Secrets that reward your inner gremlin? Check. A shotgun that could solve world peace? Double-check. And sure, dragons and mechs aren’t on the original “Doom checklist,” but hey—if you’re gonna break tradition, do it with a flaming robot fist to a demon’s face.
Doom: The Dark Ages – A Bloody Blast with One Too Many Finales
Endings are tricky. You want that final boss fight to feel like a fireworks show, not a marathon. Doom: The Dark Ages almost nails it—until it doesn’t. Let me explain.
The game builds to this perfect climax: a rage-fueled showdown against a villain so hateable, I wanted to reach through the screen and throttle him myself. The Doom Slayer, silent as ever, says it all with his fists. The fight is chaotic, brutal, and deeply satisfying. I was done. Keyboard sweaty, adrenaline pumping, ready to ride off into hell’s sunset.
…And then the game goes, “Wait! One more thing!”
Suddenly, you’re dumped into another massive level with two more boss fights and a cutscene that drags like a demon’s funeral. Don’t get me wrong—the final battles are fun. But cramming them in after the actual finale kills the momentum. It’s like ending a concert with three encores when the crowd already left.
Here’s the kicker: Dark Ages is supposedly getting DLC. If Id Software keeps stacking finales, we’ll end up with a game that has more climaxes than a soap opera. (Note to devs: Give us more shotguns, not more endings.)
But here’s the thing: Even with its awkward finale, Doom: The Dark Ages is a hell of a ride. The combat is still buttery-smooth, the new toys are a blast, and the sheer audacity of adding dragons and mechs works. Sure, the story overstays its welcome, but who cares when you’re dropkicking a Hell Knight into a spike pit?
At its core, this is still Doom—loud, messy, and unapologetically obsessed with making you feel like a god with a shotgun. So yeah, the ending fumbles. But the journey? Pure, unrelenting chaos. And sometimes, that’s enough. 🔥
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a shield to throw and a dragon to ride. Priorities.
